In Emotional Interview, Ariana Grande Talks Writing A Song About The Manchester Bombing

During a recent radio interview, Ariana Grande found herself overcome with emotions as she talked about "Get Well Soon," a new song from her latest studio album, Sweetener, which serves as a tribute to the people who survived -- and a remembrance for the people we tragically lost in -- the Manchester Arena bombing last May. The subject matter is, of course, a difficult one, and when the song was played in-between interview segments, Grande found herself overwhelmed with feelings, resulting in the musician wiping away tears as she explained how the song came to be. Here's the interview segment where Ariana Grande breaks down and tearfully explains why this song is so meaningful to her, and why it had such a big impact.

As the singer-songwriter explains in the Beats 1 radio interview, it is still hard to talk about the Manchester Arena bombing, but she found the courage as the interview continued. Ariana Grande believes the song is there to help people through difficult times, and reminding them of the power of the human spirit in these times. Grande is still overcome with emotions, even when she hears the song played, but she felt it's important to bring that spirit into this brand new album, to inspire others and to remind them why it's important to be encouraged during hardships. In her own words, here's how Ariana Grande explained it.

It's just about like being there for each other and helping each other through scary times and anxiety. You know, [there's] some dark shit out there, man. And we just have to be there for each other as much as we can. 'Cause you never fucking know, you know? So, I wanted to do something to make people feel good and less alone. It's also about personal demons and anxiety and more intimate tragedies as well, you know?

Ariana Grande continued to note that, in our current day-to-day world, not enough attention is paid to mental health. She believes that in today's busy, social media-focused world, the dark side of mental health can be neglected. That's also something the pop singer wanted to communicate here. She considers "Get Well Soon" to be a musical "hug" of a song, one that will remind people that there are others out there who deeply care. While Grande admits the lyrics might be perceived as "a bit corny," the musician notes the lyrics are true, and she wants to communicate that message as best she can to her millions of followers. Ultimately, while the song is a difficult one, Grande also says it's an important addition to include.

That's why I felt it was important. I just wanted to give people a hug, musically. I feel like the lyrics can be kind of corny when I talk about like wanting to hug you and stuff, but I really do. 'Cause it's just like I don't know. People gotta be nicer.

When the bombing first occurred in May, Ariana Grande had the followings words to say on social media, explaining how "broken" she felt by it.

There's no doubt that the Manchester Arena bombing was a devastating one for Ariana Grande, but she is hoping to take something tragic and turn it into something meaningful with "Get Well Soon." In addition to this new song, Grande also provided a Manchester benefit concert last year and tickets almost instantly sold out when they went on sale. Meanwhile, earlier last week, Grande also got emotional paying tribute to the late Aretha Franklin during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon where the singer played a rendition of "Natural Women," accompanied by The Roots.

Will Ashton

Will is an entertainment writer based in Pittsburgh, PA. His writing can also be found in The Playlist, Cut Print Film, We Got This Covered, The Young Folks, Slate and other outlets. He also co-hosts the weekly film/TV podcast Cinemaholics with Jon Negroni and he likes to think he's a professional Garfield enthusiast.

TOPICS