Justin Bieber expressed his grief over the death of fellow musician Liam Payne, following the tragic incident.
On Monday, Bieber shared a video on his Instagram Story showing fans placing flowers, photos, and balloons at a memorial site. A message in the video conveyed condolences, stating, “Rest easy.”
Justin Bieber shares video on Instagram
Someone in the video says, “Just remember, you are allowed to grieve as a fan. You are allowed to love someone you’ve never met. You’re allowed to admire someone for their art. You are allowed to cry, to break like a piece of you is gone because even if they never knew your name, they changed your world.”
Justin shared the video on his Instagram Story, adding a broken heart emoji in the bottom left corner. Although he and Liam never collaborated, both of their music achieved global recognition and broke records.
Justin Bieber and others grieve
Liam’s former One Direction bandmates—Louis, Zayn, Harry, and Niall—posted their own tributes, sharing heartfelt messages about their memories with him from their time together in the group. Zayn, who had been preparing to start his tour on October 23, announced that due to the “heartbreaking loss” of the week, he decided to postpone the US leg of his *Stairway to the Sky* tour, now rescheduled to begin in January 2025. He expressed his gratitude to fans for their understanding.
Additionally, pop star Shawn Mendes honored Liam during a performance at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater, dedicating his song *Heart of Gold* to the late singer.
Payne’s unexpected death
Bieber, now 30, was among several celebrities who publicly acknowledged Payne’s unexpected death, which occurred in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last Wednesday at the age of 31.
Payne, known for his time with One Direction, was found outside the CasaSur Palermo Hotel after falling from a third-floor balcony.
Toxicology tests
According to BBC reports, toxicology tests revealed that Payne had several drugs, including cocaine and crack, in his system. Additionally, sources reported that an aluminum pipe, believed to have been used for drug consumption, was discovered in Payne’s severely damaged hotel room, along with alcohol and other substances.
Local investigators shared with TMZ that they suspect Payne may have been under the influence of “cristal,” a substance known for causing aggressive behavior.
A preliminary autopsy indicated that Payne’s death was instantaneous, resulting from multiple traumas.
In the days leading up to his death, witnesses reported seeing Payne act erratically, including an incident where he smashed his laptop in the hotel lobby.
Mental health struggles of Liam Payne
Payne had a well-documented history of mental health struggles and addiction. He had been vacationing in Argentina with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, but she had left the country days before the incident.
Cassidy, 25, paid tribute to Payne on Instagram, sharing a heartfelt message in which she referred to him as her “angel” and expressed that she would continue to love him for the rest of her life.