British-Irish girl group and early ‘00s hitmakers Girls Aloud reunited after the tragic death of their bandmate, Sarah Harding, to put on the biggest UK arena tour of 2024. But, to wrap up their set of 20 back-to-back hit singles, Girls Aloud’s four remaining band members couldn’t help but tribute their fallen star in a tear-jerking moment during their career-defining, show-closing hit, “The Promise.”
You don’t have to be a girl group fan to be totally moved by this moment. Racking up more than 367,000 views to date, Music Man readers can watch the magic unfold in the viral video below…
Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, and Kimberley Walsh hit the stage of London’s O2 Arena in glittering gold dresses, recreating the glitz and glam of their legendary showgirl music video, “The Promise” – a single which became a UK #1 on its release in 2008, and picked up the 2009 BRIT Award for ‘Song of the Year.’
One by one, the ladies sing their original verses, high notes and all, just as they’d recorded them almost 15 years before. Despite this being their first tour in over ten years, Girls Aloud haven’t lost a touch of their talent or sisterly connection as they send fans into the ultimate pop throwback.
But then, the stage lights dim in a dramatic moment, as visuals of Sarah Harding plaster the large screens behind the ladies; the girl group letting their late bandmate wow the crowd for the very last time.
The band’s surviving members don’t dare to tread on Sarah’s original verse, opting for footage of the late star singing her segment of the hit, marking the ultimate, heart-moving tribute.
Sarah Harding had passed away in 2021 at the age of 39 after being diagnosed with breast cancer, just three years before the band’s farewell tour. As well as singing with the most successful UK girl group of the century, Sarah also became a national treasure through her acting roles in “St. Trinians,” “Run For Your Wife” and the soap opera “Coronation Street,” even winning Celebrity Big Brother in 2017, with her iconic ‘party girl’ personality setting her far apart from her Girls Aloud bandmates.
After Sarah’s a cappella verses stun the London crowd, Nicola Roberts bravely continues the song like a ballad, backed by a simple piano before slowly scaling the atmosphere up again with some spellbinding harmonies with her band.
With countless viewers being moved to tears by the moment, others can’t help but respect Girls Aloud’s strength as they handed the limelight to their late friend.
As one top commenter wrote, “These girls know how to put on a show and to celebrate our beautiful Sarah,” another revealed, “That was really amazing. I was wondering who was going to sing Sarah’s bit. It’s always been my favourite bit of the song and then they pictured her and had her sing. That was so amazing and so respectful. It made me so emotional. Sarah was so amazing with great vocals and a lovely warmth and genuine vibe. Fabulous performance.”
Girls Aloud’s reunion — and their tearful tribute to Sarah Harding during “The Promise” — was a powerful reminder of their enduring chemistry and catalogue. Their O2 finale proved why they remain beloved. Want to explore more footage, setlists and tributes? Find useful links below to dive deeper.