One Direction and X Factor are mourning the death of Liam Payne.
After Payne passed away on Wednesday, members of the beloved former pop boy band and the British competition show they started reacted to his death with heartfelt tributes.
“We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s death. In time, when we are all able to speak, we will have more to say. But for now, we would like to take the time to share with you our dearly loved… “We grieve and come to terms with the loss of our brother,” One Direction said in a group statement.
“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever,” the group continued. “At this time, our thoughts are with his family, his friends and the fans who loved him with us. We will miss him very much. loves Liam, Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.”
His friend and fellow 1D friend Louis Tomlinson released his own statement alongside a nostalgic photo of the two. “It’s with great sadness that I write this, but yesterday I lost my brother. Liam was someone I looked up to every day, a very positive, funny and kind person,” he wrote in the caption.
“I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18. I was immediately struck by his voice, but as time went on, more importantly, I realized that he had a voice that I had admired all my life. I had the opportunity to meet these kind brothers. Liam was a great songwriter with a great sense of melody, so we often talked about going back to the studio together and trying to recreate the songwriting chemistry that we had built within the band.
“And just for the record, in my opinion, Liam was the most important part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his writing… Talent. The list goes on. Thank you for raising us Liam,” Tomlinson added.
He also included a message for Payne: “If you’re listening,” he added, “I feel so lucky to have you in my life, but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. Talking on the phone for hours and reminiscing about the thousands of wonderful memories we had together was a luxury I wanted to have with me for the rest of my life, so I’m so grateful that we became even better friends. I would have loved to share the stage with you again, but that didn’t happen.
“If Bear needs me, I want him to know that I’m going to be the uncle he needs in his life and tell him how great his father was.” Tomlinson added. “I wish I had a chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you. Peino, my son, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you. . Sleep well.
Zayn Malik shared a photo of Payne from the early days of the group. “I love you, brother,” he captioned the post, along with a statement.
“Liam, I find myself talking loudly to you in hopes that you will hear me. I can’t help but wonder if there were more conversations in our lives. “No,” he began. “I can’t thank you enough for supporting me during the most difficult times in my life. When I missed home as a 17-year-old kid, you were always there with a positive outlook and a reassuring smile. You are my friend and you have shown me that I am loved.”
Malik continued: “Although you were younger than me, you were always wiser than me, stubborn and opinionated, and not afraid to tell people when they were wrong. We clashed several times over this. But I always secretly admired you. When it came to music, Liam, you were the most qualified person in every sense of the word. In comparison, I was a beginner with no experience. I was a kid, and you were already a pro. I was always happy to know that no matter what happened on stage, I could always rely on you to steer the ship next. .
“When you left us, I lost a brother. I wanted to hug you one last time, say goodbye properly, and know that I loved and respected you so much. I can’t explain what I could give you if I could. I will forever cherish every memory of you in my heart. There are no words to justify and explain how I feel right now than devastated. . Wherever you are right now, I hope you are well, at peace, and know how much you are loved. I love you brother.
Former X Factor host Dermot O’Leary shared a throwback photo of himself and Payne on the show when they first auditioned in 2008. I remember him turning up to the X Factor audition when he was 14 and surprising us by singing Sinatra. He just loved singing. He was always fun, gave his time to everyone, was polite, grateful, and always humble. Sending love and prayers to his family. DX,” O’Leary wrote on Instagram.
Meanwhile, X Factor creator and former 1D manager Simon Cowell has postponed his Britain’s Got Talent auditions due to the “tragic death of Liam Payne”, saying: “We apologize for any inconvenience caused. No,” he added.
Payne died on Wednesday at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. La Nación newspaper reported that staff at Hotel Casa Sur called police before the incident to report an “aggressive man who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
Born on August 29, 1993 in Wolverhampton, England, Payne first auditioned for The X Factor in 2008 at the age of 14, singing Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon”. . He was fired, but Cowell encouraged him to come back two years later.
In 2010, Payne returned to the competition series and formed One Direction with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. After appearing on the show, the group signed a contract with Simon Cowell’s Psycho Entertainment.
From 2010 to 2016, the group released five albums and became a global sensation, winning seven Brit Awards and selling more than 70 million albums worldwide.
After the group went their separate ways, Payne released his only solo album, LP1, in 2019.
