During the Celebration of Life for Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant, Beyonce gave an emotional performance of “XO” and “Halo.” It was previously reported that photographers were banned from taking photos of her during that performance and now, thanks to a new report from HollywoodLife, the touching reason behind that direction has been revealed.
According to HollywoodLife, Beyonce was the one to issue the direction to photographers, and there was a very moving reason behind her decision.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“Beyonce asked that no pictures of her were taken at Kobe’s memorial. She didn’t want to take the attention away from Vanessa [Bryant] and the family,” the source revealed. “She only performed because she loved Kobe and wanted to do something special for Vanessa.”
Beyonce and her husband, Jay-Z, are reportedly good friends of the Bryant family. After her performance, the “Irreplaceable” singer could even be seen sitting near Vanessa Bryant and comforting her as others went up to honor Kobe and Gianna.
Most recently, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Vanessa, and Kobe spent New Year’s Eve together, as the “Empire State of Mind” rapper said during his first Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter Lecture Series at Columbia University on Feb. 4.
“He was last in my house on New Year’s and he was just in the greatest space that I’ve seen him in,” the rapper said, per HollywoodLife. “One of the last things he said to me was, ‘You gotta see Gianna play basketball.’ And that was one of the most hurtful things because he was so proud.” He also added that the loss has been “tough” for him and Beyonce.
In addition to Beyonce’s moving performance, the Celebration of Life also featured performances by Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys. Keys had previously hosted the Grammy Awards on Jan. 26, the day of the tragic helicopter crash that took the lives of Kobe, Gianna, and seven others.
The award show took place at the Staples Center, the arena that the late NBA icon put on the map during his time as a Los Angeles Laker. Keys acknowledged this fact in her opening monologue for the event.
“Here we are together on music’s biggest night celebrating the artists that do it best, but to be honest with you, we’re all feeling crazy sadness right now because earlier today in Los Angeles, America and the whole wide world lost a hero,” Keys said at the time. “We’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built.”
