Two Rock Legends Pay Tribute After Death of One Direction’s Liam Payne

Many in the music world, including two legendary rock stars, have started sharing their condolences and memories of late pop star Liam Payne of One Direction fame.

Liam Payne’s Death

Reports surfaced late Wednesday (Oct. 16) that the vocalist had died as the result of a fall from a balcony from the third story of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Per Pop Crush, Witnesses said that he fell around 5 PM and prior to the fall, he acted erratically in the hotel’s lobby earlier in the afternoon. They reported that he smashed his laptop and was carried back to his hotel room.

Just hours prior to his death, he posted several photos and videos on Snapchat. This included a mirror selfie getting ready for the beach with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, whom he had been dating since October 2022. Payne posted that it was a “lovely day here in Argentina.”

Additional details surrounding the circumstances of Payne’s death are unclear as the police continued investigating the incident. The singer was 31.

What Musicians Are Saying About Liam Payne’s Death

As stated, two rock legends were among those weighing in after Payne’s passing. Iconic Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood shared on the X social media platform, “I am shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Liam Payne. 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.”

Wood was there in the early stages of their career, as One Direction’s big break came when they auditioned for the British singing competition, X Factor. Wood made a guest appearance with the band during the show and seemed to enjoy his time with the boy band as shared in the video accompanying his tribute to Payne.

Elsewhere, Oasis vocalist Liam Gallagher also shared his thoughts in a tweet on the X platform. The musician commented, “Life is precious kids and you only get to do it ONCE go easy LG x.” When asked by other fans in the thread his thoughts on One Direction and Payne’s passing, he commented, “Very sad.”

Who Else Commented on Liam Payne’s Death

The impact of Payne’s death transcended genre lines. In addition to the rockers, fellow boy band Backstreet Boys stated, “Words can not express the emotions we are collectively feeling right now, 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.”

Rap legend Flavor Flav of Public Enemy offered, “RIP to Liam Payne,,, much too young.”

Onetime Payne collaborator, singer Rita Ora, added, “I’m devastated. 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. R.I.P.”

READ MORE: Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt Reviews a One Direction Concert

The TV show X Factor, which helped launch Payne and One Direction’s career, stated, “We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne. He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world. Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him.”