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Celebrities Share Memories of Liam Payne

The Fashion Awards, Arrivals, Royal Albert Hall, London, UK - 05 Dec 2022
Photo: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock

Hollywood is mourning the loss of singer and former One Direction member Liam Payne. TMZ reports that Payne died on Wednesday after he reportedly fell from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires. He had been in town with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, and had been spotted attending his former bandmate Niall Horan’s show. According to medical officials who responded at the scene, Payne died instantly of “serious injuries.” He was 31 years old.

“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,” Payne’s fellow One Direction members — Horan, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson — said in a joint statement on Thursday. “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.”

“We are heartbroken,” Payne’s family told the BBC in a statement on Thursday. “Liam will forever live in our hearts, and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny, and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”

According to The Guardian, hundreds of 1D fans gathered in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo to mourn Payne and light candles in his honor. The internationally beloved boy band was formed on the British singing-competition series The X Factor in 2010, later disbanding in 2016. Payne went on to release his first and only solo studio album, LP1, in 2019. He has collaborated with Rita Ora, Quavo, Zedd, J Balvin, French Montana, and more.

Here’s how celebrities, former collaborators, and music-industry greats are remembering Payne.

Zayn Malik

Harry Styles

Niall Horan

Louis Tomlinson

Anne Twist, Harry Styles’s mother

Charlie Puth

“I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me. He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I can not believe he is gone,” Puth wrote in an Instagram Story. “I’m so upset right now, may he rest in peace.”

Rita Ora

Paris Hilton

Zedd

Ty Dolla $ign

“Just talked to you 2 days ago my guy,” the rapper captioned an Instagram Story. “Ima miss u fr fr sucio💔💔.”

Backstreet Boys

Noah Cyrus

“I’m not ever going to be able to fully voice how I am feeling,” Cyrus wrote in an Instagram Story. “But I feel so fortunate to have been in the same generation as Liam Payne and the phenomenon of 1D. Liam you are so loved and will always be loved by so many.”

“Rest in peace Liam,” she added. “I really wish you so much peace beyond this world. You deserve it.”

Olly Murs

Cher Lloyd

Juicy J

Greg Horan, Niall Horan’s older brother

E.L. James

Flavor Flav

Rebecca Ferguson, former The X Factor contestant

This post has been updated.

One Direction Bandmates Share Memories of Liam Payne