Ariana Grande Posts Touching Photo of Mac Miller

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The day after Mac Miller died of an apparent drug overdose at the age of 26, Ariana Grande, whom he dated for two years, on Saturday posted a photo of the rapper on her Instagram page. It’s a simple photo of him sitting on grass, looking up at the camera — a pair of sneakers, presumably Grande’s, are visible in the lower part of the photo.

The post has no caption, nor does it particularly need one. Grande reportedly disabled comments on her Instagram page Friday after trolls blamed her recent engagement to Pete Davidson for Miller’s death.

The two were friends and collaborators for years — first working together on Grande’s hit “The Way” — before officially becoming a couple in 2016. They performed together at Grande’s One Love Manchester concert in May of last year — a benefit for people injured during the terrorist attack on her concert in the city — and were seen together in March at Madonna’s Oscar afterparty.

However, reports say they split the following month. While conflicting schedules were blamed, reports emerged that Grande was concerned over Miller’s substance abuse; he was arrested for DUI the following month.

“This is one of my best friends in the whole world and favorite people on the planet,” Grande wrote of Miller on Instagram after the split. “I respect and adore him endlessly and am grateful to have him in my life in any form, at all times regardless of how our relationship changes or what the universe holds for each of us! … Unconditional love is not selfish. It is wanting the best for that person even if at the moment, it’s not you.”

Within weeks, Grande had begun dating Pete Davidson, and the pair confirmed their engagement in June.

Grande’s manager, Scooter Braun, also posted a message remembering Miller on Saturday.