Amber Riley dedicated a powerful performance to her late friend and Glee co-star Naya Rivera.
During last night’s (August 27) appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Riley delivered a heartfelt and heartbreaking musical rendition of her ballad, “A Moment,” to honor the late Rivera, who tragically died of accidental drowning in July. She was 33.
Introduced to viewers at home by guest host Lil Rel Howery, the vocalist took center stage for the stirring, black-and-white presentation as images of Rivera faded in and out of a dark starry background.
“Everybody thinks I'm okay/ But don't nobody know the way I'm really feeling/ Only heaven knows that nothing hurts more/ Than falling/ When you think you've been climbing/ Set me free,” the 34-year-old powerhouse sings tenderly. “I'm ready to fight, I'm ready to see/ What's on the other sidе/ I'm ready to cry, and just let it be.”
As Glee fans know, Riley and Rivera portrayed the characters Mercedes Jones and Santana Lopez during all six seasons of the show. They also delivered several duets on the series which have become fan-favorites, including “The Boy Is Mine” and “River Deep, Mountain High.”
On July 8, Rivera was declared a missing person after her 4-year-old son, Josey, was found alone on a boat she had rented hours prior to swim at Lake Piru. After a seemingly endless search, authorities eventually recovered the actress’s body from the lake on July 13.
“My favorite duet partner. I love you. I miss you,” Riley wrote of her castmate when the news broke. “I don’t have words right now, just lots of feelings. Rest In Peace Angel, and know that your family will never have to worry about anything.”
Photo: Getty Images