Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik have today said their final goodbyes to Liam Payne, nine years after One Direction’s emotional final concert as a group of five
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For years, One Direction fans have longed to see the boyband icons reunited, but tragically they’ve been brought back together by grief, not joy. Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik have today paid their respects to bandmate Liam Payne at his private funeral.
When it came to losing their ‘brother’ Liam, who tragically died last month at the age of 31, the once feuding stars put their differences aside to pay tribute to their beloved friend, with Wednesday’s somber occasion marking the first time in nine years that they have all come together in one place.
And fans will no doubt be remembering the last time they saw them onstage together, back in March 2015. It was after their final concert as a five in Hong Kong that Zayn sensationally quit 1D, expressing his desire to “be a normal 22-year-old”.
Harry was pictured at today’s funeral for ‘brother’ Liam (
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Tony Kershaw / SWNS)
Louis reportedly spent time with Liam in the year before his death (
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WireImage)
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The final concert took place on March 18, 2015, on the Asia leg of One Direction’s fourth world tour. According to a review published in the South China Morning Post at the time, the other band members appeared to be in their element as they took to the stage, while Zayn “seemed apathetic” and “struggled to smile even once.”
Footage from the final date shows Zayn with tears in his eyes as he struggled through some of the band’s best-loved hits. He then took a leave of absence from the tour due to ‘stress’ as he dealt with cheating allegations concerning his relationship with then-fiancée, Little Mix star Perrie Edwards.
On March 25, 2015, just six days after what was to be their last-ever five-man performance, Zayn announced he would be quitting One Direction altogether, sending shockwaves through the world of pop.
In a statement, Zayn told fans: “I’d like to apologise to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart. I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
Zayn appeared teary-eyed during his final performance with 1D (
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Vine)
The announcement appeared to have taken its toll on Zayn’s fellow One Directioners, with Harry seen sobbing openly in Jakarta as the group took to the stage as a quartet for the first time. Seemingly overcome with emotion, Harry broke down in tears, with Liam on hand to comfort him. Louis was also seen reaching his arm around an imaginary figure, just as if Zayn was standing right next to him.
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Despite the painful fracture in their group, 1D continued with their epic world tour as a quartet, finishing up in Sheffield on October 31, 2015. As per BBC News, Niall told fans at the time, “I can tell you this, we will be back,” while Liam also offered reassurance, stating, ” This is the end of the On The Road Again Tour, not the end of One Direction.”
In January 2016, the band announced they would be going on an indefinite hiatus. In a statement, they explained they would be taking time to work on their individual projects, but would “remain together and plan to work together in the future”.
In a 2019 interview with GQ, Liam spoke of how difficult it had been at the time, given the way in which Zayn left without really saying goodbye. Liam explained: “I think with Zayn’s particular exit and the way he chose to go, we haven’t really heard from him since he left. He didn’t even say goodbye. It’s difficult.”
However, Liam also sympathised with the struggles Zayn experienced during their meteoric rise to fame. He reflected: “For Zayn, he loves music and he’s an amazing talent. He genuinely was the best singer in One Direction, hand on heart, out of all of us.
Harry and Niall left the funeral together (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
“But for him to get to a point where, you know, he can’t step on a stage? It’s a lot. I mean, he’s doing great. His streaming numbers are ridiculous, but I do think he misses out on the performance side a bit, you know. He can’t seem to get past that part. We all have it.”
In 2023, Zayn delved deeper into the reasons behind his departure, telling the BBC, that his ‘competitive’ nature had been a contributing factor. He divulged: “I just seen it [coming] and I completely selfishly wanted to be the first person to go and make my own record. If I’m being completely honest with you, I was like, ‘I’m going to jump the gun here’.
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“I’m a passive dude, but when it comes to my music and my business, I’m serious about it, and I’m competitive, so I wanted to be the first to go and do my own thing. That was the reason.”
Zayn, who previously spoke of his anguish at never having thanked Liam for supporting him through ‘difficult’ times, has postponed his UK tour in order to attend the service. The Pillowtalk singer last week announced that two shows in Edinburgh would be postponed due to “unforeseen circumstances”. His November 20 and 21 gigs will now take place on December 8 and 9 instead.
Louis and Zayn were seen entering the church side-by-side (
Image:
WireImage)
In his personal tribute to Liam, Zayn, 31, spoke candidly about the times when he’d “butted heads” with his “opinionated” bandmate, admitting that he’d always “secretly respected” him for it. Addressing Liam directly in his post, Zayn said: “I was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which way to steer the ship next. lost a brother when you left us, and I can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly.
“I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated. I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are. Love you bro.”
Harry was left ‘truly devastated by Liam’s passing’ (
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AFP via Getty Images)
Niall, 31, was the last of the boys to speak with Liam face to face, when the pair met up at his gig in Argentina shortly before Liam’s fatal fall from the third-floor balcony of a Buenos Aires hotel. Liam had travelled to the Argentinian capital to watch Niall play Movistar Arena, sharing joyful videos and photos of what he described as a ‘lovely night’. One poignant snap, captioned ‘reunited’ with a love heart emoji, shows Liam and Niall together once more – an image that delighted One Direction fans at the time.
Reflecting on the now-poignant evening, Niall told fans that he would “cherish every moment” he’d had with his “amazing friend, Liam”. He shared: “We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime.
“I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking.”
Louis, 32, had also reportedly spent time with Liam before his death, with the pals having met a few times while filming All of Those Voices, which captured “the challenges and triumphs that defined his path.” In a tribute made after news of Liam’s death broke, Charlie Lightening, who directed the 2023 film starring Louis, singer Isaac Anderson and producer Steve Aoki, shared a never-before-seen photo of Liam and Louis together via Instagram, writing: “So sad, really shocked by the news. I met Liam a few times while shooting the film with Louis, lovely guy, sending love to his family and friends. RIP.”
In his own tribute, Louis described Liam as the “kind brother” he’d “longed for”, and vowed to be there for seven-year-old Bear. Louis said: “I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was. I wish I got chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you. Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you, mate. Sleep well X”.
Meanwhile, Harry’s tribute focused on Liam’s “warm, supportive, and incredibly loving” personality, with the 30-year-old As It Was hitmaker stating: “I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it. Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.
“The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend. My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did.”
Looking back to happier times, Harry finished off his post with a photo of Liam onstage during their world tour together, looking out at adoring fans as part of a united group. Liam, who rose to stardom on The X Factor, died after sustaining “serious injuries that were incompatible with life”, with an inquiry into his death still ongoing. Three people have since been charged in connection with his death.
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