Entertainment

Katy Perry in tears paying tribute to victims of 'awful' Manchester attack

She held a minute’s silence in memory of the victims.
She held a minute’s silence in memory of the victims. She held a minute’s silence in memory of the victims.

Katy Perry broke down in tears as she paid tribute to the victims of the Manchester terror attack at a London gig.

The singer, 32, performed at a small venue in London, ahead of her slot headlining Radio 1′s Big Weekend.

Speaking about the attack at the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena, she told the crowd: “It was hard for you guys. It was hard for me because we all love music. We’re all listening to the same music.

Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry (Chris Pizzello/AP)

“And you think about it and you think that’s my friend, that’s my sister, that’s my brother, that’s my cousin, that’s the person that loves music.”

Breaking down in tears, Perry said: “It’s awful, it’s awful, it’s awful.

“And whatever you can do to help, you should. And if you can’t do anything, that’s fine.

“But what you should do is not let them win… They can never take that part away from us, ever.”

Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande (Yui Mok/PA)

The star dedicated a song to the victims of the attack, saying: “I want to sing this next song for them,” before adding: “Can we have a moment of silence before we start?”

Perry’s tribute, as she performed at London venue The Water Rats, came after Harry Styles sent a message of support from his concert in Mexico, saying: “Tonight doesn’t feel like a night to celebrate.”

Perry, along with Little Mix, Kasabian and Kings Of Leon are among the acts performing at Burton Constable Hall, near Hull, on Saturday and Sunday for Radio 1′s Big Weekend.