Liam Payne funeral: One Direction bandmates' tribute to 'brother'

Payne died at the age of 31 just over a month ago.

The musician died after falling from a third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

His former bandmates are among those in attendance at the private service, alongside his family and closest friends. 

One Direction band mates tribute to Liam Payne

Following his death, the former members of One Direction released a tribute to Liam Payne.

In a statement signed “Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry”, Liam Payne’s One Direction bandmates 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.

Harry Styles arrives for the funeral service of One Direction singer Liam Payne (Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

“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.”

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Payne formed the boy band One Direction in 2010, alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles, after they individually auditioned for The X Factor. 

The late singer first auditioned for The X Factor in 2008 when he was 14, singing Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon, with judge Simon Cowell telling him to return to the ITV talent show two years later. 

In 2010, Payne impressed the judges with a rendition of Michael Buble’s Cry Me A River before being put with four other solo hopefuls at the boot camp stage of the competition – the group which later became One Direction.