Liam Payne’s death: One Direction members left ‘beyond devastated’

Liam Payne‘s erstwhile One Direction bandmates person released associated and idiosyncratic statements saying they are “completely devastated” by the singer’s untimely decease connected Wednesday.

Payne, 31, died successful Buenos Aires, Argentina aft helium fell from a third-floor edifice balcony. An autopsy report released Thursday revealed Payne died of aggregate superior injuries and “internal and outer bleeding” arsenic a effect of the balcony fall.

The surviving One Direction bandmates — Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik — archetypal published a associated connection to societal media precocious Thursday afternoon.

“We’re wholly devastated by the quality of Liam’s passing,” the band wrote connected Instagram. “In time, and erstwhile everyone is capable to, determination volition beryllium much to say. But for now, we volition instrumentality immoderate clip to grieve and process the nonaccomplishment of our brother, who we loved dearly.”

The erstwhile lad banders said they would treasure their memories with Payne forever, and sent good wishes to his family, friends and their fans.

“We emotion you Liam,” the bandmates signed off.

Louis Tomlinson

After the merchandise of One Direction’s associated statement, the bandmates dilatory shared idiosyncratic tributes to Payne connected their societal media accounts.

First to station was Tomlinson, who called Payne a relation exemplary and “a positive, funny, and benignant soul.”

“I archetypal met Liam erstwhile helium was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his dependable but much importantly arsenic clip went connected I got a accidental to spot the benignant member I’d longed each my beingness for,” Tomlinson, 32, wrote. “Liam was an unthinkable opus writer with a large consciousness of melody, we often spoke of getting backmost successful the workplace unneurotic to effort and recreate the penning chemistry we had built up successful the band.”

Tomlinson called Payne “the astir captious portion of One Direction” and thanked him for shaping the band.

The vocalist past extended a idiosyncratic connection to Payne, “if you’re listening.”

Tomlinson said helium is “beyond lucky” to person had Payne successful his beingness but is “really struggling with the thought of saying goodbye.”

“Reminiscing astir each the thousands of astonishing memories we had unneurotic is simply a luxury I thought I’d person with you for life,” helium continued. “I would person loved to stock the signifier with you again but it wasn’t to be.”

Payne and Tomlinson person some admitted to having an occasionally tense narration portion they were members of One Direction. During an infamous interrogation connected Logan Paul’s podcast Impaulsive, Payne successful 2022 said helium and Tomlinson despised 1 different to the constituent of carnal arguments.

Though Payne’s Impaulsive interrogation was not well-received by One Direction fans, Tomlinson aboriginal defended his bandmate and said the podcast hosts were “disrespectful” and took vantage of Payne, who had relapsed connected his sobriety.

Tomlinson said helium and Payne became person friends aft One Direction announced its hiatus successful 2015.

Zayn Malik

Malik said he’s been “talking retired loud” to Payne since quality of his death.

“I can’t assistance but deliberation selfishly that determination are truthful galore much conversations for america to person successful our lives.” Malik, 31, wrote. “I ne'er got to convey you for supporting maine done immoderate of the astir hard times successful my life.”

“When I was missing location arsenic a 17 twelvemonth aged kid you would ever beryllium determination with a affirmative outlook and reassuring grin and fto maine cognize that you were my person and that I loved,” helium remembered.

Malik said helium admired Payne, contempt the information that they “butted heads” often successful their youth.

“I ever secretly respected you for it,” Malik revealed of their arguments.

The Pillowtalk singer said Payne was ever the astir “qualified” instrumentalist and subordinate of One Direction.

“I mislaid a member erstwhile you near america and can’t explicate to you what I’d springiness to conscionable springiness you a hug 1 past clip and accidental goodbye to you decently and archer you that I loved and respected you dearly,” Malik concluded. “I volition cherish each the memories I person with you successful my bosom forever, determination is nary words that warrant oregon explicate however I consciousness close present different than beyond devastated.”

Malik abruptly near One Direction successful 2015, and the set members continued for respective months without him earlier announcing their hiatus.

He and Payne had a tumultuous relationship, which Payne spoke astir — and aboriginal apologized for — connected the Impaulsive podcast.

Earlier this year, Malik said helium was grateful to beryllium a portion of One Direction, but wished helium had “enjoyed” the acquisition much successful his younger years.

“I’m grateful that I’m capable to beryllium happier now,” Zayn said successful an interview.

Harry Styles

Styles shared a abbreviated connection astir Payne to Instagram connected Thursday and said helium is “truly devastated” by his bandmate’s death.

“His top joyousness was making different radical happy, and it was an honour to beryllium alongside him arsenic helium did it,” Styles, 30, wrote. “Liam lived wide open, with his bosom connected his sleeve, helium had an vigor for beingness that was infectious.”

Trending Now

“He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving,” Styles said of Payne. “The years we spent unneurotic volition everlastingly stay among the astir cherished years of my life.”

Styles said his “heart breaks” for Payne’s household members, his lad and “all those astir the satellite who knew him and loved him, arsenic I did.”

Styles has often spoken positively astir his acquisition successful One Direction and has credited the band’s improvement for his solo success.

In a 2022 interrogation with Zane Lowe, up of the merchandise of his medium Harry’s House, Styles reminisced astir the One Direction years. He recalled the archetypal clip the bandmates’ photograph unneurotic was published successful a section newspaper, and however “happy” the then-teenagers were implicit the small success.

Niall Horan

The past One Direction subordinate to stock a tribute to Payne was Horan, who was besides the set subordinate to conscionable Payne successful idiosyncratic astir recently.

Two weeks up of his death, Payne attended Horan’s stadium concert successful Argentina. Payne was seen dancing successful a backstage container astatine the venue up of and during the show, past met with Horan afterward.

In a connection posted to societal media Friday, Horan said helium is “devastated by the passing of my astonishing friend, Liam.”

Horan, 31, said helium feels “fortunate” to person seen Payne recently.

“I sadly didn’t cognize that aft saying goodbye and hugging him, I would beryllium saying goodbye forever,” helium wrote. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Horan said Payne’s decease “just doesn’t consciousness real.”

“Liam had an vigor for beingness and a passionateness for enactment that was infectious,” helium continued. “He was the brightest successful each country and ever made everyone consciousness blessed and secure.”

“All the laughs we had implicit the years, sometimes astir the simplest of things, support coming to caput done the sadness,” Horan wrote. “We got to unrecorded retired our wildest dreams unneurotic and I volition cherish each infinitesimal we had forever. The enslaved and relationship we had doesn’t hap often successful a lifetime.”

Niall extended good wishes to Payne’s household and thanked his bandmate for “everything.”

In 2023, Horan said One Direction “feels similar it’s a abstracted beingness now.”

Horan said helium has “a bully outlook connected things, looking back” and was grateful helium “didn’t suffer the crippled on the way.”

Who was Liam Payne?

The members of One Direction met successful 2010 connected the U.K. singing competition The X Factor, when judges including Simon Cowell paired the then-teenage boys unneurotic successful a radical act.

Payne had already auditioned for The X Factor two years anterior but was eliminated aboriginal on. His palmy 2nd effort astatine 16 years aged positioned Payne arsenic a person among the 5 One Direction boys, known for their rowdy shenanigans.

One Direction’s occurrence was explosive. Until the set announced its hiatus successful 2015, the members’ faces could commonly beryllium recovered plastered connected the chamber walls of teenagers astir the world.

Today, those fans are mourning the decease of their parasocial relationships with Payne, alongside the One Direction members, who mislaid a beloved “brother.”

Curator Recommendations