Zayn Malik, Liam Payne. Getty Images (2)
Zayn Malik has shared his emotional reaction to the death of his One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.
“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,” Malik, 31, began via Instagram on Thursday, October 17. “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.”
Malik continued: “Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f— about telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it.”
“When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I knew nothing in comparison, l was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional,” he added. “I was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which way to steer the ship next. I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly. I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated.”
Malik concluded: “I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are. Love you bro.”
Payne, 31, fell to his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wednesday, October 16, Us Weekly confirms. The singer was on the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel when he threw himself from the balcony of his room, according to Buenos Aires City Police.
Payne, Malik and bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson made up One Direction, who were pieced together on UK’s The X Factor in 2010 and went on to become one of the most successful boy bands of all-time.
The group released four studio albums — 2011’s Up All Night, 2012’s Take Me Home, 2013’s Midnight Memories and 2014’s Four — before Malik left the band in March 2015.
“I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight,” Malik said in the statement at the time. “I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
In lieu of Malik, the remaining four band members would release the 2015 album Made in the A.M. before going on an indefinite hiatus in January 2016 to pursue individual projects.
With the release of Four in 2014, One Direction became the first band in Billboard 200 history to have their first four albums debut at No. 1.
One Direction won a total of seven BRIT Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, six Billboard Music Awards and seven American Music Awards.
Payne and Malik had a fractured relationship in recent years. In May 2022, Payne made a controversial appearance on Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive” podcast where he noted his dislike for Malik, and even revealed the two once got into a physical altercation.
In July 2023, Payne attempted to make amends in a YouTube video titled “I’m Back.”
“I think for me, a lot of what I said just came from the wrong place,” Payne said. “I was so angry at what was going on around me that instead of taking a look inwards I decided to take it outwards at everybody else.”
