Rita Ora is paying heartfelt tribute to her friend Liam Payne.
During her performance in Japan, Ora took the stage to perform her hit song “For You”. While the performance started off okay, things got more emotional for Ora as the song went on. In the video, she can be seen with her hands on her hips, seemingly holding back tears as the song continues to play.
While she tries to give her all to the performance, her emotions end up getting the best of her.
“I can’t even sing this song right now,” Ora says in the video.
After uttering those words, she placed her hands on her head before trying to sing again, however, her voice became difficult as she held back more tears. The performance was concluded with Ora showing an image of herself and Payne in the background.
Rita Ora sang “For You” in Japan last night, her song with Liam Payne
“I can’t even sing this song right now”
She showed a picture of Liam and her in the background 💔
— Erin ×͜× ✨LTdefenseless28✨ (@tdefenseless28) October 17, 2024
Later, Ora also went to see X to pay her respects to Payne, sharing that she was “saddened” by his passing.
“I’m heartbroken 💔 He had the kindest soul, I will never forget. I loved working with him – he was such a joy to be around on and off stage. Sad news This breaks my heart. Sending all my love and prayers to his family and loved ones. Our song For You now takes on a whole new meaning me,” she shared.
I’m devastated 💔 He had the kindest soul, I will never forget. I loved working with him – he was such a joy to be around on and off stage. This tragic news breaks my heart. Sending all my love and prayers to his family and loved ones. Our song For You has the content… pic.twitter.com/VxcwdBoJFm
– Rita Ora (@RitaOra) October 17, 2024
“For You” was a huge hit for both Ora and Payne. The song appears on the film’s soundtrack Fifty Shades Unleashed and was included on Ora’s second studio album, Phoenixas well as Payne’s debut album, LP1.
The song was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 8 on the singles chart and went on to earn Platinum certification there.
Payne died at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony in Argentina. He is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear.
Tags Rita Ora, Liam Payne