MANCHESTER — Rita Ora has paid an emotional tribute to Liam Payne as she hosted this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) in Manchester, almost a month after the One Direction star’s death.
Ora collaborated with Payne on their 2018 hit single For You, and her voice faltered as she remembered him, calling him “one of the kindest people that I knew”.
She delivered the tribute dressed in a dark suit in a poignant moment that was in contrast to the upbeat tone of the rest of the ceremony.
The night also saw Taylor Swift continue her world domination by making history as the first person to win best artist three times in the 30-year history of the EMAs.
The other winners included Raye, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyla and Benson Boone.
Sunday’s ceremony was the first time the event has been held in the UK since 2017, and the third time Ora has acted as host.
Towards the end of the show, she switched from her high-energy persona to speak about Payne.
“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.”
She continued: “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 then introduced a short video featuring photos of Payne and a snippet of One Direction song Night Changes.
Elsewhere during the night, Swift won four awards — best artist, video (for Fortnight), live act and US artist — but was not in Manchester to accept them.
She is preparing to resume the last leg of her Eras tour in Canada this week, and on Sunday was cheering on boyfriend Travis Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos.
In a video acceptance speech, she said: “I am coming to you from the Eras tour, and I’m so sad that I can’t be with you tonight. But thank you so much for these amazing awards.
“The fact that you have honoured the tour [and] everything that’s happened with the album this year, the video, it’s just unbelievable.”
She thanked Post Malone, who featured on Fortnight, and her fans for voting for her.
“I had the best time touring in Europe this summer, so it just is wonderful for you to do this,” she added.
Sabrina Carpenter won best song for her hit Espresso but she too was absent, performing on her Short n’ Sweet tour in San Diego on Sunday.
Raye was among the stars who were in Manchester – she picked up the award for best UK and Ireland act and performed two songs at the ceremony.
US singer-songwriter Benson Boone was also in town, opening the show by playing the piano while suspended above the crowd at the Co-op Live arena, before picking up the prize for best new artist.
“I was extremely unprepared for this, but I will say I’ve not been doing music a crazy long time,” he said in his speech.
“I didn’t know this is where my life would go. And a couple years ago, I found my voice and I found my passion and my career.”
South African star Tyla won best R&B, best Afrobeats and best African artist, telling BBC News she was “honoured and humbled”.
She was among the night’s other performers, as were Shawn Mendes, Teddy Swims and the Pet Shop Boys, who were named pop pioneers.
US rapper Busta Rhymes received the global icon award, telling the BBC beforehand: “Tonight is a dream come true. I’m honoured. I feel tremendously blessed.”
It was a return to north-west England for Rhymes, who spent two summers living with his Aunt Velma in Morecambe as a child.
“I went to school, went to karate school, and we illegally went to clubs, breakdancing to make a little money, and it was fun,” he recalled of those trips.
Morecambe is also the adopted hometown of boxer Tyson Fury who moved there after his marriage to wife Paris in 2008.
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher was the only Mancunian winner, scooping the award for best rock act — but he was not there and the prize was not announced on stage, instead being revealed as part of a brief round-up of several categories.
The absence of any members of Oasis left it to Rita Ora to lead the crowd in a brief sing-along of their hit Wonderwall.
Another veteran Manchester band did turn up, however, with Shaun Ryder and Bez from Happy Mondays threatening to steal the show in an unpredictable interview with Ora.
Ryder stayed largely straight-faced but his enthusiastic sidekick ended up with his arm around Boone interrupting Ora’s introduction of K-pop girl group Le Sserafim.
The ceremony also gave nods to the host city with the use of Blue Monday by New Order to introduce the nominees, and by borrowing the diagonal black and yellow motif of the former Hacienda nightclub.
The night’s presenters included singer Mabel and her mother Neneh Cherry, who was among the winners at the first EMAs in 1994, when 7 Seconds, her duet with Youssou N’Dour, was named best song. — BBC
