Ally Brooke, a member of Simon Cowell‘s girl group Fifth Harmony on The X Factor, took the stage Wednesday night despite her grief over the death of her grandfather.
“This is been the hardest thing that I have ever gone through,” the singer, 19, told reporters after the show.
Brooke – along with Fifth Harmony members Dinah Jane Hansen, Lauren Jauregui, Normani Hamilton and Camila Cabello – sang Kelly Clarkson‘s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You),” and that’s just what her grandfather would have wanted.
“I was blessed enough to talk to my grandfather the night before he passed and he told me that everything was going to be okay and I know he wanted me continue and do my best, be happy, and that’s what keeps me going,” she said.
Ally wasn’t the only group member affected by the news. “It was difficult for all of us because when she hurts we hurt,” Cabello, 15, said. “It was really tough, so the fact that the song had more meaning gave it a new dimension.”
The judges noticed the emotion in their performance. “The song really worked for a group,” Britney Spears said. “You can tell you worked hard.”
According to Demi Lovato, the song was “one of the best performances you guys have given.”
“God has helped me a lot in getting through this very painful time,” Brooke said. “I’m just grateful for the amazing support that I have here. My girls have been amazing. I was about to completely lose it right before we performed … but they were there to comfort me.”
