Paris terror attacks: Madonna breaks down on stage while paying tribute to victims mid-concert

Tribute: Madonna speaks about the Paris attacks on stage in Stockholm
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Jennifer Ruby16 November 2015
The Weekender

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Madonna broke down in tears mid-concert while paying tribute to the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks.

Speaking to the crowds in Stockholm, the superstar said that she’d considered cancelling her show on Saturday night, but decided to go ahead as she wouldn’t let the attackers stop them “enjoying freedom.”

Stopping mid-concert, Madonna told the audience:

“It's been really hard actually to get through the show, because in many ways, I feel torn. It's like, 'Why am I up here dancing and having fun when people are crying over the loss of their loved ones?’

“However, that is exactly what these people want to do. They want to shut us up. They want to silence us, and we won't let them. We will never let them.

“I was going to cancel tonight, but then I thought to myself, ‘why should I give that to them? Why should I allow them to stop me? And to stop us from enjoying freedom.’

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She continued: “All of the places where people were killed were places where people were having fun. Where people were enjoying themselves. Eating in restaurants, dancing, singing, watching soccer matches.

“These are freedoms that we take for granted of course, and we must not, but they are freedoms that we deserve.”

The 57-year-old spoke for six minutes on the tragedy before asking the crowd to join her in a moment of silence.

Madonna then performed an acoustic version of Like A Prayer, asking the audience to sing along with her.

“So, here's what I know how to do, and I hope you will all join me, and we will all sing this prayer together,” she said.

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