Christina Aguilera Gives Emotional Performance at Kobe Bryant's Memorial

(Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Filmmagic / Getty)

Christina Aguilera's latest performance helped to mark the life of a legend. The 39-year-old singer took the stage at the Staples Center on Monday during the public memorial for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, both of whom died, along with seven others, in a helicopter crash last month.

Aguilera sang "Ave Maria" during the emotional performance with an orchestra. Other performers at the event included Beyonce and Alicia Keys

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"Thank you, Christina, that was beautiful. And in Italian, as well," Jimmy Kimmel, the emcee for the event, quipped. The singer blew a kiss to Kobe's family as she stepped offstage.

Christina Aguilera
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Staples Center, the location of the memorial, is affectionately known as "the house that Kobe built," as it's where the basketball legend spent most of his 20-year NBA career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. 

The date of the memorial itself, 2/24/20, also holds special significance in that it represents Gianna and Kobe’s jersey numbers, with 20 representing both the amount of years he spent as a Laker and how long he and wife Vanessa were together.

The public memorial follows the private funeral for Kobe and Gianna that was held at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona Del Mar, California, on Feb. 7.

Tune in to Entertainment Tonight on Monday for a complete recap of Bryant's memorial.

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