Only hours had passed since news broke that Payne, 31, had died after falling from a balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
While performing a duet she had previously recorded with Payne, ‘For You’, on stage in Osaka, Japan, the pop artist, married to film director Taika Waititi, became upset.
In an apparent homage to Payne, Ora performed in front of a projection of herself and Payne above the stage behind her.
However, she grew too distraught to continue and turned away from the throng, holding her head in her hands.
Ora glanced up to the sky and said, “I can’t even sing this right now.”
See footage from the performance below:
For You (With Rita Ora)
リアム・ペイン,リタ・オラ先程終わった大阪公演 の映像を拾う。
悲しみの中ほとんど歌えなかったみたい。@RitaOra @LiamPayne @liampaynejp
本日の大阪公演 #リタオラ はこの曲を歌えるのか? 追悼の言葉とか思い出話はあるのか? #RITAORA #ritaora pic.twitter.com/b58a71caYu— 肉 Jason 24 (@nikuniku2424241) October 17, 2024
Payne and Ora recorded their song for the soundtrack of the 2018 film Fifty Shades Freed.
The duo also exchanged recollections from their time on the British edition of The X Factor, where Payne rose to popularity as a youngster and Ora served as a judge in 2015.
Following her performance, Ora shared pleasant recollections of her time working with Payne in an Instagram post that featured the same photograph of Payne and Ora as it had appeared on stage.
Ora captioned the image: “I’m saddened. He had the sweetest soul, which I will never forget.”
Ora went on to say, “I loved working with him so much; he was such a joy to be around on and off stage.” This awful news has broken my heart.
I am sending my heartfelt thoughts and prayers to his family and loved ones. Our song For You has a whole new significance for me today. R.I.P”
According to Alberto Crescenti, the chief of the state emergency medical system, Payne fell from the balcony and sustained ‘injuries that were incompatible with life’.
Payne’s injuries made it impossible to revive him.
A later autopsy on his body revealed that the singer had sustained injuries that resulted in ‘internal and external hemorrhaging’, according to the Sun.
The Argentinian police have received the post-mortem results from two forensic pathologists in Buenos Aires today (October 17).