Liam Payne‘s passing visibly took a toll on Rita Ora as she could not perform their duet. Payne and Ora recorded “For You” for the movie “Fifty Shades Freed” and she played the song hours after his passing. Ora shared more about how Payne’s death had impacted her in an emotional tribute on X. She posted a black-and-white picture of the pair cuddled up while working on the duet alongside the caption:
“I’m devastated [broken heart emoji]. 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 concluded. Her words sparked supportive messages from fans, with many grieving Payne’s loss.
“Oh, Rita…reading this made me cry. Stay strong, and RitaBots will always be here for you. Sending lots of hugs. R.I.P. Liam,” an X user penned. “I knew this guy through your song ‘For You,’ this is sad. Such a talent gone, rest in peace my brother @LiamPayne, till we meet again,” another individual wrote. A third echoed similar sentiments, writing:
“ILY for displaying a picture of yourself with Liam on the stage’s screen while you performed y’alls song ‘For You.'”
Rita Ora Could Not Finish Performing Her Song With Liam Payne
Payne took his final breath at 31 after falling from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The incident occurred on Wednesday, October 16, with Ora performing in Japan hours later. She honored the late One Direction member by playing their song “For You;” however, Ora could not sing. She was visibly overcome with emotions, letting fans take the lead as she moved around the stage.
At one point, Ora sat down on the stage, confessing that it was too painful for her to sing. She implored the audience to raise their voices while the picture of her and Payne cuddled up appeared on the screen behind her. Eventually, the emotions were too much for Ora, and she walked off the stage. The singer left before the video shared by TMZ cut off, so it was unclear if she returned or if that was her final performance.
Liam Payne has received numerous tributes since his passing, with Rita Ora joining the star-studded list. Investigation into the One Direction member’s cause of death is still ongoing.
