Former One Direction stars paid tribute to fellow member Liam Payne, who died Oct. 16 after falling from his third story hotel room in Argentina, according to state police. He was 31.
Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles shared a joint statement on the official One Direction Instagram account on Thursday.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” they said. “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.”
“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever,” they continued. “For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly.”
“We love you Liam,” they said at the end of their statement before co-signing it from all four of them.
Separately, Tomlinson also shared a moving post about Payne on Instagram with a photo and said he “lost a brother.”
“Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul,” he said. “I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for.”
Tomlinson went on to share how Payne was an “incredible songwriter” and in his opinion, “the most vital part of One Direction.”
He ended his message with a message to Payne directly and told him that he is “beyond lucky to have had you in my life” and that he’s “struggling with the idea of saying goodbye.”
“I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours , reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life,” he said.
Tomlinson also vowed to be there for Payne’s son, Bear.
“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 said.
In his own post, Malik also shared a message to Payne with a photo of the both of them, telling him what he meant to him.
“Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives,” he began. “I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life. 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.”
The “ROOM UNDER THE STARS” artist added that while they would disagree at times, he “always secretly respected” him. He added that when it came to music, Payne was “most qualified in every sense.”
He ended his message by saying, “I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what l’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly.”
“I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are,” Malik added.
An Instagram post from Styles followed with a message remembering Payne’s character and the time they spent together in the band.
“I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing,” the “As It Was” singer began. “His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it.”
“Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious,” he continued. “He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life.”
At the end of his message, he said his “heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did.”
“I will miss him always, my lovely friend,” Styles said.
On Friday morning, Horan shared a message on Instagram about Payne and said his death “just doesn’t feel real.”
“I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam,” the “Heaven” artist began.
“Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious,” he continued. “He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure.”
Horan then recalled the memories he shared with Payne while they were in One Direction and said, “We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime.”
The singer also mentioned how “fortunate” he is for the opportunity to have seen Payne recently.
“I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Payne was a member of One Direction alongside Horan, Styles, Tomlinson and Malik. The group was formed on “The X Factor” in 2010 and went on to release five albums, including “Up All Night” in 2011 and “Made in the A.M.” in 2015. Simon Cowell, who formed the band on “The X Factor,” also paid tribute and reflected on his relationship with Payne, calling him “kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused.”
Cowell also recalled a meeting he had with Payne last year and said that Payne just wanted to “sit and talk.” “We reminisced about all of the fun times we had together,” he added. “And how proud you were to be a Dad. After you left, I was reminded that you were still the sweet, kind boy I met all of those years ago.”
He ended his message to Payne by saying how he thought of him, Styles, Tomlinson, Malik and Horan as “brothers”
“Reading their messages today I believe you were,” Cowell said. “And now Liam, I can see the effect you had on so many people. Because you left us too soon. Rest in peace my friend.
In 2015, Payne embarked on a solo career and released a number of singles, including “Strip that Down” in 2017. He also released the album “LP1” in 2019.
Payne’s collaborators and friends also mourned him in moving social media posts following his death.
Payne’s family also issued a statement in the wake of his death, writing, “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
Styles’ mother, Anne Twist, shared a heartbroken emoji to Instagram and wrote in the caption, “Just a boy.
