Thousands of fans sing Payne’s verses during “For You” as Ora remembers her late friend and longtime collaborator
POZNAŃ: British singer Rita Ora became visibly emotional during her latest live performance after thousands of fans joined her in a moving tribute to late One Direction star Liam Payne.
Ora, 35, headlined the BitterSweet Festival in Poznań, Poland, on Friday, August 14, where she performed “For You,” her 2018 collaboration with Payne. During the performance, she encouraged the audience to sing Payne’s verses, transforming the concert into an emotional mass tribute.
Crowd’s Response Leaves Ora Overcome With Emotion
As lyrics appeared on giant screens, thousands of fans sang Payne’s part of the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack hit. Fan-recorded footage showed Ora initially appearing surprised by the strength of the audience’s response.
However, as the crowd continued singing, Ora struggled to hold back tears. The performance soon became a karaoke-style memorial for Payne, who died aged 31 in October 2024.
Meanwhile, social media users praised the Polish audience for helping Ora honour her late friend. Many described the moment as particularly moving because of the close professional connection the two singers shared.
‘For You’ Takes on New Meaning After Payne’s Death
Ora and Payne released “For You” in January 2018 as the lead single from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack. The song became an international success, while the pair subsequently performed it together on several occasions.
Following Payne’s death, however, the track acquired a deeply personal meaning for Ora.
Shortly after his passing, Ora became emotional while performing “For You” during a concert in Japan and told fans she could not sing Payne’s sections.
Since then, she has repeatedly used live performances of the song to remember him.
Consequently, Friday’s performance in Poznań became another powerful tribute, with the audience effectively taking Payne’s place in the duet as Ora honoured their friendship and musical partnership.
