Thousands of fans sing Payneโs verses during โFor Youโ as Ora remembers her late friend and longtime collaborator
POZNAล: 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 Poznaล, Poland, on Friday, August 14, where she performed โFor You,โ her 2018 collaboration with Payne. During the performance, she encouraged the audience to sing Payneโs verses, transforming the concert into an emotional mass tribute.
Crowdโs Response Leaves Ora Overcome With Emotion
As lyrics appeared on giant screens, thousands of fans sang Payneโs part of the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack hit. Fan-recorded footage showed Ora initially appearing surprised by the strength of the audienceโs 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.
โFor Youโ Takes on New Meaning After Payneโs Death
Ora and Payne released โFor Youโ 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 Payneโs death, however, the track acquired a deeply personal meaning for Ora.
Shortly after his passing, Ora became emotional while performing โFor Youโ during a concert in Japan and told fans she could not sing Payneโs sections.
Since then, she has repeatedly used live performances of the song to remember him.
Consequently, Fridayโs performance in Poznaล became another powerful tribute, with the audience effectively taking Payneโs place in the duet as Ora honoured their friendship and musical partnership.
