One Direction Members Post Heartfelt Tributes To “Brother” Liam Payne

One Direction was the boy band for an entire generation. As with every era-defining group, though, a contentious breakup came in the aftermath of their success. Fans were forced to choose which 1D star was right and which was wrong. Zayn Malik and Liam Payne were two of the most polarizing members during post-1D years. Payne’s tragic death on October 17, however, has put things into perspective for Zayn Malik. Zayn, as well as Louis Tomlinson, took to social media to pay tribute to their former band member and “brother.”

Zayn Malik posted a photo of him and Payne during their One Direction days. The two teens appear to be leaning against each other while sleeping in a car. Zayn then delves into the complications and the tragic dynamics of his relationship with Payne. “Even though you were younger than me,” he wrote. “You were always more sensible than me. You were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f**ks about telling people when they were wrong.” Zayn Malik then noted that he appreciated the ways in which Payne challenged him, even if he didn’t show it in the moment. “Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it,” he added.

Zayn closed out his tribute to Liam Payne by referring to the late singer as his brother. Through all of the adversity, the two men remain bonded. “[I] can’t explain to you,” he concluded. “What I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly. Tell you that I loved and respected you dearly.” Zayn wasn’t the only One Direction star who felt the need to speak up after Liam Payne’s untimely death. Louis Tomlinson also took to Instagram to praise Payne and the impact the singer left on life.

Liam Payne and Tomlinson also had personal issues, according to an interview the former gave in 2021. He claimed that he and Tomlinson actually hated each other while they were in One Direction, and it was only after the band broke up that they became close. Tellingly, Louis Tomlinson also referred to Payne as his brother. “I wish I got chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you,” he wrote on IG. “Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well X.”