One Direction members honor Liam Payne in heartfelt posts | Image: Instagram/@louist91, @zayn
Former One Direction members paid tribute to their “brother” and fellow bandmate Liam Payne, who died on Wednesday after falling from a third-floor balcony.
The remaining four members, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan, penned a joint statement posted on the group’s shared account to express their “devastation” over Payne’s untimely death.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. 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, whom we loved dearly,” read the statement posted on Instagram.
“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. We will miss him terribly. We love you, Liam,” concluded the post.
On their separate Instagram accounts, the musicians remembered Payne by sharing their memorable moments with him as well as photos that were taken during their time in One Direction.
Tomlinson looked back on the time when he first met Payne when they were 18 and 16 years old, respectively, and described the latter as “such a positive, funny, and kind soul.”
“Liam was an incredible songwriter with a great sense of melody; we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band. 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,” he wrote.
Further, Tomlinson remarked that he’s “struggling with the idea of saying goodbye” and “would have loved to share the stage” with Payne again, only that it will no longer happen.
“I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band. Speaking on the phone for hours and 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,” he said.
Tomlinson promised his late bandmate that he would look after Bear, the 7-year-old son he left behind.
“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. I wish I got the 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,” he concluded his caption.
Meanwhile, Malik shared an old photo of himself and Payne asleep on top of each other at the back of a car, and imagined the “more conversations” they could have in this life.
“I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me. I can’t help but think selfishly that there were so many more conversations for us to have in our lives. I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life,” he began.
Malik further reflected on their time in the band as teenagers, writing, “When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid, you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know that you were my friend and that I was loved. Even though you were younger than me, you were always more sensible than me.”
Malik described Payne as “headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f*cks about telling people when they were wrong” and admitted that he “secretly respected” the late singer because of it. He also noted Payne’s professionalism as a musician.
“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. I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever,” he ended his post.
Meanwhile, Styles posted Payne’s solo photo showing his back taken during a concert, stating that the latter lived his life “with his heart on his sleeve” and made people happy.
“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,” wrote the singer.
“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 concluded his tribute.