Ariana Grande’s mom was shocked when her daughter closed the “One Love Manchester” concert with a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, saying “I didn’t know she was going to sing it”.

 Joan Grande explains why the classic song from “The Wizard of Oz” holds such sentimental significance with the Grande family: 

“It’s an emotional story: my father passed away two and half years ago, and that was the song she sang for him after he passed.”

 

Ariana was devastated when her “favourite person to ever exist”, her grandfather Frank Grande passed away in July 2014.

Grandpa Frank LOVED Judy Garland’s classic song and “No matter how many hit songs she had, and no matter how incredible her concerts were — and he was always the first one there, applauding, kissing her, being in the front row —  after every show, he would say, ‘Ariana you know what song you have to sing? “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” And she would say, ‘Grandpa, I don’t know if that would work on a pop album.’ And he said, ‘I promise you, it’s gonna be a big hit. It’s the greatest song ever written.’” 

(INSTAGRAM/ARIANAGRANDE)
(INSTAGRAM/ARIANAGRANDE)

Sunday’s final performance was definitely an emotional tribute – not only to the 22 people who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, but also to Ariana Grande’s late grandfather.

If you didn’t know, Grande’s song “My Everything” was also inspired by her late Grandpa.

 

Filed under: ariana-grande, Manchester, one-love-manchester, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, The Wizard of Oz