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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 find myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me. I can’t help but selfishly think that we can still have so many conversations in our lives. I could never thank you for your support during some of the toughest 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 a reassuring smile letting me know that you were my friend and that I loved you.
Malik continued, “Even though you were younger than me, you were always wiser than me, you were headstrong, opinionated and didn’t care to tell people when they were wrong. Even though we have butted heads a few times over this, I have always secretly respected you for it.”
“When it came to Liam’s music, you were the most qualified in every way. I knew nothing in comparison, I was a novice kid with no experience and you were already a professional,” he added. “I was always happy to know that no matter what happened on stage, we could always rely on you to know which way to turn the ship next. I lost a brother when you left us and I can’t explain to you what I would give to hug you one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved you very much and you respected. I will forever hold all the memories I have with you in my heart, there are no words that can justify or explain how I feel right now other than the fact that I am devastated.
Malik concluded: “I hope you are doing well wherever you are, at peace and knowing how loved you are. I love you, brother.”
Payne, 31, fell to his death on Wednesday, October 16, in Buenos Aires, Argentina We weekly confirms. According to Buenos Aires police, the singer was on the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel when he threw himself from the balcony of his room.
Payne, Malik and band members Harry Styles, Niall Horan And Louis Tomlinson made up One directionwhich were merged onto UK’s The X factor in 2010 and became one of the most successful boy bands of all time.
The group released four studio albums: 2011 Up all night2012 Take me home2013 Midnight memories and 2014 Four — before Malik left the band in March 2015.
“I’m leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who can relax and have some private time away from the spotlight,” Malik said in the statement at the time. “I know I have four lifelong friends: Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will remain the best band in the world.”
Instead of Malik, the remaining four band members would release the 2015 album Made in the morning before taking 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 have had a fractured relationship in recent years. In May 2022, Payne made a controversial appearance Logan Paul‘s ‘Impaulsive’ podcast where he noted his dislike for Malik, even revealing that the two once had a physical altercation.
In July 2023, Payne attempted to make amends in a YouTube video titled “I’m Back.”
“I think a lot of what I said just came from the wrong place,” Payne said. “I was so angry at what was happening around me that instead of looking inward, I decided to look out at everyone else.”