Justin Bieber has paid a heartbreaking tribute to Liam Payne, five days after his shocking death at age 31.
The singer, 31, who with the boyband dominated the charts in the 2010s, shared a somber video of floral tributes and messages recorded in Liam’s memory, with the message: “Rest easy, Liam.” This was followed by a broken heart emoji.
The One Direction star fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday, and died instantly from multiple injuries that caused “internal and external bleeding.”
A voiceover in the clip said, “Just remember: you can cry as a fan.” You can love someone you’ve never met.
‘You are allowed to admire someone for their art. You’re allowed to cry, to break down, to feel like a part of you is gone.’
Justin Bieber has paid a heartbreaking tribute to Liam Payne, five days after his shocking death at age 31.
Payne died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16.
Liam and Justin had a chart rivalry that turned into a full-blown feud after a YouTube video showed Liam Payne appearing to attack the Canadian singer.
But, despite their initial feud, Liam previously revealed how he and Bieber eventually connected and learned they had a lot more in common than their boyish charm and good looks.
In a podcast segment with YouTube star Logan Paul filmed in 2022, which resurfaced in the wake of his tragic death, the One Direction member revealed that he had reached out to Bieber in an attempt to end the feud and alluded to some of the striking parallels between the pair in the early days of their careers.
The British boy band sold more than 70 million records worldwide, while Bieber sold more than 150 million.
Speaking on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Payne told his side of the story as he recalled speaking out on Instagram while “drunk” when someone mentioned Justin Bieber’s name.
Payne recalled, “I was like, ‘Well, the only thing between me and him is that I haven’t been arrested,'” while noting that he never intended to offend Bieber.
And he added: “Some meat started.”
Payne recalled how the feud, which began online, began to spill over into real life because One Direction and Bieber shared some fans and the stars themselves often ran into each other at awards ceremonies.
The singer, 31, who with the boyband dominated the charts in the 2010s, shared a somber video of floral tributes and messages recorded in Liam’s memory, with the message: “Rest easy, Liam.”
Bieber and One Direction (pictured in 2014) were chart rivals in the 2010s; Payne is seen with his bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles.
Bieber and Payne (right) rose to fame at the same time and were similar
However, he noticed one awards ceremony in particular when both the band and Bieber were there, and Liam thought, “I’ll have a chat with him” to resolve the conflict.
Speaking about Bieber at the time, Liam noted: “He had grown as a person.”
He later recalled telling Bieber: “I’ve always had feelings for you… number one, I’ve done all the things you’ve done and I’ve never gotten caught for any of them… number two, I’ve always had feelings for you.” a lot for you, friend, and I think that in our situation we all suffer from the same illness.
He then claimed that he told the Canadian singer how, while he could lean on his bandmates in times of conflict, Bieber was a solo artist who might not have had the same support system.
Payne claims Bieber’s response was, “Bro, that gave me chills.” From there, the couple became friends.
He added that, following his own experiences, he wanted to help other young people and children entering show business deal with the overwhelming nature of the industry.
Liam told the same story to Rollacoaster magazine in 2017, where he described Bieber as “a great guy” with a “very good heart.”
He added of the moment he broke bread with the Canadian singer: “I told him, ‘Take my number and every time you want to chat, let me know because I’m here and I understand exactly what you’re going through and I understand your world.'”
Liam began his quest for stardom when he initially auditioned for the X Factor in 2008.
At just 14, Liam impressed the judges with his own version of Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon, but was later eliminated from the show.
However, Payne gave his singing career another shot by auditioning for the competition again in 2010, where he quickly rose to fame as part of One Direction.
He and his former bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were brought together by Simon Cowell and former judge Nicole Scherzinger, who saw their potential as a group.
After releasing five albums with one of the biggest boy bands of all time, Liam released his first solo album titled LP1 in 2019.
His single Strip That Down co-written with Ed Sheeran rose to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year.
Throughout her music career, the pop star collaborated with artists such as J Balvin, French Montana, Dixie D’Amelio and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.
He was previously in a relationship with British pop sensation Cheryl Cole and the couple welcomed their son Bear Gray on March 22, 2017. The parents later separated in 2018.
He was previously in a relationship with British pop sensation Cheryl Cole and the couple welcomed their son Bear Gray on March 22, 2017.
Following his romance with the Girls Aloud singer, Liam had an on-again, off-again relationship with his ex-fiancée Maya Henry, with the couple breaking up in May 2022.