It’s a terribly sad day for all One Direction fans. Liam Payne is gone.
Liam died on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was only 31 years old.
As a fan who has followed Liam’s career from the beginning, from the meteoric rise of One Direction to his solo success, I have been lucky enough to meet him on several occasions.
And despite the chaos that comes with fame, he was always kind and generous.
But there was also a dark side, a side that I saw during his last visit to Australia and that will haunt me forever.
I’ve spent over $10,000 on concert tickets, VIP packages, and even flights overseas just for the chance to see One Direction.
It was not enough to simply listen to the music. I needed to be there, feel the energy of the audience and be able to see the kids in person.
In 2013 I traveled to Los Angeles for the Teen Choice Awards where I finally met them.
Liam Payne died on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. he was only 31
As a fan who has followed Liam’s career from the beginning, from the meteoric rise of One Direction to his solo success, I have been lucky enough to meet him on several occasions.
I took my photo and chatted to Zayn, Niall and Louis, but security took Liam away before I could even say hello. It hurt me, but I shook it off, hoping to have other opportunities.
And I did it. I finally met Liam in 2018, when he came to Sydney to perform at Everest.
That night I stood on the side of the stage, watching as he spent nearly 45 minutes taking selfies, signing autographs, and chatting with fans.
He made everyone feel special, not just another face in the crowd.
That’s who Liam was. Despite his worldwide fame, he never performed much for his fans. He gave a lot of himself, always with a smile, always with a kind word.
I’ve spent over $10,000 on concert tickets, VIP packages, and even flights overseas just for the chance to see One Direction. (Pictured with my friend Danielle)
It was not enough to simply listen to the music. I needed to be there, feel the energy of the audience and be able to see the kids in person. (One Direction photographed together in 2015)
A few days later I received a notice about where I would be having dinner and, being a dedicated fan, I got in my car and left.
True to form, Liam took the time to pose for photos with everyone present, smiling and chatting before entering.
It was moments like these that made me love him even more. Not as a pop star, but as a genuinely kind and caring person.
In 2013, I traveled to Los Angeles for the Teen Choice Awards, where I finally met the boys. I took my photo and chatted to Zayn, Niall and Louis, but Liam (far left) was taken away by security before I could even say hello. It hurt me, but I dismissed it, hoping to have other opportunities.
But then there was another night, a night that felt different and that has stayed in my mind ever since.
I met Liam at the popular Japanese restaurant Sokyo in The Star. He had been drinking and although he was still smiling for the photos, something was wrong.
His eyes carried a weight I had not seen before, a deep sadness.
The people around him treated him like an object, took pictures without saying a word, and then walked away.
And I did it. I finally met Liam in 2018 when he came to Sydney to perform at Everest.
It was heartbreaking to see. Here was someone who gave so much of himself, who was adored by millions, and yet in that moment he seemed so alone.
It was a harsh reminder of the ugly side of fame: the side that can take a person and reduce them to something to consume rather than someone to cherish.
Hearing the news today is unbearably sad. I’ve gotten messages from other Directioners saying the same thing: They wish he knew how deeply they loved him.
Fame can be cruel, and while we’ll never really know what was going on in Liam’s mind, I hope he knew that to many of us he wasn’t just a pop star.
He was Liam, a kind and generous soul who always made time for his fans, even when it must have been difficult.
But then there was another night, a night that seemed different to me and that has remained in my mind ever since. I met Liam at the popular Japanese restaurant Sokyo in The Star. He had been drinking and although he was still smiling for the photos, something was wrong.