AMSTERDAM - They became firm friends after collaborating on her smash hit Lonely Together. And Rita Ora commemorated the life of DJ Avicii as she took to the stage at the 538Koningsdag Festival in the Netherlands.

The 27-year-old burst into tears as she held a minute's silence for the producer, who was found dead aged 28 in Muscat last week, before performing the track they worked on together.

Rita told the 40,000-strong crowd ahead of her performance: 'I'm going to say something which is really, really special because it's going to be hard for me to sing this next song and I'll tell you why.

'I had the honor of collaborating with somebody who changed my life and he's a really good friend of mine and I heard some DJ's playing some of his music earlier.

'I haven't sang his song that we did together, ever since he passed away - until today.

'So it's going to be very hard for me to sing this next song. I'm obviously talking about the incredible Avicii.'

The Anywhere hitmaker told the crowd her song Lonely Together was the last song he released and asked them to pay tribute to her "dearest friend" with a minute's silence.

In the footage, Rita struggled to hold back the tears as she bowed her head in memory of the world-renowned musician. - Agencies