Madonna gives emotional Paris speech during Rebel Heart show

Madonna delivered an emotional speech last night on her Rebel Heart Tour in Stockholm, Sweden, less than 24 hours after the terror attacks which killed upwards of 128 people in Paris.

Speaking from the stage, the singer shed tears and said she felt “torn”. “Why am I up here dancing and having fun when people are crying over the loss of their loved ones?” before conceding that not performing would be giving in. “They want to silence us,” she said, “but there is strength in unity.”

She also added, “This whole show is about celebrating life. And standing up for your rights. Fighting for what you believe in,” which received applause from the audience at the Tele2 Arena. The singer spoke for several minutes before performing her 1989 hit Like A Prayer.

Madonna later took to her Instagram to thank the audience for helping her through a “difficult” show, saying, “There was so much love in this room it made me feel like we were tuning darkness into light.”

Madonna’s Rebel Heart Tour arrives in the UK with her first show at The O2 in London on 1 December.