Rita Ora struggles to fight back tears as she shares tearful Liam Payne tribute at MTV EMAs: ‘Had the biggest heart’

Rita Ora delivered an emotional tribute to Liam Payne at the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester on Sunday night, as she hosted the prestigious ceremony for the third consecutive year.

The singer, who previously collaborated with Payne on their 2018 hit single For You, struggled to maintain her composure during the poignant moment at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena.

The tribute marked a stark contrast to the otherwise upbeat tone of the evening, with Ora switching from her high-energy hosting persona to deliver a heartfelt remembrance of her friend and fellow artist.

The moment came towards the end of the ceremony, as Ora paused the celebrations to honour the late One Direction star.

Liam Payne tragically died aged 31 on October 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The former X Factor star had been staying at the hotel during a holiday in the South American country.

Prior to his death, Payne had attended his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan’s concert with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy.

Three people have since been arrested in relation to the singer’s death, though further details have not been disclosed.

The news of his passing sent shockwaves through the music industry, with friends, family and fans sharing heartfelt tributes on social media in the weeks following his death.

“I just want to take a moment to remember someone very, very dear to us,” Ora told the audience. “We lost him recently, and he was a big part of the MTV world and my world.”

Fighting back tears, she continued: “Liam Payne was one of the kindest people that I knew.”

“He had the biggest heart and was always the first person to offer help in any way that he could,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

“He brought so much joy to every room he walked into and he left such a mark on this world,” Ora added, visibly struggling to finish her words.

The host noted there were many ways they had considered honouring him, but “sometimes simply speaking is enough.”

Following Ora’s words, a touching photo tribute appeared on screens around the Manchester venue, featuring black-and-white images of the late singer.

The tribute was accompanied by One Direction’s song “Night Changes” playing in the background.

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.@RitaOra remembers her friend, Liam Payne ❤️ #MTVEMAs pic.twitter.com/pmHv9dct9B

— MTV EMA (@mtvema) November 10, 2024

The emotional moment resonated deeply with the audience, who broke the silence with heartfelt cries of “we love you Liam.”

The tribute marked one of several ways the MTV EMAs acknowledged Payne’s passing, with Bruce Gillmer, the event’s executive producer, having previously promised the show would pay respect to the artist who was “incredibly close with our core audience.”

Taylor Swift made history at the ceremony, becoming the first artist to win best artist three times in the EMAs’ 30-year history.

The pop superstar also claimed victories in the best live and best video categories, though she was not present at the event and sent a video message instead.
RAYE secured the best UK and Ireland award, while Ariana Grande triumphed in the best pop category.

LISA featuring Rosalía won best collaboration for New Woman. Sabrina Carpenter took home the award for best song with her breakout hit Espresso.

The ceremony marked the first time the EMAs had been held in the UK since 2017, when London played host.