WASHINGTON: Just over a month after the death of Liam Payne, mourners gathered on Wednesday for a private funeral service held at an undisclosed location near London, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Payne, a former member of ‘One Direction’, passed away on October 16 at the age of 31 after he fell from a third-floor balcony at his hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The service was attended by Payne’s former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan, along with his family, close friends, and other notable figures. Simon Cowell, who formed and signed ‘One Direction’ on ‘The X Factor’ in 2010, and television presenter James Corden were also present. Zayn Malik rescheduled dates on his UK tour to attend the funeral.
Payne’s sudden death sent shockwaves through the music world. As per The Hollywood Reporter, the ‘One Direction’ member suffered internal and external injuries from the fall, and investigations revealed he was under the influence of narcotics at the time. The incident led to the arrests of a hotel staff member and an alleged drug dealer, according to local reports from Argentina.
In the days following Payne’s death, his ‘One Direction’ members shared a tribute on the band’s Instagram account. Days after Payne’s death, fellow ‘One Direction’ members took to their Instagram account to share shared a tribute that read, “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. We will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured 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.”
Each of the four members also shared personal tributes on their own social media accounts.
Payne’s family released a statement expressing their grief: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”
Payne rose to fame as part of ‘One Direction’, one of the world’s most successful boy bands. Formed on The X Factor, the group achieved global stardom with hits like What Makes You Beautiful and Story of My Life, releasing five albums before going on hiatus in 2016. Payne also had a successful solo career, with chart-topping tracks such as Strip That Down. (ANI)