One Direction, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik share tributes to Liam Payne
The former One Direction member broke his silence after his fellow member Liam Payne’s death.
Update: On Friday, Harry style “I’m truly saddened by Liam’s passing,” Styles wrote. “His greatest joy was making others happy and it was an honor to be by his side doing that. Liam lives life openly, with his heart on his sleeve, he has an infectious energy for life. He is warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever be the most cherished years of my life. I will always miss him, 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, like me.”
Original story: The day before, Thursday, One Direction’s official Instagram account released a statement on behalf of Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, And Zayn Malik, addresses the tragic death of Payne, who died Wednesday at the age of 31.
“We are absolutely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” read the statement, written in white letters on a black background. “Over time and when people are able, 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 so much.”
In 2010, One Direction was formed after each of the original members competed individually in the UK singing competition show. X Factor, with Payne, Styles, Horan, Malik and Tomlinson being handpicked to form a boy band. One Direction eventually became a pop phenomenon, recognized as one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, releasing five studio albums and creating hits like “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life” and “The Little Things.” The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
“The memories we shared with him will be cherished forever,” the statement continued. For now, our thoughts are with his family, friends and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him very much. We love you Liam.” It was signed, “Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.”
Tomlinson is the first former One Directioner to release a solo tribute to Payne. “It is with great sadness that I write this but yesterday I lost a brother,” he wrote on Instagram, captioning a photo of him performing with Payne. “Liam is someone I admire every day, a positive, funny and kind soul.”
