Zayn Malik once referred to his late One Direction bandmate Liam Payne as his ‘brother’.
Like many siblings, they experienced numerous ups and downs together. Both stars, who gained fame before turning 18 on The X Factor, matured together in one of the most successful British boybands. Despite the thrill of performing and touring the world together, it was a uniquely intense experience at times.
Today, a private funeral service will be held for Liam in the Home Counties, attended by family and friends. The ceremony is closed to the public, but many have paid tribute to the beloved singer in their own ways since his tragic passing.
Liam Payne funeral updates: One Direction singer’s coffin arrives at the church
Liam Payne funeral: Final preparations underway as One Direction bandmates set to attend
A memorial in Liam’s hometown of Wolverhampton is filled with flowers, letters, candles, balloons, teddy bears, and photos from those touched by his life and music. On October 16, Liam tragically fell from the third-floor balcony of his Buenos Aires hotel room.
He was only 31 years old and left behind his seven year old son, Bear. This tragedy occurred shortly after Liam reunited with bandmate Niall Horan at a concert in Argentina, where he told fans he wanted to ‘square up a couple things with the boy’, reports the Mirror.
Zayn, 31, never had the opportunity to mend his complex relationship with Liam due to their numerous backstage disagreements. However, it’s evident that they always harbored affection for each other.
Following Liam’s untimely passing last month, Zayn expressed regret over their clashes in a heartfelt statement, confessing his covert admiration for his assertive bandmate. In a touching tribute shared on social media, Zayn penned: “Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives. 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 year 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. Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f—- about telling people when they were wrong.”
He continued: “Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it. When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I knew nothing in comparison; l was a novice child with no experience, and you were already a professional.”
Even though there were rifts, it was evident that Liam still held a lot of care for Zayn who famously exited One Direction in 2015 amid band tensions. Revealing intricate details about the group’s rapport on the Call Her Daddy podcast in summer 2023his first interview in over half a decadeZayn, who sent shockwaves through his fanbase by leaving the quintet, confessed: “There was obviously underlying issues within our friendships, too. We’d got sick of each other if I’m being completely honest. We were close, you know? We’d done crazy things with each other that nobody else in the world will ever understand and I look back on it now in a much fonder light than I would have when I’d just left.”
In contrast, Liam spoke candidly on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast in May 2022, showing compassion stemming from their contrasting childhood experiences. Reflecting on his own roots, Liam from Wolverhampton acknowledged: “My parents are overly supportive to the point where it’s annoying at times. Zayn had a different upbringing in that sense.”
The pop star mused about judgment and understanding past circumstances, saying, “You can always look at the man for where he is and say, ‘Oh, yeah, whatever, that guy’s a d— But at the end of the day, once you’re understanding what he’s been through to get to that point – and also whether or not he wanted to be there.”
Liam Payne spills the tea about his rocky relationship with a former One Direction bandmate, admitting on the record that they were at each other’s throats: “Like, come to blows hate each other, it was close. There was one moment where there was an argument backstage, and one member in particular threw me up a wall.”
The drama intensified after fans whipped up rumors that Liam referred to Zayn following a telling video posted by the Pillowtalk singer, singing along to his own part from the band’s track ‘You and I’. However, the plot thickens as just a month down the line, Liam takes to social media to clarify his stance, quashing any talk of bad blood: “I wouldn’t normally comment on this stuff, but when it’s your family, it’s hard to let it slide. They mentioned a specific incident involving Zayn, which I responded to – but listening back, maybe I didn’t articulate myself as well as I could have.”
He emphasized brotherly bonds stating: “I was saying that there will always be things we disagree on but that I will always, always be on his side. That’s family. Zayn is my brother, and I will stand by him forever.”
Liam got real with his fans in a candid YouTube video in July 2023, conceding that remarks he made on a bombshell podcast episode weren’t exactly coming from the best of places. He confessed: “I was so angry at what was going on around me, and instead of taking a look inwards, I decided to look outwards at everybody else, and I just think, yeah, I took it out on everybody else, which is just wrong, really.”
He also acknowledged how much the other One Direction members have had his back, adding, “The rest of the boys really stuck by me when I needed them most, they kinda came to the rescue. Even Zayn, as well, which is why I did send him a little thank you online.”
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