Top 10 Live Musical Performances That Made Us Ugly Cry

Listen. If Brian Stokes Mitchell starts singing on stage, we’re probably going to cry. We learned that the hard way listening to his stunning rendition of “This Nearly Was Mine.” But if Audra McDonald joins him onstage? The waterworks cannot be stopped. Mitchell and McDonald originated the roles of Coalhouse and Sarah in the 1998 Broadway musical “Ragtime.” They’ve sung one of their signature songs, “Wheels of a Dream” together over the years, but in 2021 they reunited to great effect at the Tony Awards. The combined power of these two and their beautiful voices brought the house down into a massive puddle of tears. Seriously, we’re still not over it.

“The Color Purple” is one of the most celebrated American novels of all time. When the musical debuted on Broadway in 2005, it quickly became a force to be reckoned with. The role of Celie, the main character, was particularly strong, and featured more than a few songs that are sure to make you cry. There have been a lot of great Celies over the years, but none have brought a tear to our eye quite like Cynthia Erivo. At the 70th Tony Awards, Erivo performed Celie’s big 11 o’clock number “I’m Here” to thunderous applause. The love and raw emotion in Erivo’s voice is so apparent right from the jump. It’s enough to make even the coldest of hearts stir.

Sharing something incredibly personal to you with a room full of strangers can be difficult, but Adele does it constantly with grace and humor. In 2011, just after the release of her album “21,” the singer played a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Before playing her mega-hit “Someone Like You,” she shares a very personal story about the person the song is about. Toward the end of the performance, the audience begins to sing along with every word, something that clearly affects Adele greatly. She’s able to make it through to the end before she starts to cry. As for us? We started crying as soon as she opened her mouth.

When singer-producer Mac Miller died in 2018, it affected many young music lovers. But of course, his family and those closest to him had to deal with more than we could ever imagine. One of those people was Ariana Grande. The two had broken up before he died, and his passing was very difficult for the pop singer. In her mega-hit “thank u, next” she shouts out Miller in the opening verse. If it were us, we might be breaking down every time we had to sing that line on tour. But Grande made it through most of them, until she arrived in Miller's hometown of Pittsburgh. When she begins to cry, the audience starts to sing along louder, carrying her through.

The In Memoriam at any awards show is always a tear jerker. But in 2012, it was a particularly difficult presentation to get through. The great Whitney Houston had died just the day before the 54th Grammy Awards, and the producers worked hard to get something special together to honor the singer. Well, they did a great job. During the In Memoriam segment, Jennifer Hudson sang “I Will Always Love You,” a song made famous by Houston. Hudson has a gorgeous voice that’s layered with so much pathos. But the timing, paired with the photos of Houston and others behind the singer, make it unbearably emotional.

Returning to work after a loss can be devastatingly hard. In the case of Celine Dion, it was almost impossible. In 2016, Dion’s husband died of throat cancer. Just two days later, her brother also passed away from cancer. It was a terrible time for the singer, but she returned to the Las Vegas stage to continue her residency there just about a month after her losses. She delivered a wonderful show, but during “All By Myself,” she became visibly upset. She was able to make it through to the end, with the audience’s support. But we can only imagine how hard it must have been to sing something that hits so close to home after losing so much.

If you’re of a certain age, Linkin Park probably meant a lot to you as a young, angsty kid or teen. In 2017, when lead singer Chester Bennington took his own life, it hit a lot of us very close to home. A few months after Bennington’s death, the band decided to hold a benefit to honor him. A lot of performers lent their voices to that night, but the most powerful performance came from the audience. Linkin Park played their massive hit “Numb” without any vocals, opting instead to let the audience sing along where Bennington would have. It’s a really powerful moment and honors a beloved musician in a way that he would have hopefully been proud of.

Kobe Byrant and his daughter Gianna’s deaths in a tragic helicopter accident hit us all hard in early 2020. But the memorial service planned in his honor was beautiful, particularly a performance from Beyoncé. The two had been friends for decades, making the pop star’s lovely performance all the more heartfelt. The singer performed one of Bryant’s favorite songs, “XO,” and also her massive hit “Halo.” You can see Beyoncé, usually so poised, get very emotional during the performance. And yet, she still makes it incredibly special for Bryant and his daughter, and the family they left behind.

In 1963, one legend met another. On October 4, a young Barbra Streisand joined Judy Garland on “The Judy Garland Show.” The two met, bantered, and then proceeded to make musical history. They performed a mash-up of “Happy Days Are Here Again” and “Get Happy,” a song Garland made famous in her 1950 movie “Summer Stock.” The two divas’ voices meld beautifully, but what makes this performance so emotional is the apparent affection between them. They hold each other’s hands, they smile at each other, they let loose with their emotion and their range. It’s true greatness up on that stage, and it’s a joy to experience.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Sorrow Lives Here,” Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt’s Voice Has the Power to Make Anyone Sob

“See You Again,” Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth, & Lindsey Stirling
A Wonderful Tribute to Actor Paul Walker

“Piece by Piece,” Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson Gets Raw & Emotional About Her Father

“Praying,” Kesha
Kesha Uses Music to Heal

“1-800-273-8255”, Logic feat. Alessia Cara & Khalid
A Performance With a Cause

In 2021, we lost one of the greats. Stephen Sondheim was one of the most celebrated American composers and lyricists of all time. He wrote the lyrics for musicals such as “West Side Story,” and music and lyrics for standards like “Send in the Clowns.” It was a tough blow to lose him, but the 2022 Grammys found a way to honor him. The Grammys brought together musical stars to sing Sondheim tunes while the In Memoriam played in the background. The singers they chose, Rachel Zegler, Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., and Ben Platt, all brought enormous empathy to the performance. They sang the composer’s songs with grace and harmony.

If we missed any of your favorite ugly cries, let us know in the comments below.