One Direction boys pay emotional tribute to Liam Payne
Liam has sadly died at the age of 31
Last updated 18th Oct 2024
Following the news of his tragic passing, One Direction members Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and former member Zayn Malik, have paid a touching tribute to their friend Liam Payne.
The boys, who started an indefinite hiatus from the band in 2016, shared a joint statement, writing: '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, who we loved dearly. 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.'
They signed it off with their names: 'Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry'.
Louis Tomlinson's tribute to Liam Payne
Louis also shared an emotional post to his own Instagram page, where he referred to Liam as a 'brother'. He wrote: 'I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul.
'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.
'Liam was an incredible song writer 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.
'A message to you Liam if you’re listening,
'I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I’m really 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. I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be.
'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 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 X'
Zayn Malik's tribute to Liam Payne
Shortly after the joint statement shared to One Direction's page, Zayn also shared his own tribute to his own Instagram. Sharing an image of the pair when they were young, Zayn captioned the post: 'Love You Bro ❤️', before continuing: '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.
'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.
'Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f---- about telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it.
'When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I knew nothing in comparison, was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional. was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which way to steer the ship next.
'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, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated.
'I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace A and you know how loved you are.'
He then signed off the emotional post once more with: 'Love you bro'.
Harry Styles' tribute to Liam Payne
On the morning of Friday 18th October, Harry also shared a personal tribute, writing: 'I am truly devastated by Liam's passing.
'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, 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, Nicole and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did'.
Niall Horan's tribute to Liam Payne
Niall was the last of the boys to post an individual tribute, sharing a photo of the pair from when they were younger.
He wrote: 'I'm absolutely about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn't feel real.
'Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure.
'All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness. 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.
'I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn't know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It's heartbreaking.
'My love and condolences go out to Geoff, Karen, Ruth, Nicola and of course, his son Bear.
'Thank you for everything, Payno.
'Love you brother.
'Nialler'. (sic)
The sad news of Liam's passing at the age of 31 was first reported on the evening of Wednesday 16th October, after he fell from the third floor balcony at his hotel room in Argentina.
Overnight and on the morning of Thursday 17th October, tributes from around the world poured in for the 31-year-old, with the likes of Dermot O'Leary, Marvin Humes and Steven Bartlett all paying their respects, and Simon Cowell postponing Thursday's Britain's Got Talent auditions.
You can read all of the tributes to Liam Payne right here.
After previously auditioning for The X Factor when he was just 14-year-old, Liam returned to the show in 2010, when he was 16-years-old.
Despite being eliminated as a solo artist, judges Simon and Nicole had the brilliant idea to form a new boy band, with Liam being asked to be in the band alongside Harry, Niall, Louis and Zayn.
Calling themselves One Direction, the boys quickly got to know each other and made it all the way to final, finishing the show in fourth place.
From that moment on, the rest is pretty much history. One Direction achieved global domination with huge hits around the world, and despite Zayn choosing to leave in 2015, Liam, Harry, Niall and Louis carried on as a four-piece until they went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
Despite all releasing solo material, with Liam delighting fans with hits like 'Get Low', 'Strip That Down', and 'Teardrop', the boys all stayed very supportive of each other, with Liam attending Niall's gig in Argentina earlier this month.
Remembering Liam Payne's amazing career:
Early life
Liam James Payne was born in the Heath Town district of Wolverhampton on 29th August 1993, to parents Karen and Geoff Payne.
Liam attended St Peter's Collegiate School where he picked up an impressive 11 GCSEs, before later going on to attend Wolverhampton College's Paget Road campus, where he studied music technology.
At the age of just 12, Liam was a member of the Pink Productions Theatre Company, where he took on the role of Tony Manero during a production of Saturday Night Fever.
2008: The X Factor - First audition
A fresh-faced Liam auditioned for talent show The X Factor as a 14-year-old in 2008, singing 'Fly Me to the Moon' by Frank Sinatra.
Despite making it all the way to the Judges' Houses stage of the competition, Simon Cowell advised he should return in two years.
2010: The X Factor - Second audition
And he certainly did just that, returning for another audition in 2010 at the age of 16.
This time, Liam performed a rendition of Michael Bublé's 'Cry Me A River', where he received a standing ovation from judges Simon, Cheryl, Louis and Nicole, as well as the studio audience.
Despite being one of the favourites to win the show, Liam failed to progress to Judges' Houses, but his journey wasn't over just yet...
2010: One Direction are formed on The X Factor
Thanks to the genius idea from guest judge Nicole Scherzinger, Liam was placed into a boyband alongside fellow auditionees Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan, forming One Direction.
The boys immediately clicked, going all the way to the final and finishing in fourth place behind Cher Lloyd, Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle.
2010-2015: One Direction's global domination
Following their birth on The X Factor, One Direction went on to become the biggest boyband on the planet, releasing five studio albums and winning over 200 awards worldwide.
The group also achieved 4 UK Number 1 songs, including tracks 'What Makes You Beautiful', 'Little Things', 'One Way Or Another' and 'Drag Me Down'.
2016: One Direction begin their hiatus
After Zayn Malik left the group in 2015, Liam, along with Harry, Niall and Louis, carried on with the band for another year, releasing their final album 'Made In The A.M.' before starting their hiatus in 2016.
2016: Liam signs solo record deal
After months of rumours about his own music, Liam signed his first ever solo record deal with Republic Records in October 2016.
2017: Liam drops his first solo single 'Strip That Down'
Fans were delighted in May 2017 when Liam released an upbeat track called 'Strip That Down', written by the one and only Ed Sheeran.
The track performed very well in the charts, reaching Number 3 in the Official UK Charts and Number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
2017: Liam drops follow-up singles 'Get Low' and 'Bedroom Floor'
Following on from the success of his debut single 'Strip That Down', Liam teamed up with Zedd to release 'Get Low', before dropping bonus track 'Bedroom Floor'.
2018: Liam teams up with Rita Ora for Fifty Shades track
Liam joined forces with pop star Rita Ora in January 2018, with the pair duetting on hit single 'For You'. The song acted as the lead single from the soundtrack of the film Fifty Shades Freed.
Liam and Rita gave a number of amazing performances of the track, including at Hits Live and The BRIT Awards 2018.
2018: Liam's 'Strip That Down' receives two BRIT nominations
Liam picked up his first ever solo BRIT Award nominations at the 2018 ceremony, with his debut single 'Strip That Down' being nominated in the British Single and British Artist Video of the Year categories.
Unfortunately, Liam missed out on winning the awards on the night in February.
2018: Liam delays album and releases first EP
Following a successful year, Liam released his debut EP (extended play) in August 2018, featuring four tracks, including lead single 'First Time' with French Montana.
2018: Jonas Blue and Lennon Stella collab
Liam lent his vocals to DJ Jonas Blue's 2018 anthem 'Polaroid', alongside Canadian singer Lennon Stella. The track reached Number 12 on the UK Singes Chart and has since sold two million records.
2019: Another BRIT Award nomination
Liam received his third solo BRIT Award nomination at the 2019 awards, with himself and Rita Ora being nominated in the British Artist Video of the Year category for their track 'For You'.
Unfortunately, Liam and Rita missed out on the award to girl band Little Mix.
2019: Liam becomes Global Brand Ambassador for Hugo Boss
In May 2019, it was announced that Liam would become the first ever Global Brand Ambassador for fashion giant Hugo Boss.
2019: Liam releases his debut solo album 'LP1'
After confirming the release of his debut album had been postponed so he could make some adjustments (it was originally due for release in September 2018), Liam finally delighted fans in December 2019 when he released the album titled 'LP1'.
Liam took inspiration from Usher and Justin Timberlake for the album, featuring hits such as 'Familiar', 'Get Low', 'Strip That Down' and 'Stack It Up' featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie.
'LP1' peaked at Number 17 on the Official UK Charts.
2019-2020: Christmas songs
Liam released his first ever Christmas song in 2019, a track called 'All I Want (For Christmas)', which was the first single off his debut solo album.
A year later in 2020, Liam teamed up with TikTok star Dixie D'Amelio to drop another Christmas hit, this time a track called 'Naughty List'.
2020: Hugo Boss x Liam Payne
After becoming the Global Brand Ambassador for Hugo Boss in 2019, Liam appeared in the fragrance campaign for their perfume Hugo Now in January 2020, before his capsule collection with the designer was launched in May 2020.
2020: Liam collabs with Alesso during lockdown
In an attempt to lift the spirits of his fans during the UK's 2020 lockdown, Liam teamed up with International DJ Alesso to drop the single 'Midnight'.
2021: 'Sunshine' and Ron's Gone Wrong
Liam released his first track of 2021 in October, a song called 'Sunshine' which features on 20th Century Studios animation Ron's Gone Wrong.
Liam also voiced an animated character on the movie. He said at the time: "I am such a big fan of Disney, so to be working on this is a dream come true. I can't wait for you all to hear Sunshine and to see "Ron's Gone Wrong." It has been a lot of fun!"
2022: Soccer Aid
Liam captained the England team, starring in a line-up alongside fellow musicians Tom Grennan and Aitch plus footballing legends Gary Neville and Teddy Sheringham. They went up against the World XI team made up of the likes of Usain Bolt, Munya Chawawa and Kem Cetinay, with footballer Patrice Evra adding to the more experienced side. Although the game ended 2-2, it went to penalties with the World team winning the game 4-1.
2023: Liam teases new music
Liam took to Instagram in January 2023, after a break, to drop a hint that new music was on the way. Sharing a black-and-white photo of himself holding a phone to his ear, he shared the snap with the tongue-in-cheek caption: 'Please hold good times and music will be with you shortly 🎵.' Of course, fans went wild in the comments section, debating over when the new music would drop!
2023: Liam makes a return following time away from spotlight
In July 2023, Liam posted a YouTube video titled 'I'm back', where he candidly opened up about spending 100 days at a treatment centre in Louisiana, after becoming somebody who he didn't really recognise anymore.
Liam opened up about his relationship with his son Bear in the video, as well as apologising to his One Direction band mates for his comments during his time on Logan Paul's podcast.
In the candid vid, Liam revealed he's now in a better place and has more of a grip on life.
2023: South American tour dates
Liam announced he'd be heading over to South America to perform at dates in Peru, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico throughout September. Sadly, in August, he revealed he would have to postpone his tour as he had a serious kidney infection.
2024: Liam releases new single 'Teardrops'
Liam later delighted fans in February 2024 by releasing a new single called 'Teardrops'. This came after Liam previously teased new music on his Instagram page.
Shortly after its release, Liam also shared an acoustic version on his Insta page.
2024: Liam announced as Building the Band judge
In August 2024, Netflix announced that Liam was lined up to be one of three successful singers to sit on the judging panel of new show, Building the Band.
Filming began in the summer of 2024, with Liam guiding budding singers as they form their own band, based on chemistry, alongside fellow judges Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland.
The show is yet to be given a release date.
Tributes pour in for the late Liam Payne
There was heartbreaking news on Wednesday 16th October, announcing that Liam Payne had sadly died at the age of 31. It was reported that the singer died after falling from a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the saddening news.
Following the tragic news breaking, tributes began to pour in for the late singer, including messages from Dermot O'Leary, Olly Murs, and Rylan Clark. From fellow celebs who worked with Liam, including the likes of Zedd, Charlie Puth and Cher Lloyd, who was on the same series of The X Factor as Liam.
If you are affected by this story, you can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.