'I will sing louder in response to violence,' says Ariana Grande

American pop star Ariana Grande said she would hold a charity concert to benefit the victims and their bereaved families of terror attacks at her concert in Manchester, the U.K. The Manchester terror attack reminds people of the horrors of the attacks at the Bataclan theater and café in Paris, France in November 2015. This reporter, who was covering the Bataclan attack as Paris correspondent at the time, still has vivid memories of the shocking and gruesome scene full of bloodstains blanketing the street and red shoeprints of citizens who had scrambled to escape. The venues are the U.K. and France, but what the terrorists targeted were both concerts of American pop singers. “It is revenge against heathen pagans who are enjoying prostitution and music,” Islamic State, which banned music in Raqqa, Syria, said to clarify that culture is its terrorism target.

However, the way to overcome terrorism was to enjoy routine culture just as in ordinary times. French TV networks continued airing entertainment programs soon after the attacks on the weekly Charlie Hebdo as well. The Boston Marathon saw the numbers of participants and audience members double in the first anniversary after the terror attacks at the event. “Our response to this violence must be come closer together, to help each other, to love more, to sing louder, and to live more kindly,” Grande wrote.

Seung-Hoon Cheon raphy@donga.com