Speaking during an interview with The Fader ahead of the release of her fourth album, Sweetener, Grande explained that the song holds a special place in her heart because it was her late grandfather’s favourite.

“He would always tell me to sing it in my concerts,” said the 24-year-old of Frank Grande, who passed away in 2014.

“He would say, ‘You know what you should end with? “Over the Rainbow. And I never did it until that moment. When I was getting ready to do it, I was thinking about him and I felt his presence so heavily around me. He was the person I was closest to in my life. He was everything I wanted to be: as a businessman, as a gentleman, as a human being, as a friend, everything. He was just perfect to me.”

Grande has spoken extensively about her struggle to come to terms with the events of 22 May 2017, recently telling Time that “processing [the attack] is going to take forever.” Now she’s also divulged how therapy – which the popstar says she’s attended her “whole life” – is helping her manage the grief she feels.

“[Therapy] has helped me deal with so much,” she said, whilst also acknowledging it’s still difficult to discuss the attack. “I think it’s great for everybody. Especially in this regard. Therapy is the best. It really is.”

Images: Getty

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