Christina Aguilera was the last performer at the celebration of life ceremony for Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna held inside the Staple Center in Los Angeles on Monday.
The Grammy winning performer sung a very heartfelt version of Franz Schubert’s classic Ave Maria, all in Italian, with an orchestra behind her as well as dozens of red roses and white candles.
Other performers during the event, which had over 20,000 people in attendance, were Beyonce and Alicia Keys.
The goodbye: Christina Aguilera was the last performer at the celebration of life ceremony for Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna held inside the Staple Center in Los Angeles on Monday
Somber look: The 39-year-old Genie In A Bottle singer had her long blonde hair worn down and parted in the middle. And the star added deep red lipstick as she sang Ave Maria
The 39-year-old Genie In A Bottle singer had her long blonde hair worn down and parted in the middle. And the star added deep red lipstick, which is her signature.
She looked slender in a black outfit that included lace sleeves.
The performance was stunning as her strong voice held the audience.
Beyonce opened the memorial with what she said was Kobe’s favorite song of hers, XO, and then followed that with a powerful rendition of Halo which got a standing ovation from a crying Vanessa Bryant.
Alicia Keys beautifully performed Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata on the piano.
She nailed it: She looked slender in a black outfit that included lace sleeves. The performance was stunning as her strong voice held the audience
Jennifer Lopez was seen alongside her fiance Alex Rodriguez.
The 50-year-old wept in the crowd as a touching in memoriam video played on the jumbotron and, again, when Kobe’s beloved wife Vanessa delivered an emotional eulogy.
Before the event, Lopez took to social media to share a photo of her manicure that honored the Bryants, with the numbers #2 and #24 painted on in gold.
Performing from the heart: Beyonce opened the memorial with what she said was Kobe’s favorite song of hers, XO and then followed that with a powerful rendition of Halo which got a standing ovation from a crying Vanessa
On stage: There was also a performances by Alicia Keys where she played Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata
The Celebration of Life honoring the basketball legend and his daughter drew fans from across the country to the Southern California city almost a month after they were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash on January 26.
When Kobe died, Jennifer shared a touching tribute to the basketball great with whom she considered a longtime friend.
‘As I scrolled through Kobe’s feed, and Alex and I talk memories and moments we remember about him … this is the truth that rings out the loudest … family is what matters most,’ she wrote at the time.
Heartbroken: Jennifer Lopez was brought to tears while attending the emotional celebration of the lives of Kobe and Gianna
Emotional moment: The 50-year-old wept in the crowd as a touching in memoriam video played on the jumbotron and, again, when Kobe’s beloved wife Vanessa delivered an emotional eulogy
The loss of a loved one: When Kobe died, Jennifer shared a touching tribute to the basketball great with whom she considered a longtime friend
RIP: Before the event, Lopez took to social media to share a photo of her manicure that honored the Bryants, with the numbers #2 and #24 painted on in gold
‘We are all feeling sadness from this loss, but all I can think of is that it is a grain of sand compared to what Vanessa must going through right now. I am sending all of my love and praying for you, your children and the other families involved in today’s tragic turn of events.’
At the celebration of life memorial, Vanessa Bryant tearfully stood up in front of the massive crowd of mourners to speak.
She began with a heart wrenching eulogy about her daughter Gianna, telling the crowd that Gigi loved basketball would have undoubtedly gone on to become one of the best players in the WNBA.
A great loss: The crowd, including Jennifer, broke down into tears when Vanessa Bryant stepped up and addressed the crowd
‘God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other,’ Bryant said from the podium. ‘He had to bring them home to heaven together.’
Tragic: The Celebration of Life honoring the basketball legend and his daughter drew fans from across the country to the Southern California city almost a month after they were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash on January 26
Looking back: When Kobe passed away, Jennifer shared a sweet photo of herself and Alex Rodriguez along with the NBA star and Vanessa
‘God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other,’ Bryant said from the podium. ‘He had to bring them home to heaven together.’
As the cameras panned to the crowd, Lopez got choked up once more while Vanessa spoke.
‘I’ll never get to see my baby girl walk down the aisle, have a father-daughter dance with her daddy, dance on the dance floor with me or have babies of her own,’ Bryant said through silent tears.
‘I want my daughters to know and remember the amazing person, husband and father he was,’ she said. ‘The kind of man who wanted to teach the future generations to be better.’
Mourning: In the crowd Kanye West, Kim and Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner somberly looked on
She then went into a touching tribute to the love of her life, Kobe, whom she was married to for nearly 20 years and called her soulmate.
‘I want my daughters to know and remember the amazing person, husband and father he was,’ she said. ‘The kind of man who wanted to teach the future generations to be better.’
Not afraid to cry: Close friends and colleagues, including Michael Jordan who wept during his speech, took to the podium to tell their remembrances of the basketball great and his daughter
Close friends and colleagues, including Michael Jordan who wept during his speech, took to the podium to tell their remembrances of the basketball great and his daughter.
The event was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, who fought back tears as he remembered his friend.
Staples Center sold out for the memorial, and the money made from ticket sales will be given to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, which supports youth sports programs in under-served communities and teaches sports to girls and women.
Staples Center sold out for the memorial, and the money made from ticket sales will be given to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, which supports youth sports programs in under-served communities and teaches sports to girls and women (A memorial for Kobe outside of the Staples Center on January 31)