The Wanted, Harry Styles’ Mom Pay Tribute to Liam Payne: ‘Just a Boy’
Liam Payne was remembered by former One Direction bandmate Harry Styles’ mother, Anne Twist, on Wednesday (Oct. 16) just hours after the shocking news that the 31-year-old singer had died after a fall from a third-story balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Twist posted a broken heart emoji on Instagram along with the message, “Just a boy …,” in tribute to the singer whose death has shocked and saddened 1D fans and fellow musicians around the world. At press time it did not appear that Payne’s former bandmates — Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson — had commented on his passing. But some former fellow X-Factor stars paid tribute, including Olly Murs, who starred on the British version of the show in the year before 1D was put together on the program after the members initially auditioned as solo acts.
“This news is devastating, am lost for words 😣 we always had a good laugh when we saw each other, sometimes the catch ups were only short and sweet but when we did it was mostly about how annoyingly good his hair always looked, or our love for Becks, the old XF days and the tour we shared together,” wrote Murs along with a picture of the two men laughing. “Liam shared the same passions as me, the same dreams so to see his life now end so young hits hard, I’m truly gutted and devastated for his Family and of course his son Bear losing a dad x am thinking of them! RIP Liam.”
Also remembering the singer who broke out on his own after 1D went on hiatus in 2015 was Kelsey Parker, widow of The Wanted’s Tom Parker, 33, who died in 2022 from brain cancer. She posted a picture of Payne with the message, “Devastated hearing the news. Liam you were one of the kindest souls who supported Tom and I. You’ve continued to support me and the children in recent years ❤️ I will never forget the love and support you showed to us. I really hope you have found peace 🙏🏻✨ My thoughts are with your family, friends and loved ones ❤️.”
According to People, Payne was among the guests who supported Parker’s bandmates and Kelsey Parker at her husband’s funeral in April 2022. In a second post cued to 1D’s “Little Things,” Kelsey Parker wrote, “TODAY IS A REMINDER THAT LIFE IS TOO DAMN SHORT. SO LOVE A LITTLE DEEPER, HUG A LITTLE TIGHTER, AND NEVER PASS UP THE CHANCE TO SAY ‘I LOVE YOU’ TO THOSE YOU LOVE BECAUSE TOMORROW IS NEVER PROMISED. 🙏🏻✨❤️.”
The Wanted’s Max George also honored Payne, writing, “Absolutely devastating news. I met Liam way back when 1D were on X Factor. Over the last few years I had the pleasure of getting to know him personally and spent some treasured time with him. Liam was absolutely wonderful in terms of support when Tom fell ill, performing at the Royal Albert Hall with us for Stand Up To Cancer. He supported me a lot personally after Tom passed. I will never forget that. My thoughts are with his family, friends and fans all around the world at this tragic time. Rest in Peace Liam. Much love brother 🖤.”
Boy bands The Wanted and One Direction’s careers roughly overlapped, with the former band releasing their self-titled debut album in Oct. 2010 and 1D dropping their debut, Up All Night, one year later. The X-Factor, the British reality singing show that helped launch 1D, also remembered Payne, writing, “We are heartbroken.”
Another member of the Wanted, Siva Kaneswaran, wrote on his Instagram Story, “This hurts. He was so supportive at Tom’s funeral. RIP you kind soul.”
Check out the tributes below.
Gil Kaufman
Billboard
