Rita Ora delivered an emotional tribute to Liam Payne at the MTV Europe Music Awards (MTV EMAs), just weeks after the One Direction member’s death at age 31.
As she hosted the event in Manchester, England on Sunday (10 November), the “Let You Love Me” singer reflected on Payne’s legacy and called him “one of the kindest people that I knew”.
Three people have been charged following Payne’s death, after he fell from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on 16 October.
Ora, who worked with Payne on their 2018 hit single “For You” from the Fifty Shades Freed movie of the same year, paid tribute to the late singer-songwriter in a solemn moment at the MTV EMAs.
The star began: “I just want to take a moment to remember someone that was very, very dear to us,” she told the audience.
“We lost him recently, and he was a big part of the MTV world and my world, and I think a lot of yours at home and everybody in here tonight.”
Ora continued, getting visibly emotional: “Liam Payne was one of the kindest people that I knew. And, you know, there were so many ways that we were talking about honouring him, and I think sometimes just simply speaking is enough.
“He had the biggest heart and was always the first person to offer help in any way that he could.
“He brought so much joy to every room he walked into, and he left such a mark on this world. So let’s just take a moment to remember our friend,” she concluded.
A video tribute to Payne followed Ora’s speech, which featured a clip of One Direction’s hit 2014 single “Night Changes”.
Other famous names from across the music industry shared messages of condolences while heartbroken fans launched a petition calling for new legislation to protect the mental health and wellbeing of artists in the public eye.
Elsewhere at the awards, Swift received four awards for Best Artist, Best Video for her The Tortured Poets Department track “Fortnight”, Best Live Act, and Best US Artist. However, she was not present at the ceremony to accept them.
Swift is soon set to resume the last leg of her Eras Tour in Canada, and on Sunday was on the sidelines of the Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos game in support of her boyfriend Travis Kelce.
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