One Direction pays tribute to Liam Payne: 'We will miss him terribly'

According to state police, former One Direction stars paid tribute to their colleague Liam Payne, who died on October 16 after falling from his third-floor hotel room in Argentina. He was 31.

Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Harry Styles shared a joint statement on One Direction's official Instagram account on Thursday.

“We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s death,” they said. “As time goes on and everyone is able, 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 very much.”

“The memories we shared with him will be remembered forever,” they continued. “At the moment 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 all four of them signed it together.

Separately, Tomlinson also shared a touching post about Payne on Instagram with a photo, saying he had “lost a brother.”

“Liam was someone I looked up to every day, such a positive, fun and kind soul,” he said. “I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18. I was immediately taken by his voice, but more importantly, over time I got the chance to see the kind brother I longed for I had longed for all my life.”

Tomlinson went on to say that Payne is an “incredible songwriter” and, in his opinion, “the most important part of One Direction.”

He ended his message with a direct message to Payne, telling him that he was “overjoyed to have had you in my life” and that he was “struggling with the idea of ​​saying goodbye.”

“I'm so grateful that we've become even closer since the band. Talking on the phone for hours and remembering all the thousands of wonderful memories we had together is a luxury I thought I would have with you for a lifetime,” 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 about how great his dad was,” he said.

In his own post, Malik also shared a message with Payne with a photo of the two of them and explained what he meant to him.

“Liam, I was talking to you out loud, hoping you could hear me. I can't help but selfishly think that there were so many more conversations for us to have in our lives,” he began. “I have never been able to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times of my life. When I was missing home as a 17 year old child, you were always there with a positive attitude and a reassuring smile, letting me know that you were my friend and that I was loved.

The “ROOM UNDER THE STARS” artist added that while they sometimes disagreed with him, he “always secretly respected him.” He added that Payne is “the most qualified in every way” when it comes to music.

He ended his message by saying, “I lost a brother when you left us and I can't explain what I would give to hug you one last time, say goodbye to you and tell you that I loved you.” I respected you very much.

“I hope that wherever you are, you are well and at peace and know how loved you are,” Malik added.

This was followed by an Instagram post from Styles with a message in which he remembered Payne's character and their time together in the band.

“I'm truly devastated by Liam's death,” the “As It Was” singer began. “His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honor to be at his side.”

“Liam lived openly, with his heart on his sleeve, he had a life energy that was contagious,” he continued. “He was warm, supportive and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever be among the most precious 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 everyone in the world who knew and loved him, like me.”

“I will always miss him, my dear friend,” Styles said.

Payne was a member of One Direction alongside Horan, Styles, Tomlinson and Malik. The group formed on The X Factor in 2010 and has released five albums, including Up All Night in 2011 and Made in the AM in 2015.

In 2015, Payne launched 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 colleagues and friends also mourned him in moving social media posts after his death.

Payne's family also issued a statement following his death, saying: “We are heartbroken. Liam will live on in our hearts forever and we will remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We support each other as best we can. “As a family, I can ask for privacy and space during this terrible time.”

Styles' mother, Anne Twist, shared a broken heart emoji on Instagram and wrote in the caption, “Just a boy… 💔.”

Find more tributes to Payne here.