On Wednesday, October 16, tragedy struck as Liam Payne tragically passed away due to an apparent accidental fall from the balcony of his hotel room. At the time, he was enjoying a vacation in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Renowned as a singer through his journey with One Direction, one of history’s most successful boy bands, Payne’s untimely death drew heartfelt tributes from his former bandmates, including Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson.
This article explores the dynamics of Payne’s relationships with his former One Direction bandmates.
A Turbulent Friendship with Zayn Malik
Although Liam and Zayn shared a friendship during their One Direction years, their relationship soured after Zayn’s departure from the band, leading to noticeable tension.
In a 2017 conversation on The Dan Wootton Interview, Payne expressed his disappointment regarding the comments made by the PILLOWTALK artist about their time in the band, stating:
“If he feels hurt and scorned in some sort of way that I don’t really understand, that’s down to him, so there we go… It is very sad because One Direction was a wonderful, wonderful time in all of our lives.”
Fast forward three years, during an episode of the Killing It podcast, Liam spoke highly of Zayn’s solo debut performance while reflecting on his own struggles with performance anxiety in the band.
He remarked:
“I think he is just kind of happy… He likes going to the studio, making the songs, he just doesn’t want to do anything that happens after that. But he is streaming hugely.”
Following Payne’s death, Zayn shared a tribute on Instagram, expressing that he felt “beyond devastated”by the news and will hold Payne close to his heart forever.
Liam’s Last Moments in Argentina Before Niall’s Performance
Liam and Niall shared a strong bond during their time in the band. However, post-split, they had fewer chances to connect.
Just days before attending Niall’s concert in Argentina on October 2, 2024, Liam shared his excitement about seeing his friend again through a Snapchat video, expressing:
“I think we might just go and say hello. It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken. We’ve got a lot to talk about. And I would like to square up a couple of things with the boy. No bad vibes or anything like that. But just, we need to talk.”
Niall honored Payne in his tribute on Instagram, reminiscing about their shared experiences and the “wildest dreams”they had achieved together.
Celebrating Harry Styles’s Grammy Win
Liam Payne maintained a joyful camaraderie with Harry Styles after One Direction’s disbandment in 2016. Reflecting on their antics, Payne humorously recalled an incident in 2013 when he playfully pulled down Styles’s trousers during a performance, and later showed his support for Styles’s solo career at the Jingle Bell Ball.
Payne was also quick to congratulate Styles following his Grammy win in February 2023 for his album Harry’s House, stating next to Styles’s award-winning photo:
“Wow… this image is really something to wake up to, and when you write music like you do Harry you deserve every millisecond of that moment looking down smiling at the trophy you’ve earned… God bless you brother, congratulations.”
Styles later expressed his sorrow in a heartfelt Instagram tribute to Liam, remembering him as someone who “lived wide open”and was “warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.”
Liam’s Support for Louis Tomlinson
Initial rocky relations between Liam and Louis Tomlinson transformed into a deep friendship after the band parted ways.
In an interview with ET Canada in October 2021, the singer of Strip That Down admitted:
“Me and Louis did not get along. We all got thrown together, and we didn’t know each other when we got made into a band. Now we are actually the best of friends within the band, which I think is absolutely hilarious … I think even in those moments of angst it breathes a connection between you both.”
By October 2023, when Tomlinson’s documentary, All of These Voices, premiered, Liam made sure to attend the London event and took to Instagram to congratulate Tomlinson, revealing that seeing things from Louis’s perspective enriched his admiration for him.
Liam’s Heartfelt Expressions of Gratitude in July 2023
Regardless of individual bonds with each One Direction member, Liam Payne showcased his appreciation for their presence in his life. In a YouTube video uploaded on July 9, 2023, he articulated:
“The rest of the boys really stuck by me when I needed them most; they kinda came to the rescue. Even Zayn, as well, which is why I did send him a little thank you online.”
“A lot of what I said came from the wrong place. I was so angry at what was going on around me and instead of taking a look inwards, I decided to look outwards at everybody else, and I just think I took it out on everybody else, which is just wrong, really.”
Like many relationships, Liam Payne’s friendships with his One Direction peers experienced their highs and lows over time, but ultimately, they managed to maintain their bonds.
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