John Legend dedicates his Billboard Music Awards performance to Chrissy Teigen
By Vrunda Bhatt, with files from Zach Harper
John Legend performed an emotional, heart-wrenching rendition of "Never Break" during the 2020 Billboard Music Awards less than two weeks after he and Chrissy Teigen suffered pregnancy loss.
The EGOT-winner dedicated the performance, which was one of several that were pre-taped exclusively for the awards ceremony, to his wife. He was one of a few musicians who took the stage in the empty Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles as part of the show.
The powerful song is about maintaining a deep, strong love through difficult times. “Whenever life is hard/We'll never lose our way/As the water rises/ And the mountains shake/Our love will remain,” John sang.
His performance clearly touched host Kelly Clarkson, who said she was sending her support to the couple.
“Our hearts go out to you both in this very difficult time, and I'm thankful that you continue to share your light and your talent with all of us for the very special performance – possibly my favourite of the night,” Kelly said.
Just over weeks ago, Chrissy was hospitalized with extensive bleeding during her pregnancy. She had previously been ordered to stay on bed rest due to complications she was experiencing. While in hospital, she received blood transfusions and later that week she and John revealed they'd lost the baby.
Taking to Instagram on Oct. 1, Chrissy posted a black-and-white photo of herself sitting on a hospital bed crying.
"We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we've never felt before," she wrote.
"We never decide on our babies' names until the last possible moment after they're born, just before we leave the hospital. But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack. So he will always be Jack to us. Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family, and he will be, forever.
"To our Jack – I'm so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications, that we couldn't give you the home you need to survive. We will always love you.
"Thank you to everyone who has been sending us positive energy, thoughts and prayers. We feel all of your love and truly appreciate you.
"We are so grateful for the life we have, for our wonderful babies Luna and Miles, for all the amazing things we've been able to experience. But everyday can't be full of sunshine. On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out. But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it."
Stars immediately reached out to her and John to offer their condolences and support.
When Chrissy was criticized for posting such an emotional photo after losing the baby, Kate Beckinsale took to Instagram to write a spirited post in the mother of two's defence, and opened up about her own pregnancy loss.
"There is grief, shame and shock so often that come with an experience like this, plus the heartbreak of our body continuing, after the loss, to act as if it has a child to nature," she wrote.
"I think it's an honour to be allowed into another person's grief, especially with a subject like this which so often puts a woman into that hall of mirrors state of life, continuing as if the world hasn't, for you, come to a bloody and terrible halt. Sending so much love to the Legend family, but also so much to the women and couples who have kept it quiet and suffered. I know there are so many."
We’re sending love to Chrissy and John as they continue to recover from this horrible loss.
