Ariana Grande responds to ongoing backlash surrounding her headlining at Manchester Pride.

The US singer Ariana Grande is once again set to perform at the Manchester Pride Festival.

On Monday, Thank you Next singer announced her performance at the LGBTQ event through a post on Twitter.

Several fans questioned whether a straight singer’s appearance for the event which focuses on supporting the LGBTQ community would be appropriate or not.

Ariana Grande answered the criticism via a note on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/1100833408144498688/

Ariana Grande’s Notes

The pop singer starts her note with:

I have nothing to do with ticket pricing — manchester pride sets those rates, and they’re mostly out of my control

The singer further continues:

the lgbtq community has been so special to me and supportive throughout my career. the relationships i have with lgbtq fans, friends, and family make me so happy. i want to celebrate and support this community regardless of my identity or how people label me. and also i wanna visit a city that means so much to me. lgbtq representation is incredibly important, and i’m always proud to share that stage with lgbtq artists! 

Ariana adds:

over the years, pride events have been headlined by performers and artists of all sexual orientations and genders, including straight allies like cher and kylie minogue. i do think there’s room for us to talk about these issues without equating a performance. *for* an lgbtq audience with exploitation of the lgbtq community. if you truly feel like i didn’t deserve this spot, i respect that. but i did accept it excitedly and gratefully.

Ariana concludes she is not claiming to be “the hero of the LGBTQ rights movement”. In addition, she just wants to make her LGBTQ fans “feel special and celebrated and supported.”

This festival is Ariana’s first performance in Manchester. The upcoming Manchester Arena show takes place from 24th August to 26th August.

Ariana earlier appeared in the One Love concert at Manchester during 2017.

The concert will raise money for the emergency fund. However, the concert ended up in disaster after the suicide bombing targeting LGBTQ members.