Why we need Ariana Grande to keep singing

Like so many people around the world, I’ve been struggling to process the horrific news about the Manchester Arena explosion on May 22. Any form of terrorism that maims and kills is unforgivable but it is particularly abhorrent when it targets the young.

Ariana Grande has legions of children and teenagers among her admirers, known as “Arianators”, and is famous for having a strong rapport with her fan base. She enjoys great popularity here in Japan. Grande is sassy enough to delight kids but retains a sweet veneer that reassures their parents.

Those behind the crime knew exactly who would be in the audience on the 22nd. At least seven teenagers are among the 22 people known to have lost their lives, and the youngest victim was just eight years old. Scores of other people are battling their injuries in hospitals around the city. Many of the adults who perished were parents, accompanying their youngsters to the concert or waiting outside to collect them after the event.

It has darkened what until then had been a joyful experience—a dream come true for Grande’s fans and probably their first pop concert for many youngsters in attendance.

I don’t have friends or family in Manchester, but I do have two teenage daughters who love Ariana Grande. The younger one’s first concert was watching the pint-sized dynamo perform at a promotional event in Tokyo two years ago. Currently in New Zealand for high school and university, my girls had just secured tickets for Grande’s concert in Auckland in September. Ahead of the Oceania leg of her current tour, she is slated to perform in Tokyo in August.

Grande and her management now face the unenviable task of deciding how to proceed.

First we need Grande to feel OK with performing live again. Then I hope she will bring her talent and her energy back to the world’s stage. I want my daughters to get their chance to see her perform in New Zealand, and I wish the same for her fans here in Japan.

The best way to honor those who died in the blast is to celebrate life. Popular music unites kids around the world, crossing cultures and borders. Cancelled concerts and a populace too scared to go out and have fun is exactly what the terrorists want. Don’t give them the satisfaction. The combined meaning of the Japanese characters for ongaku (music) equate to “joyful noise.” A heinous act has silenced the music in Manchester for now, but don’t let terrorism stifle our joy for too long.

Louise George Kittaka has three kids and has been in Japan for 20 years. She started out as a writer and editor in educational publishing, and now combines that with newspaper columnist, cross-cultural trainer, university lecturer and part-time teacher for special education teens.

© Japan Today