Rihanna performed " Stay " at the final of the ninth series of '' The X Factor '' on December 9 , 2012 . Once she had finished performing the song , it transitioned into an acoustic version of " We Found Love " followed by the original version . Rihanna wore a short white dress , with white T-bar shoes , diamond earrings and matching silver jewellery . The singer performed " Stay " together with Mikky Ekko at the 2013 Grammy Awards on February 10 , 2013 . The performance featured the singer standing in front of a " dimly lit set " and was dressed in a long " curve-hugging " dark dress . Mikael Wood of '' Los Angeles Times '' positively reviewed the performance and wrote that it was the most memorable moment of the night . Charley Rogulewski of '' Vibe '' in a review of the rendition wrote , " Her Rihanna 's beautiful voice took center stage during the duet , assuring those watching why she was worthy of her six Grammys " . A reviewer of Capital FM wrote that Rihanna looked visibly moved by the performance as she showed her " impressive vocals " . The solo version of " Stay " is included as part of the set list on Rihanna 's fifth headlining concert tour , the " Diamonds World Tour " , as the twenty-seventh track and first of the encore . The song served as an opening song on her seventh headlining tour the '' Anti World Tour . '' She also performed the song at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards
2016 MTV Video Music Awards
2016 MTV Video Music Awards
Stay (Rihanna song)