Liam Payne’s death: One Direction members left ‘beyond devastated’

Liam Payne’s former One Direction bandmates have expressed their profound sorrow in joint and individual statements following the singer's untimely death on Wednesday.

Payne, 31, passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony. An autopsy report released on Thursday indicated that he died from multiple serious injuries and “internal and external bleeding” resulting from the fall.

The surviving members of One Direction—Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik—initially shared a joint statement on social media late Thursday afternoon.

“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” the band wrote on Instagram. “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 former boy band members vowed to cherish their memories of Payne and conveyed their condolences to his family, friends, and fans.

“We love you, Liam,” they concluded.

Following the joint statement, the bandmates began to share individual tributes to Payne on their social media platforms.

Louis Tomlinson was the first to post, describing Payne as a role model and “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 to see the kind brother I had longed for all my life,” wrote Tomlinson, 32. “Liam was an incredible songwriter with a great sense of melody; we often discussed getting back in the studio together to try to recreate the writing chemistry we had developed in the band.”

Tomlinson referred to Payne as “the most vital part of One Direction” and expressed gratitude for his role in shaping the group. He concluded with a personal message to Payne, saying, “if you’re listening.”