‘We love you’: One Direction stars pay tribute to bandmate Liam

One Direction former members have broken their silence to pay tribute* to Liam Payne, 31, after he died on October 16 in Buenos Aires*.

Selling more than 70 million albums after forming on British talent show The X Factor in 2010, at its peak One Direction was one of the biggest boy bands in the world. Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan released a joint statement Friday morning (AEST):

“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say”, the statement read.

“But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.

“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.

“We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam. – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.”

Shortly after the joint statement, Styles released his own on social media.

“His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it,” Styles wrote, alongside a photo of Payne performing onstage.

“Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.

“The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.”

In a separate personal tribute, Louis Tomlinson said Payne was “the most vital part of One Direction”.

Posting on Instagram, Tomlinson said: “I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to every day, such 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 a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for.

“Liam was an incredible songwriter with a great sense of melody*, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band.

“And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch*, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us, Liam.

…

“I want you to know that if Bear* ever needs me I will be the uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was.

“I wish I got the chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you.

“Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well X”.

Zayn Malik also shared a personal tribute on Instagram, posting a sweet photo of himself asleep in Payne’s lap as the exhausted teenagers travelled in the back of a car during their early band days.

“Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives,” Malik wrote.

“I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life. 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 you were my friend and that I was loved.”

“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.

“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 … Love you bro.”

IF THIS STORY HAS AFFECTED YOU, PLEASE LET SOMEONE KNOW
If you find this article upsetting, please talk about what is upsetting you to someone you trust. Your family, school and loved ones are often the best place to start if you are feeling sad, but sometimes it can be easier talking to someone else.

You can visit kidshelpline.com.au or call Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 at any time for any reason.
Support in Australia can also be found at the following places:

• Lifeline: 13 1114
• ReachOut: au.reachout.com
• Mental Health Access Line: 1300 642 255
• 13 YARN: 13 92 76
• Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636

POLL

GLOSSARY

• Buenos Aires: the capital of South American nation Argentina
• tribute: something that you say, write, or give that shows your respect and admiration for someone, especially on a specific occasion of celebration or mourning
• melody: simply a tune, often forming part of a larger piece of music
• pitch: how high or low a note sounds, its perceived frequency
• Bear: Liam Payne’s seven-year-old son with his ex-wife, English singer Cheryl Cole
• novice: someone inexperienced who has only done something for a short time

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QUICK QUIZ

1. Where and on which talent show did boy band One Direction first form?
2. Who were the five members of One Direction?
3. How many albums did One Direction sell?
4. How old were Tomlinson and Payne respectively when they first met?
5. What does Malik say he was missing as a 17-year-old member of the band?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. The family you choose
Liam’s One Direction bandmates paid tribute to their friend and referred to him as their “brother”. Although they are not actually related, what they mean is that the experiences they all had together have bonded them in a way that made them feel like family.

Think about the people you have in your life that feel like family, even though you’re not related. Perhaps it is a friend from school or one of the activities you do, a friend of your parents who feels like an aunt or uncle, etc. Write them a letter to let them know how important they are in your life and why.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

2. Extension
In addition to writing someone a letter to tell them how important they are, what are some other ways that you can show the people you love how much they mean to you? Write a list and choose three to do this week.

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Personal and Social Capability

VCOP ACTIVITY
Adjectives
An adjective is a describing word. They are often found describing a noun. Start by looking at the words before the nouns.

Search for all the adjectives you can find in the article.

Did you find any repeat adjectives or are they all different?

Extension:
Pick three of your favourite adjectives from the text and put them in your own sentences to show other ways to use them.

Have you used any in your writing?