Ariana Grande has said she was inspired to change her set list for the One Love Manchester benefit concert after the mother of one of the teenage victims said her daughter would have wanted to hear the hits.
Grande appeared on stage at the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground in an an oversized white One Love Manchester sweatshirt and seemed overcome by emotion at points as she was joined by a string of musical stars.
Before launching into her hit Side To Side, Grande told the crowd: “I want to thank you so much for coming tonight and being so happy and strong and unified.
“I love you guys so much.
“This night is the kind of thing the world really needs right now.”
Grande said she had not planned to play so many of her big hits but changed her mind after meeting the mother of Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, who was among the victims of the blast that kiiled 22 people at at her concert last week.
She said: “I had the pleasure of meeting Olivia’s mummy a few days ago and I started to cry and gave her a big hug and she said ‘stop crying, because Olivia wouldn’t have wanted you to cry’.
“And then she told me Olivia would have wanted to hear the hits. We had a different show planned and we had a rehearsal yesterday and we changed everything.”
During the show she duetted with Miley Cyrus on Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over, during which they twirled each other around and embraced.
She was also joined on stage by her boyfriend Mac Miller as she said: “Tonight is all about love, am I right?”
The pair danced together as they performed their 2013 collaboration The Way and Miller’s track Dang!
Mumford and Sons frontman Marcus Mumford opened the show as he sang “you are not alone in this” as he performed an acoustic version of the band’s hit Timshel.
The singer took to the stage after a one-minute silence for those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena suicide attack.
Concertgoers began queueing outside Lancashire Cricket Club’s Old Trafford ground from 8.30am ahead of the One Love Manchester gig, which marked Grande’s first performance since bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device, killing her fans and parents as they left her show.
All Grande fans who attended the gig on May 22 were offered free passes to the benefit concert.
During the benefit Grande performed her hits Be Alright and Break Free, shouting: “Manchester make some noise!” before pink streamers rained down on the crowd.
She also appeared with Victoria Monet to sing their duet Better Days and then joined Black Eyed Peas to perform their hit Where Is The Love?
Grande shouted “Manchester we love you” before Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am said: “Manchester, London, we are here together and we are one.”
She also joined a choir from Parrs Wood High School on stage to sing their version of her song, My Everything,
The show also saw performances from Take That, who opened their set with their crowd-pleasing song Let It Shine before renditions of Giants and Rule The World.
Gary Barlow told the crowd: “We want to stand strong, look at the sky and sing loud and proud.”
Barlow welcomed former Take That bandmate Robbie Williams to the stage as “our friend, our brother,” before the foursome took a bow together and Williams led the crowd in a singalong to his hit Strong, with the lyrics changed to ‘Manchester, we’re strong, we’re strong, we’re strong, we’re still singing our songs.”
Williams, who appeared to be wearing a sweatshirt from Justin Bieber’s Purpose world tour, then treated the audience to his anthem Angels.
Ahead of the concert Grande’s fans who were caught up in the Manchester bombing said they were nervous to return to a concert so soon after recent terror attacks but determined to carry on to show solidarity with the victims.
Proceeds from the concert will go towards the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, set up by Manchester City Council in partnership with the British Red Cross, to support grieving families and victims of the bombing.
U2 frontman Bono sent a video message to the concert, telling the crowds: “All our hearts are with you, all our hearts are with Manchester and with the UK.
“So many of our friends are in this great city.
“We’re broken-hearted for parents who’ve lost their children and children who’ve lost their parents in this senseless, senseless horror.
“There is no end to grief and that’s how we know there is no end to life.”
David Beckham also send a message saying: “As a father what happened made me truly sad and it’s a day we’ll never forget.
“I’m proud of everyone there today, everyone in the crowd and all the artists.”
Other stars who took to the stage included Pharrell Williams, who was joined by Cyrus for his track Happy.
He said: “You know why I’m bowing, I’m bowing because despite all the things that have been going on in this place, I don’t feel or hear or see any fear in this building.
“All we feel here tonight is love, resilience and positivity and you know what, I hate to be corny, but it makes me … ”
One Direction star Niall Horan performed his hit Slow Hands before dedicating song This Town to Manchester, saying: “I just want to say I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world and every time I come back to Manchester I’m addicted to this place.
“When I seen you guys all rallying together last week it was a sight to behold, it was incredible.
“We love you, we’re with you.”
Little Mix and Imogen Heap also performed hits at the show.