Yesterday, Ariana Grande brought her ongoing tour to Washington D.C.'s Capital One Arena. As it happens, the concert also coincided with the six-year anniversary of "The Way," the first of several collaborations between Ariana and her past love, Mac Miller. Clearly, there was already a bittersweet cloud surrounding the day, as evidenced by Ariana's sweet yet somber Instagram commemoration. Yet the show must go on, and on did it go. Ariana took to the stage in her typical fashion, met by legions of adoring and devoted fans.
As she ran through the hits, Grande began a rendition of "Thank U, Next," which features lyrics centered around all her prominent boyfriends. While Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, and Pete Davidson all earned a mention, Mac's lyric was enough to move her to tears. Fans were quick to notice the emotional moment, and took to social media (during the concert, at that) to offer their support. Ariana made sure to thank them afterward, taking to Twitter to show some appreciation.
Yet Grande is nothing if not a trooper, keeping the set moving with a bit of therapeutic twerking. It's a testament to the strength she has revealed over the past year, which found her facing no shortage of adversity. Now, upon delivering her most critically acclaimed album to date, Grande has proven that she's capable of shouldering whatever comes her way. Rest in peace, Mac Miller. The game could use you, right about now.