One Direction members pay tribute to Liam Payne after his death at 31: ‘We will miss him terribly’

Following the death of former One Direction member Liam Payne, who died Wednesday at age 31, his one-time bandmates are paying tribute to the singer’s tragically short life.

“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” began the statement from Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson. “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 statement continued, “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. ”

The bandmates additionally turned to social media to individually pay tribute to Payne, and the years they spent together within the band.

In an emotional Thursday Instagram post, Tomlinson wrote that he has “lost a brother,” sharing a throwback photo of the duo onstage together.

“I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for,” he continued, “We often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band.”

Tomlinson also wrote that Payne was, in his opinion, “the most vital part of One Direction,” adding, “His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam. I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be.”

Payne died of “multiple traumas” and “internal and external hemorrhages” on Wednesday night after falling from a third-floor balcony at Buenos Aires’ CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Palermo, per an initial autopsy report. At the time, Payne was still in Argentina after attending Horan’s concert. The late singer is survived by his 7-year-old son Bear, whom he shares with ex Cheryl Cole.

Horan, Malik, Styles, and Tomlinson were in one of the biggest bands in the world with Payne after the five appeared on Britain’s The X Factor as solo artists, where they were combined into a group by judges Nicole Scherzinger and Simon Cowell. Together, the band had over two dozen songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart throughout their career, including top hits, “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story Of My Life,” “Best Song Ever,” and “Perfect.”

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to Scherzinger, and Cowell, as well as Payne’s former partner Cheryl and his current girlfriend, Kate Cassidy.

In a statement to multiple outlets, including the BBC and PA Media, the singer’s family addressed his sudden death, writing, “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”

The statement concluded, “We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”