Cheryl Cole, Ed Sheeran, Camila Cabello Pay Tribute to Liam Payne: ‘I Cannot Believe He Is Gone’
Hollywood is reeling following the shocking death of One Direction’s Liam Payne, with celebrities paying tribute to the singer on social media on Wednesday. Payne, who was 31, died after falling from a hotel room in Argentina Wednesday evening.
Justin Bieber shared a clip of a heartfelt video of the Payne tributes that reminded fans that “you are allowed to grieve as a fan. You are allowed to love someone you’ve never met.” Bieber posted the video with the caption, “rest easy liam.”
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On Friday morning, Cheryl Cole, Payne’s ex-partner and mother of their 7-year-old son Bear, called out the “abhorrent” reports surrounding his death, slamming the media “exploitation” about it. “Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last,” the Girls Aloud singer wrote.
Ed Sheeran, who co-wrote Payne’s debut solo track “Strip That Down,” shared he was “at a loss for words” after the One Direction member’s death. “At a loss for words. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones, every memory I have with him is a great one, just such a heartbreaking situation,” Sheeran wrote. “Be kind.”
The band 5 Seconds of Summer, who toured with One Direction several times early in 1D’s career, issued a statement on Friday, saying they’d “never forget the influence [Liam] had on our lives.”
”It was an honor to begin our journey with you, we will never forget your presence in our lives. There was always a bright light in you, we always saw that,” the band wrote. “We are so devastated that this world put that light out. We hope you’ll always be singing up there.”
Aside from his One Direction bandmates and Simon Cowell, Charlie Puth, Paris Hilton, Liam Gallagher, Backstreet Boys, and Ty Dolla $ign were among the stars grieving Payne’s death.
“I am in shock right now, Liam was always so kind to me,” Puth wrote in an Instagram story on Wednesday, where he also shared several photos and videos of the two artists together. “He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I cannot believe he is gone. I am so upset right now, may he rest in peace.”
Halsey posted an extensive tribute on her Tumblr on Thursday, writing that “as a parent, a fellow artist, and a fan, i simply cannot fathom this untimely loss. my heart goes out to his family, friends, and the fans.”
I loved one direction with an all-consuming force when i was younger,” Halsey wrote, also recalling buying a home from Payne a few years ago. “It hurts deeply to mourn someone you were a massive fan of as teenager, and became a peer of as an adult.”
Camila Cabello shared a tribute on an Instagram story on Thursday, thanking Payne for the “joy” he’d brought her and her friends over the years. “It really made an impression on me as a young girl to meet a member of a group I loved and have him be so kind,” Cabello wrote. “It’s a tragedy to have him gone way too soon.”
Rita Ora, who collaborated with Payne on the 2018 song “For You,” said she was “devastated” in a statement shared on social media. “He had the kindest soul, I will never forget. I loved working with him so much — he was just such a joy to be around on and off stage. This tragic news breaks my heart. Sending all my love and prayers to his family and loved ones. Our song ‘For You’ takes on a whole new meaning for me now.”
Several other artists Payne collaborated with also honored him on Instagram Stories. J Balvin, who recorded “Familiar” with Payne, shared a picture of two of them and wrote, “Rest in peace my g.” And Quavo, who collaborated with Payne on his first solo song, “Strip That Down,” posted a photo of the singer and wrote, “Rest In Paradise.”
Ty Dolla $ign also took to his Instagram stories, sharing photos and videos of Payne. “Just talked to you 2 days ago my guy,” Ty wrote. “Ima miss u frfr sucio.” Gallagher, when asked by a fan if he had seen the news, responded, “I have it’s very sad.” He wrote on X, “Life is precious kids and you only get to do it ONCE go easy.”
The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood shared a video of the rock band’s performance on The X Factor with One Direction. “I am shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Liam Payne,” Wood wrote. “It was a pleasure to work with him on our X Factor performance. God bless Liam, thinking of all his loved ones. He will be dearly missed.”
“So upsetting to hear the news of Liam Payne passing,” Hilton wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. RIP my friend.”
German DJ Zedd, who collaborated with Payne on the 2017 single “Get Low” wrote on X that he “can’t believe this is real.” “Absolutely heartbreaking,” he said.
“Life is short and fragile… You never know what people are going through,” Zedd wrote in a separate tweet. “We live in times where being rude, divisive and mean is normal; sometimes even celebrated. It doesn’t have to be this way. We should do our best to be kind, supportive and mindful.”
Backstreet Boys shared a joint statement paying tribute to Payne on the band’s Instagram story. “Words can not express the emotions we are collectively feeling right now,” the band wrote. “And it seems like the rest of the world is in the same boat. Our hearts go out to Liam’s family, friends, and directioners around the world. Rest in peace brother.”
Corbyn Besson of the boy band Why Don’t We said on X that the news had him “speechless.” “Looked up to 1D so much during the wdw days,” he wrote. “You really never know when it’s your time to go. Remind your friends/family that you love them today and every day.”
Olly Murs, who also owes his career to The X Factor, shared a photograph of himself and Payne with a lengthy caption, acknowledging, “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,” Murs wrote. “Liam shared the same passions as me, the same dreams so to see his life now end so young hits hard.”
Boy band McFly wrote on X, “We’re shocked and extremely sad to wake up to the news of Liam Payne’s death. Our thoughts and love are with his family and friends at such a difficult time.”
Max George, of the Wanted, shared on X, “Devastated. Liam was an unbelievably supportive during one of the most difficult times in my life. I will never forget that. My thoughts are with his family, friends and fans at this horrendous time. Rest in peace Liam.”
Dermot O’Leary, host of The X Factor, recalled first meeting Payne on the competition show. “The worst news,” O’Leary wrote on Instagram. “I remember him as a 14 year old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing. He was always a joy, had time for everyone, polite, grateful, and was always humble. Sending love and prayers to his family.”
Anne Twist, the mother of Payne’s One Direction bandmate Harry Styles, shared an image of a broken heart on Instagram, writing, “Just a boy.”
On Thursday, the prosecutor’s office in Argentina shared a post-autopsy report revealing that the former One Direction member, 31, died of multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding, and a cranial injury as a result of his fall from the third story of the CasaSur hotel in Palermo.
This post has been updated with additional tributes
Launch Gallery: Liam Payne's Life in Photos
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