Louis Tomlinson has reflected on the death of Liam Payne, while hailing the late singer’s influence within One Direction.
Payne died tragically in Argentina after falling from a hotel balcony in October 2024.
Speaking to Rolling Stone UK for his new cover interview, Tomlinson explained how the 15th anniversary of the band’s formation earlier this year had proved tough because it was the first one to be celebrated without Payne.
“It was really uncomfortable, actually, the 15th anniversary, because the [collective] feeling to celebrate is as important, if not more important than ever, on behalf of Liam,” he said.
On previous 1D anniversaries, Tomlinson says he almost felt a bit “sick of nostalgia”, but this time, it hit different. “You know, there’s still a level in my head [where it feels] unjust and frustrating that he’s not with us anymore. So, it just brought up those feelings, although I’m still living with them anyway.”
“It was really, really, impossibly difficult for me to deal with losing Liam,” he added. “Naively, I thought that because at this point, I’m relatively well-versed in grief for my age, that it might soften the blow. [That was] super-naive. It’s very different. I’ve never lost a friend before.”
Hailing his influence in the group, he called Payne the “safest pair of hands” in the group because he had the most pre-1D experience. “We were all just so amateur, but he was already where he needed to be by the time he did his first [X Factor] audition,” he said. “None of us would have admitted it at the time, because you have a lot of pride as a young lad, but we all looked up to him like that.”
Tomlinson also explained how he felt a need to “set the record straight” with the tribute he shared on social media the day after Payne’s death. He wanted to address what he viewed as “deeply unfair” press about Payne, particularly after a 2022 appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, during which Payne shared some negative memories about his time in One Direction.
“For the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction,” Tomlinson wrote a day after Payne’s passing. “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.”
“Anyone who knew him [Liam] personally would know how deeply unfair that was,” he said. “Anything that he got wrong in life, Liam – which, by the way, we all do daily – it was never through malice. It was only through miscommunication — him just not being able to express himself in the way he needed to.”
What would he like fans to know about Payne that they might not know already?
“He was just a very misunderstood person, I think, from a public perspective,” said Tomlinson. “If there is ever any judgment on his character, I think nine times out of 10, you can reflect on that, and the reflection is that he was someone who just wanted to be liked.”
This article first appeared in Rolling Stone UK. Subscribe to the magazine in print and receive complimentary access to the digital edition.
