The surviving members of One Direction have issued statements regarding their late bandmate Liam Payne, who died on October 16 after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Collectively, One Direction issued a joint statement that reads, "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," it continues. "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."
Additionally, each surviving member posted tributes to Paynew on their Instagram accounts.
In his first post in almost a year, Harry Styles wrote, "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, with 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."
In his post, Niall Horan wrote that "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," Horan continued. "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."
Louis Tomlinson also posted a touching farewell to his friend, writing, "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," Tomlinson continued. "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."
And Zayn Malik, who left One Direction in 2015, wrote, “Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there are 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 year old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know that you were my friend and that I loved.”
See the full posts below.