Top 10 Stars Who BROKE DOWN On Stage
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Script written by Spencer sher
Sometimes you’ve just gotta let it out. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Stars Who Cried While Performing.
For this list, we’re looking at celebrities and high profile individuals who teared up during public productions. We’re excluding stars who got emotional during memorial performances, like the time Usher broke down during a tribute for the late, great Michael Jackson.
The best performers are the ones who leave it all on stage and back in 2016 Rihanna did just that. Touring Europe to promote her eighth studio album “Anti”, the Barbados babe got overly emotional while performing in Dublin, Ireland. During a rendition of “Love the Way You Lie,” RiRI couldn’t contain herself and began tearing up on stage. Fans responded by cheering and showering the star with adulation and support, as she continued to wipe tears from her eyes. In response, a critic for The Telegraph remarked, “We had only just started and already RiRi had us in a spin.”
Whenever this pop star gets weepy-eyed while performing, the pundits inevitably trace it back to her relationship with actor Liam Hemsworth. Before getting hitched in December 2018, the two had an on-again, off-again relationship that’s seen them break up on more than one occasion. It wasn’t long after their big 2013 break up that Cyrus gave a performance at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. The star oozed emotion while singing “Wrecking Ball”, getting red in the face and struggling to keep her voice in check. A few years later Cyrus was at it again, struggling to hold back tears while singing “Malibu”, a song about her relationship with Hemsworth, at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards. Let it out Miley, let it out.
Until an artist straight up admits that a song is about their ex, all fans can do is speculate. Well, amidst Selena Gomez’ highly publicized breakup with Justin Bieber, the Texas native made it pretty clear that “Love Will Remember”, the final track off of her 2013 album “Stars Dance” was about her relationship with the Canadian pop star. Armed with that information, audience members totally understood why she broke down in tears while singing the song at London’s Hammersmith Apollo theatre in September of that same year. It’s a truly heartbreaking performance for any Gomez fan.
It’s no secret that Queen B cries a lot. There are entire compilations on YouTube devoted to her penchant for waterworks. And while many of her tear-ups have come during interviews, she’s never been afraid to let it all out while on stage either. Take, for example, the show she did in Antwerp back in 2013 while on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. After belting out an emotional rendition of “Flaws and All,” Beyoncé began to cry. Whether it was because of the song’s meaning, the love she felt from the fans in attendance or simply tears of joy, it was amazing to see an artist of Beyoncé’s magnitude expressing herself so freely.
In 2016, Céline Dion lost her husband of more than two decades, René Angélil. In her first concert appearance since Angélil’s death, Dion performed a cover of “All by Myself” to a packed house. It takes courage to stand on stage so soon after the death of a loved one and even more to bare one’s emotions with such raw intensity. Dion’s performance was incredibly moving and was amplified by the fact that she started crying near the end of the show. The reaction from the crowd says it all, fully embracing the French-Canadian songstress in her moment of need.
Never one to hide her emotions, Taylor Swift broke down on stage while performing in Indonesia back in 2014. During the final leg of The Red Tour, Swift performed at Jakarta’s Mata Elang International Stadium in front of a crowd of more than 16,000 fans. While singing “All Too Well,” T-Swift let her emotions run free, banging her head back and forth as tears streamed down her face. The fans responded by screaming at the top of their lungs and singing along. It’s performances like this that really connect with people, so it makes sense why there are so many SWIFTIES out there!
Few artists infuse their songs with as much emotion as this British star. Adele has made a career out of impactful, extremely personal tracks that connect with listeners on a truly personal level. That humanity was on full display during a concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall back in 2011. The event was filmed as part of her live video album “Live at the Royal Albert Hall”, and after a night filled with emotion the pot boiled over when Adele returned for an encore, singing her seminal breakup song “Someone Like You”. At the end, she invites the crowd to sing along and their equally heartfelt performance causes Adele to weep. Awwww.
Lady Gaga and tears go together like peanut butter and jam. Need we remind you of the blubbering mess she turned millions of moviegoers into with her incredible performance in “A Star Is Born”? Well, during a show in Saint Paul, Minnesota back in 2013, it was Gaga’s turn to cry. Playing piano and singing “The Edge of Glory,” Gaga completely loses herself in the moment and begins to bawl like a baby. With fans cheering her on, Gaga takes a moment to compose herself and then returns to the performance. It was a truly raw moment from one of the industry’s best!
The Jonas Brothers are well-versed in the art of eliciting emotion from their fanbase. However, every once and awhile they’re the ones who fall victim to their feelings. Case in point: during a 2010 performance in Detroit with his band Nick Jonas & the Administration, Nick broke down in tears. The moment occurred while he was singing “Stay”, a song he claims is about “fallin for someone”. To say that the audience lost it would be an understatement, as it’s nearly impossible to hear the song’s lyrics over their screeching. Such is the life of a teen popstar.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Halsey
Demi Lovato
Joe Jonas
Perrie Edwards (Little Mix)
Cher Lloyd
It’s never easy saying goodbye to a loved one, but the way Ariana Grande chose to honor her late grandfather during 2015’s The Honeymoon Tour should serve as an inspiration to all of us. Prior to performing “My Everything,” a video with sound bites from a conversation between Grande and her grandfather would play in which he praises her and tells her how much he supports her career. In at least one instance, during a show at Madison Square Garden, Grande broke down in tears while singing “My Everything”. The fact that she was able to perform it at all is a testament to her professionalism as an artist and the respect she had for her grandfather!
Top 10 Stars Who BROKE DOWN On Stage
Sometimes you’ve just gotta let it out. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Stars Who Cried While Performing.
For this list, we’re looking at celebrities and high profile individuals who teared up during public productions. We’re excluding stars who got emotional during memorial performances, like the time Usher broke down during a tribute for the late, great Michael Jackson.
#10: Rihanna
The best performers are the ones who leave it all on stage and back in 2016 Rihanna did just that. Touring Europe to promote her eighth studio album “Anti”, the Barbados babe got overly emotional while performing in Dublin, Ireland. During a rendition of “Love the Way You Lie,” RiRI couldn’t contain herself and began tearing up on stage. Fans responded by cheering and showering the star with adulation and support, as she continued to wipe tears from her eyes. In response, a critic for The Telegraph remarked, “We had only just started and already RiRi had us in a spin.”
#9: Miley Cyrus
Whenever this pop star gets weepy-eyed while performing, the pundits inevitably trace it back to her relationship with actor Liam Hemsworth. Before getting hitched in December 2018, the two had an on-again, off-again relationship that’s seen them break up on more than one occasion. It wasn’t long after their big 2013 break up that Cyrus gave a performance at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. The star oozed emotion while singing “Wrecking Ball”, getting red in the face and struggling to keep her voice in check. A few years later Cyrus was at it again, struggling to hold back tears while singing “Malibu”, a song about her relationship with Hemsworth, at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards. Let it out Miley, let it out.
#8: Selena Gomez
Until an artist straight up admits that a song is about their ex, all fans can do is speculate. Well, amidst Selena Gomez’ highly publicized breakup with Justin Bieber, the Texas native made it pretty clear that “Love Will Remember”, the final track off of her 2013 album “Stars Dance” was about her relationship with the Canadian pop star. Armed with that information, audience members totally understood why she broke down in tears while singing the song at London’s Hammersmith Apollo theatre in September of that same year. It’s a truly heartbreaking performance for any Gomez fan.
#7: Beyoncé
It’s no secret that Queen B cries a lot. There are entire compilations on YouTube devoted to her penchant for waterworks. And while many of her tear-ups have come during interviews, she’s never been afraid to let it all out while on stage either. Take, for example, the show she did in Antwerp back in 2013 while on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. After belting out an emotional rendition of “Flaws and All,” Beyoncé began to cry. Whether it was because of the song’s meaning, the love she felt from the fans in attendance or simply tears of joy, it was amazing to see an artist of Beyoncé’s magnitude expressing herself so freely.
#6: Céline Dion
In 2016, Céline Dion lost her husband of more than two decades, René Angélil. In her first concert appearance since Angélil’s death, Dion performed a cover of “All by Myself” to a packed house. It takes courage to stand on stage so soon after the death of a loved one and even more to bare one’s emotions with such raw intensity. Dion’s performance was incredibly moving and was amplified by the fact that she started crying near the end of the show. The reaction from the crowd says it all, fully embracing the French-Canadian songstress in her moment of need.
#5: Taylor Swift
Never one to hide her emotions, Taylor Swift broke down on stage while performing in Indonesia back in 2014. During the final leg of The Red Tour, Swift performed at Jakarta’s Mata Elang International Stadium in front of a crowd of more than 16,000 fans. While singing “All Too Well,” T-Swift let her emotions run free, banging her head back and forth as tears streamed down her face. The fans responded by screaming at the top of their lungs and singing along. It’s performances like this that really connect with people, so it makes sense why there are so many SWIFTIES out there!
#4: Adele
Few artists infuse their songs with as much emotion as this British star. Adele has made a career out of impactful, extremely personal tracks that connect with listeners on a truly personal level. That humanity was on full display during a concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall back in 2011. The event was filmed as part of her live video album “Live at the Royal Albert Hall”, and after a night filled with emotion the pot boiled over when Adele returned for an encore, singing her seminal breakup song “Someone Like You”. At the end, she invites the crowd to sing along and their equally heartfelt performance causes Adele to weep. Awwww.
#3: Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga and tears go together like peanut butter and jam. Need we remind you of the blubbering mess she turned millions of moviegoers into with her incredible performance in “A Star Is Born”? Well, during a show in Saint Paul, Minnesota back in 2013, it was Gaga’s turn to cry. Playing piano and singing “The Edge of Glory,” Gaga completely loses herself in the moment and begins to bawl like a baby. With fans cheering her on, Gaga takes a moment to compose herself and then returns to the performance. It was a truly raw moment from one of the industry’s best!
#2: Nick Jonas
The Jonas Brothers are well-versed in the art of eliciting emotion from their fanbase. However, every once and awhile they’re the ones who fall victim to their feelings. Case in point: during a 2010 performance in Detroit with his band Nick Jonas & the Administration, Nick broke down in tears. The moment occurred while he was singing “Stay”, a song he claims is about “fallin for someone”. To say that the audience lost it would be an understatement, as it’s nearly impossible to hear the song’s lyrics over their screeching. Such is the life of a teen popstar.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Halsey
Demi Lovato
Joe Jonas
Perrie Edwards (Little Mix)
Cher Lloyd
#1: Ariana Grande
It’s never easy saying goodbye to a loved one, but the way Ariana Grande chose to honor her late grandfather during 2015’s The Honeymoon Tour should serve as an inspiration to all of us. Prior to performing “My Everything,” a video with sound bites from a conversation between Grande and her grandfather would play in which he praises her and tells her how much he supports her career. In at least one instance, during a show at Madison Square Garden, Grande broke down in tears while singing “My Everything”. The fact that she was able to perform it at all is a testament to her professionalism as an artist and the respect she had for her grandfather!
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