Former One Direction members mourn death of Liam Payne: ‘We will miss him terribly’
By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN
(CNN) — Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson, formerly of pop group One Direction, said in a statement released Thursday that they are “completely devastated” by the death of their former bandmate Liam Payne, who they called their “brother.”
“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us,” Styles, Horan, Malik and Tomlinson said in a joint statement posted Thursday to the band’s Instagram page. “We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
Their statement added: “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.”
Payne died on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.
The police investigation into the circumstances of his death is ongoing, according to police in Buenos Aires.
“I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it,” Styles wrote in a separate statement posted to his Instagram page Thursday. “Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious.”
Styles wrote that the years he spent with Payne, who he described as “warm supportive, and incredibly loving,” will always remain “among the most cherished years of my life.”
Tomlinson also separately paid tribute to Payne, writing on his Instagram page earlier on Thursday that he is “beyond devastated” about the loss of Payne, who he called “a brother.”
“Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul,” Tomlinson wrote. “And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam.”
Tomlinson ended his tribute with moving mention of Payne’s son in a portion of his statement in which he directly addressed his former bandmate.
“I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me, I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was,” he wrote.
Malik also posted a tribute to his Instagram page Thursday, writing that he wished he could give Payne “a hug one last time.”
“When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved,” he wrote, directly addressing Payne.
Malik also said that even though Payne was younger, “you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f***s about telling people when they were wrong.”
“Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it,” he added.
Payne and Malik had a complicated past, stemming from their time together as bandmates, which Payne touched on in the 2022 podcast “Impaulsive with Logan Paul.” He later apologized for his comments in a 2023 video posted to his YouTube page, saying that what he said “came from the wrong place.”
One Direction was famously assembled in 2010 by producer Simon Cowell, who took notice of Payne, Styles, Malik, Tomlinson and Horan’s musical talents when they auditioned for the UK version of “The X-Factor.”
The group had a meteoric rise to fame, becoming the first band to have its first four albums claim the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200. Known for hit songs including “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Best Song Ever,” and “Story of My Life,” the group remains one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, having sold more than 70 million records worldwide.
Malik left the group in 2015, spawning the announcement that One Direction was going on an “indefinite hiatus” the following year. All five former members went on to pursue solo careers, including Payne, who released his most recent single “Teardrops” in March.
While their friendships have evolved through the years, Payne had made an effort to stay connected with his former bandmates even as he struggled with addiction and his mental health, something he’d previously spoken openly about.
Through his struggles, Payne said that “all the boys” have been there to support him.
“I’ve suffered a bit of a dark time in my life at the moment and to be honest, I wouldn’t be here without the boys,” Payne told On Demand Entertainment in a red carpet interview at Tomlinson’s “All Of Those Voices” documentary premiere last year.
Just weeks before his death, Payne was seen in Argentina attending Horan’s concert, posting videos of himself dancing and singing along on his Snapchat page.
There has been an outpouring of grief and tributes for Payne from his supporters around the world.
Fans have been leaving notes and flowers at the iconic red phone booth located at the Hard Rock Cafe in Picadilly Circus that was used in the cover image of One Direction’s album “Take Me Home,” The Independent reported Thursday.
Payne’s family previously said a statement that they’re “heartbroken” by his death, according to the UK’s PA Media news agency.
“Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” the statement read. “We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
On Thursday, “Britain’s Got Talent,” a UK-based talent competition show that Cowell co-created and serves as a judge on, postponed auditions following Payne’s death, Fremantle UK, the production company that oversees the show, said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with Liam’s friends, family and all who loved him,” the statement read.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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