Harry Styles has spoken out following the tragic news of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne’s death in Argentina on October 16.
“I am truly devastated by Liam’s death,” Styles, 30, posted on Instagram on Thursday, October 17. “His greatest joy was making other people happy and it was an honor to be with him while he was doing that.”
Styles added: “Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, an energy for life that was contagious. He was warm, supportive and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever be among the most cherished years of my life. I will always miss you my dear friend.”
The “As It Was” singer ended his message by sending love to Payne’s family, writing: “My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicole and Ruth, his son Bear and all those around the world who knew and loved him as I did.”
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Payne, 31, died after falling several stories at the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires, Policía Federal Argentina confirmed to PEOPLE.
According to a preliminary autopsy report, Payne died of multiple injuries and “internal and external” bleeding, the National Office of the Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor confirmed to PEOPLE.
Coroners confirmed to PEOPLE that 25 post-mortem injuries were “compatible with those caused by a fall from a height” and noted that “injuries to the head were sufficient to cause death,” while “internal and external bleeding” to the skull, chest, abdomen and limbs they contributed to Payne’s death.
Hours before Styles shared his tribute on Instagram, he and his bandmates – Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson – released a joint statement mourning the loss.
“We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s death,” the statement began. “In time, and when everyone is able, 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 very much.”
The statement ended: “We will cherish the memories we shared with him forever. For now our thoughts are with his family, his friends and the fans who loved him with us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
Louis Tomlinson mourns late bandmate Liam Payne: ‘I’d love to share the stage with you again, but it wasn’t to be’
One Direction 2012.
Sam Ruttyn/Newspix/Getty
One Direction was formed during a British reality competition seriesThe X factor 2010, when the judges paired up solo contestants Payne, Styles, Malik, Horan and Tomlinson. The group didn’t win that season — but that didn’t stop them from becoming one of the best-selling boy bands in history.
They released five studio albums before going on an indefinite hiatus in 2016 – a year after Malik left the band. All five members have launched solo careers, and Payne’s biggest hit is coming in 2017: “Strip That Down.” Earlier in 2024, Payne released his first new single in three years, “Teardrops”.
Styles’ solo career has been very successful – he won three Grammys, including Album of the Year for “Harry’s House.”
Payne’s thoughts on his time in One Direction have been mixed, but he said in 2018 that he still loves performing the band’s songs, despite moving on. At the time, Payne said: “I’ll never forget where I came from. That’s why I like to sing 1D songs when I’m out and about. It’s quite nostalgic for me.”
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