Ariana Grande to get honorary citizenship of Manchester

Ariana Grande is in line to get honorary citizenship of Manchester.

The city council is proposing a new system to recognize outstanding contributions to the city, and Grande is tipped to be the first recipient.

Councillors have praised the U.S. singer's goodwill and strong spirit for arranging the One Love Manchester benefit concert less than two weeks after her May 22 concert in the city which was attacked by a suicide bomber, resulting in 22 deaths and many more injured.

Grande returned for the June 4 all-star concert at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, which raised almost £3 million ($3.8 million) for victims of the Manchester Arena attack and its broadcast was the most-watched program on British television this year.

The pop singer was a near-constant presence on the stage of her fund-raiser, as she performed a number of sets, teamed up with Miley Cyrusand the Black Eyed Peas and provided some of the emotional highlights of the day, including a moving cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that brought tears to the faces of many of the 55,000 fans in attendance.

Under new proposals, honorary citizenship could be granted to those from outside Greater Manchester for the first time, according to the BBC. "This seems a fitting moment to update the way we recognise those who make noteworthy contributions to the life and success of our city," council leader Sir Richard Leese said.

He added, "We've all had cause to be incredibly proud of Manchester and the resilient and compassionate way in which the city, and all those associated with it, have responded to the terrible events of May 22 - with love and courage rather than hatred and fear." Grande, he said, had "exemplified this response."

The proposals will go before the council on July 12, the Corporation reports.