Niall Horan has expressed his sorrow following the passing of Liam Payne.
Liam Payne was a member of One Direction, alongside Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik (who exited the group in 2015).
One Direction, born from The X Factor, rose to prominence as one of the most beloved and successful boybands globally.
In recent times, the members have been focusing on their solo careers. Payne had recently traveled to Argentina to see his former bandmate Horan perform live.
The ‘Strip That Down’ artist shared pictures of his time with Horan shortly before his death.
Payne tragically passed away on Wednesday (October 16) after reportedly falling from his hotel room balcony.
The autopsy indicated that the 31-year-old died due to multiple injuries.
In light of his sudden and tragic passing, his fellow band members have shared their tributes online.
Zayn Malik referred to Payne as a ‘brother,’ while Louis Tomlinson pledged to be a devoted uncle to Payne’s son, Bear, who is seven years old.
Harry Styles mentioned that it was ‘an honour to be alongside him’ in One Direction, and the time they spent together ‘will forever remain among the most cherished years of [his] life’.
Now, Niall Horan has shared a moving tribute to his late bandmate.
In a statement on Instagram, he expressed: “I’m absolutely devastated 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 back 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.”
Horan ended his emotional note by extending his condolences to Payne’s family and Bear.
Although One Direction’s mentor, Simon Cowell, has not yet commented on Payne’s untimely death, former The X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne has spoken out. She served as a judge on the UK’s version of the show from 2004 to 2007, in 2013, and again from 2016 to 2017.
Osbourne’s tribute highlighted that the industry ‘let [Payne] down’.
She shared on Instagram: “Liam, my heart aches. We all let you down. Where was this industry when you needed them? You were just a kid when you entered one of the toughest industries in the world. Who was in your corner? Rest in peace my friend @liampayne.”
Josh Cuthbert, a fellow British The X Factor alum who was part of the band Union J, also formed on the show, commented on Osbourne’s post, agreeing with her insights.
He stated: “FINALLY…. Some honesty and truth, Thank you Sharon! This music industry lets people down ALLLL the time. It’s full of people who are only interested in making £££ out of people and in particularly young vulnerable people.”
“It’s about time things change in my opinion,” he continued.
Mikey Graham from Boyzone echoed similar sentiments, urging record companies to ensure mental health support for their talents.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, assistance is available through Mental Health America. Reach out by calling or texting 988 for a 24-hour crisis center or via webchat at 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line is also accessible by texting MHA to 741741.