Simon Cowell honors Liam Payne: 'Every tear I have shed is a memory of you'
Simon Cowell, who helped form the now-defunct boy band One Direction, mourned the death of Liam Payne.
In an Instagram post, the former X Factor judge said he feels "devastated, heartbroken, and empty" after Payne's sudden passing. "I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you."
The talent manager said he looked back on the times they had together and shared what he would always say to those who ask what Payne was like.
"I would tell them you were kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused. And how much you loved music. And how much love you genuinely had for the fans," he continued.
Cowell recalled when he had to tell 14-year-old Payne it wasn't time for him to rise to fame just yet and promised him they would see each other again.
"A lot of people would have given up. You didn't. You came back and within months, the whole world knew Liam," he shared. "You never forgot the fans. I watched you [spend] so much time with people who had wanted to meet you. You really cared."
He said they met up again last year "to sit and talk," and reminisce about the good times they shared. He added that Payne expressed pride over being a father to his son Bear, whom he shared with her ex-partner Cheryl Cole.
"After you left, I was reminded that you were still the sweet, kind boy I met all of those years ago," mused Cowell.
Cowell said he has always seen Payne and his former One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson as brothers, "and reading their messages today, I believe you were."
"And now Liam, I can see the effect you had on so many people because you left us too soon," he added. "Rest in peace, my friend."
Cowell signed One Direction to his label after their stint on X Factor UK in 2010.
Citing authorities, several media outlets reported on Thursday, Oct. 17 that Payne was found dead after falling from his hotel window in Buenos Aires. He was 31.
"The forensic experts reported that the 25 injuries described in the autopsy are aligned with those caused by a fall from a height," the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 16 said in a release. "They also pointed out that the head injuries were sufficient to cause death, while the internal and external hemorrhages in the skull, thorax, abdomen and limbs contributed to the mechanism of death."
Hours before his passing, Payne posted now-deleted videos as story entries on the messaging platform Snapchat.
As spotted by multiple media outlets like Page Six, the singer shared a selfie video with a text caption that read, "Lovely day in Argentina," followed by a red heart emoji. He was seen spending time with Cassidy. It's unclear whether the stories were posted in real-time or late, though Cassidy reportedly left Argentina over the weekend.
Payne was part of One Direction along with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan. It was formed in 2010 and became known for various hits such as What Makes You Beautiful, Little Things, and Best Song Ever, among others.
