Louis Tomlinson was seen for the first time in Malibu, California, just a day after the tragic passing of Liam Payne at the age of 31. On Thursday, Tomlinson, 32, was captured at a luxurious Airbnb during a family vacation. The singer was dressed in a white t-shirt and sunglasses, appearing relaxed as he conversed with his pregnant sister, Lottie, and her partner, Lewis Burton.
On the same day, the former members of One Direction issued a joint statement on social media. “We are utterly devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” the statement from Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Niall Horan read. “In time, and when everyone is able to, 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 dearly.” They added, “The memories we shared with him will be cherished 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.”
Tomlinson also shared his personal message on Instagram, stating, “I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was someone I admired daily, a positive, funny, and kind soul.” He expressed his initial amazement at Payne’s voice, but more importantly, he appreciated the kind brother he had longed for. Tomlinson also credited Payne for “shaping” One Direction.
Payne rose to fame alongside Tomlinson, Malik, Styles, and Horan after the group was formed on “X Factor” in 2010. Despite their bond through the band’s success, they didn’t always see eye to eye. Payne admitted they “hated” each other when they first started their journey as a boy band. The group released four albums until Malik left in March 2015. After Malik’s departure, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
Years before Payne’s death, he candidly discussed his time in the group on Jessie Ware’s podcast “Table Manners” in 2019. Payne described the boy band’s hectic schedule, dealing with sold-out tours before even recording an album. “There’s no stop button,” he told Ware. “You’ve got no control over your life. That’s why I lost complete control of everything.” Payne transitioned to a solo career, releasing one album, “LP1,” in 2019, and began working on a follow-up. However, he struggled to break the partying and overworking habits he developed in the group.
Payne tragically fell to his death from the third floor of his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wednesday. Medical officials confirmed that he had a “cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death.” Witnesses reported Payne’s behavior as “erratic” before the fatal accident. He allegedly smashed his laptop in the hotel lobby and was carried back to his room prior to the fatal fall.
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