Niall Horan reflects on final meeting with Liam Payne weeks before tragic death
The singer shares personal memories of his One Direction bandmate
Niall Horan has opened up about the emotional toll of losing his former bandmate Liam Payne, revealing he experienced a wave of “shock, sadness and anger” upon hearing the news.
Speaking to GQ Hype, Horan recalled the moment he learned of Payne’s death, admitting he initially struggled to process it.
“I just remember getting a message. And I was just like, ‘What?’ I just didn’t think it was real,” he said, adding that the loss felt especially surreal given how recently they had met.
The two singers had reunited in Argentina in early October 2024, when Horan’s The Show tour passed through the country. Payne, who was there for a routine visa renewal, was “in good form,” according to Horan.
“We had a good laugh, good reminisce,” he shared, noting how easily they fell back into their old dynamic despite time apart.
Payne tragically died just weeks later after falling from a hotel balcony, a loss that deeply impacted his former bandmate.
As tributes poured in online, Horan found himself revisiting memories through photos and videos shared by fans. He described feeling an immediate sense of nostalgia mixed with grief and fear.
Reflecting on their time together, Horan fondly recalled moments from their early days on The X Factor, where they first met and eventually rose to global fame as part of One Direction.
From sharing a room during bootcamp to “random nights playing FIFA on the bus” and racing Segways backstage, he said their bond was built on experiences only they truly understood.
Following Payne’s funeral, Horan stepped away from the spotlight to grieve privately. He later channelled his emotions into new music, including the track End of an Era, which he worked on extensively with collaborator Julian Bunetta.
Bunetta praised Horan for confronting such a difficult subject, noting the song underwent multiple revisions to capture the depth of his feelings.
Despite the pain, Horan’s reflections highlight both the enduring bond he shared with Payne and the lasting impact of their journey together.