Anastacia struggled to hold back her tears as she revealed she wouldn’t let the bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on Monday (May 22) put her off performing in the U.K. city on Saturday (May 27).
The terrorist attack saw a suicide bomber set off an improvised explosive device in the box office area of the Manchester Arena, killing 22 people including an eight-year-old girl. Dozens more were hospitalized following the horrific attack, but I’m Outta Love star Anastacia has now joined the ever-growing list of stars taking a stand against the terrorists by continuing with scheduled performances in the city.
Despite stars such as Take That and Blondie postponing their concerts in Manchester, Anastacia will be defiantly taking to the stage at the O2 Apollo Manchester on Saturday night.
“I was at 9/11, I have been in so many different places where terrorism existed, and where (terrorists) have put forth their stamp, and instead of reverting to going back into your hole, it’s going, ‘Really? Oh ok great, well we’re just going to rise up higher and going to be a little louder so you realise you didn’t scare us away’,” Anastacia said during an appearance on British TV show This Morning on Wednesday. “You just only kind of feel the fire. What I feel about the U.K. is that they have always risen above their adversities and come together and I absolutely admire your country for its strength and its true resilience.”
Ariana was seen arriving back in Florida on Tuesday following the atrocities on Monday, and has remained silent on her social media apart from one tweet in which she described herself as “broken” and “so so sorry”.
As she spoke about Ariana’s tweet, Anastacia grew tearful, her voice noticeably catching as she praised the singer’s behaviour in the wake of the bombing.
“I know what she’s thinking… I hear every word and I know she’s saying the truth,” she continued. “When you are a person like Ariana and you are really engaged with your fans that way, and you enjoy the career because they make it fun for you.
“The fans themselves are probably going to become this wall of strength, I believe, because one thing I know about artists and fans is that the minute someone tries to come and bully the artist, the fans are like, ‘Oh yeah (fists up)’. She’s such a power, such a sweetheart and such a doll.”
