Amber Riley paid tribute to her late “Glee” co-star Naya Rivera on Thursday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The actor and singer, whose artist-moniker Riley is, sang her new track titled “A Moment”, in honor of Rivera, who died in July. Rivera was 33 years old.
“Now I need a moment alone with my soul, I can not stop these thoughts, I need these,” sang Riley, while photos of Rivera were projected behind her. ‘I’m ready to fight, I’m ready to see what’s on the other side. I’m ready to cry and just let it be. ”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” guest host Lil Rel Howery introduced the show, saying: “Not too long ago we both lost a really good friend in a tragic accident and we will miss them both forever.”
Hosting on the day after the sports world came to a standstill and just after Donald Trump accepted his nomination for re-election to the RNC, Howery shared a powerful monologue, emphasizing the realities of life for Black people in America. Howery spoke about the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of voices and his belief in the need to defuse the police, and said, “That funding could go somewhere else, especially if you are not going to use the funding to protect or do your job well.”
The actor and comedian also spoke for Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown and Jacob Blake, who were survived seven times by police in Kenosha, Wis.
“That’s why I want to make a call to the WNBA and the NBA,” Howery said. “They used their platform to stand up for social injustice. That’s right.
I’m proud of her. They boycotted, they have not even played the last few days – I think that’s super dope. They do not care about their paychecks, they do not care about the entertainment part of it – they know what is wrong, is wrong, and they stand up for it. “
He continued: “Because, there is a lot going on when you think of the Black people in our country and the police. That relationship is so broken – so broken.”
Riley’s appearance came later in the show, and greeted her co-star in the hit Fox musical series. After Rivera’s death, Riley posted on Instagram that her former co-star wrote to her “favorite duet partner”: “I love you. I miss you. I have no words now, just a lot of feelings. Rest in peace angel , and know that your family will never have to worry about everything. ”
Rivera was best known for her groundbreaking role as Santana Lopez in the hit Fox musical series, while Riley played Mercedes Jones. One of the couple’s most memorable duets was the mashup “Rumor Has It” / “Someone Like You” in the third season of the show.
“Our queen sings for our other queen. Thankful for @MsAmberPRiley always. She’s the strongest. Can’t wait to see,” her “Glee” co-star Kevin McHale wrote on Twitter prior to the show.
Riley’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” appearance precedes her new October 2 EP, which she financed and performed as an independent artist.
“I am my own boss, my own decision maker, and my own marketing team. I wish I had the power that a big machine had behind me to get things out faster, but I did not, ‘Riley wrote on social media. “But what I have is property of my s—. I am not a slave, I have my masters. Woman shaking the project is coming, because this time no one can tell me [no]. So … stay tuned and get ready. This music is played in NO GAMES. I came up with a focal point and a pen ready to kill the girls. ”
Riley also recently turned her fame into activism, launching the #unMUTEny Social Justice Initiative, which promises to “end Black silence in the entertainment industry, hold power structures responsible for suppressing Black experiences, and confront micro-aggressions with courage.” . “
Explain why she is no longer afraid to talk to her about racial injustice on and off screen, Riley said Variation in June, “I made my money. I can continue to make money in the background. I can be part of a production team, and you do not even know my ass is there, and do more than be in front of the camera. There will be no one who can stop me. ”
Watch the video above for the full show.
