Things got emotional for Ariana Grande [1] when she paid tribute to ex-boyfriend Mac Miller in his hometown of Pittsburgh during a stop on her Sweetener world tour [2] on Wednesday. While performing her hit "Thank U, Next [3]" — which includes a sweet nod to the late rapper [4]‚ Grande got choked up and was unable to sing the lyrics, "Wish I could say, 'Thank you' to Malcolm / 'Cause he was an angel." Luckily, her fans were there to guide her through the verse and cheer her on. Prior to the show, the 25-year-old singer also honored Miller by playing his music [5] while the audience was getting seated.
Grande and Miller were together for almost two years before they broke up [6] in May 2018. Miller's life was cut short at age 26 when he died [7] from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol in September 2018. Since his death, Grande has kept his memory alive by honoring him with heartfelt tributes [8].
