After heartfelt tributes from Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and as a band, Harry Styles shared that he is “truly devastated” by the death of his One Direction bandmate Liam Payne. Payne died on Wednesday at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires.
In his statement, Styles said that it was an honor to be alongside Payne over the years. “I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing,” he wrote. “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 was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend. My 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.”
Styles’ words come after he and fellow One Direction members Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik released a joint statement paying tribute to Payne. “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,” the four wrote. “We will miss him terribly.”
Tomlinson also shared a personal tribute to Payne, calling him “a positive, funny, and kind soul” and “the most vital part of One Direction.”
“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. I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be,” Tomlinson continued, writing directly to Payne. “I wish I got chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you. Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well.”
Malik also shared a solo tribute, writing, “When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. … I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’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.”
Styles and Payne were two of the five members of One Direction, the Brit boyband that formed in 2010 after the group united on “The X Factor” and signed to Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment label. The group became one of most dominant music industry acts of the 2010’s, with more than 70 million records sold and chart-topping hits like “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Night Changes” and “Story of My Life.” In 2017, Payne debuted as a solo singer with “Strip That Down,” after One Direction had announced an indefinite hiatus the year prior and its other members ventured into their own careers. He released his debut album “LP1” in 2019.
