Rita Ora and Liam Payne’s Duet: Singer Emotional During One Direction Tribute Performance

In the wake of Liam Payne’s tragic passing, singer Rita Ora was visibly emotional as she honored his memory during a live performance. Ora, a close friend and fellow artist, took the stage in Osaka, Japan, on October 17, a mere 12 hours after Payne’s untimely death.

At one poignant moment during her set, she struggled to complete her song For You, which she had recorded with Payne for the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack, released in 2018. As she performed, Rita also shared a heartfelt image of herself on stage next to the late former One Direction star.

Liam Payne, aged 31, reportedly fell from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16. Medical professionals confirmed his death at the scene.

Rita Ora and Liam Payne: A Musical Collaboration and Friendship

Both British artists, Liam Payne and Rita Ora, collaborated on the song For You for the soundtrack of the 2018 movie Fifty Shades Freed, which was released as the lead single by Universal Studios and Republic Records on January 5, 2018. The music video premiered on January 26 of the same year.

The track was also featured on Payne’s debut studio album, LP1 (2019), as well as Ora’s second studio album, Phoenix (2018). According to Billboard, For You reached number seventy-six on the Hot 100 chart on February 24, 2018.

The duo shared promotional materials for the song on social media, including a photo tagged with “#FiftyShadesFreed”on December 21, 2017, and a teaser released the following day. Another teaser showcasing their recording session was unveiled on January 3, 2018, along with the official release date.

During her concert in Osaka, 33-year-old Ora was seen burying her face in her hands while turning away from her audience and looking toward the sky. She expressed her feelings by stating:

“I can’t even sing this right now.”

According to The Mirror on October 17, Rita Ora and Liam Payne shared a strong friendship. In 2021, Liam and his then-fiancée Maya Henry even moved into Rita’s luxurious £3.25 million penthouse in London.

Before going on stage, Ora took to X to share a black-and-white photo of herself with Payne, captioning it:

“I’m devastated. He had the kindest soul I will never forget. I loved working with him so much – he was just 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 takes on a whole new meaning for me now. R.I.P.”

Ora’s tribute followed the unfortunate report of Liam’s death. As detailed in The Mirror’s article, emergency services were alerted after a call regarding a hotel guest who was suspected to be “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol.”

The hotel staff became concerned about Liam’s well-being due to the presence of a balcony in his room. Soon after the call was made, a loud noise was reported from the hotel courtyard, where he was later found unresponsive.

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