Liam Payne’s One Direction bandmates have said they are “completely devastated” and will miss the singer “terribly”.
Payne, 31, who found fame on The X Factor with the boy band, died after falling from a balcony on the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
A statement signed by Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan said: “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing.
“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.
“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.”
Tomlinson, 32, said in a separate statement that Payne was “the most vital part of One Direction” and added that he would be telling his young son Bear “stories of how amazing his dad was”.
Elsewhere, Malik said he had found himself “talking out loud” to his former bandmate.
In an Instagram post, Tomlinson said: “I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother.
“Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul.”
The music star said he was “instantly amazed” by Payne’s voice when they met and added that he had “got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for”.
“Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band,” he said.
“And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction.”
Tomlinson continued with a “message” for Liam, that said: “I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye.
“I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours, reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life.
“I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be.
“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.”
In a post to his social media, Malik said: “I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life.
“When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved.”
Malik described Payne as “headstrong” and “opinionated” and said he respected him though they “butted heads because of this”.
“I lost a brother when you left us and 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,” he said.
“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.”
Reports say staff at the hotel made two calls to emergency services, with audio revealing a staff member had asked for assistance for a guest who was “intoxicated by drugs and alcohol”.
Police in the Argentine capital said the music star’s hotel room had been “in complete disarray” with “various items broken”.
The singer’s family told PA, in a statement issued via a spokeswoman, that they were “heartbroken” and added: “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”
Famous faces from across the music industry have paid tribute to the singer, who embarked on a solo career after One Direction went on indefinite hiatus in 2016.
Former Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall said on her Instagram story that Payne was the “first friend I made in this industry” while JLS member Marvin Humes said on his Kiss FM show that he had “instantly clicked” with Payne when they first met in 2008, adding that the band had taken him under their wing on The X Factor.
On Wednesday night, One Direction fans mourned his death at a vigil in Argentina where they lit candles and laid flowers.
In their heyday the band toured across the globe and had four chart-topping albums, as well as four number one singles in the UK chart with tracks including What Makes You Beautiful and Little Things.
The band, without Malik, famously appeared on The Late Late Show’s Carpool Karaoke segment, with James Corden, which raked in more than 200 million views on YouTube.
Gavin And Stacey co-creator Corden said in a social media post that Payne “was such a loving and kind soul”, and added: “I will treasure the moments I got to spend with him.”
Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, released his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the songs Polaroid and Strip That Down featuring Quavo.
One of his most famous songs, For You, was a collaboration between him and the singer Rita Ora for the film Fifty Shades Freed in 2018.
Hours after his death, Ora sang their song while an image of the pair was projected on to the screen behind her during a performance in Osaka, Japan.
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