Sharon Osbourne has taken aim at the music industry following the death of Liam Payne. Osbourne, a former judge on The X Factor where Payne’s career kicked off, confirmed that “we all let you down” in a tribute to the One Direction singer.
“Liam, my heart aches,” Osbourne wrote on Instagram. “We all let you down. Where was this industry when you needed them? You were just a kid when you entered one of the toughest industries in the world. Who was in your corner? Rest in peace my friend.”
Osbourne was a judge on the first three seasons of The X Factor, which launched in 2004, but had left when Payne appeared on the series at 14 in 2008. He returned two years later, when Simon Cowell created One Direction by joining Payne with Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles. The group went on to become one of the most successful boy bands of all time before going on hiatus in 2016 to pursue solo careers.
Over the years, Payne spoke about the challenges of sudden fame. In 2019, he told the BBC that he had to stop drinking for a year in 2017. “There were a couple of very dark years of me going through extreme peril with different mental health things,” he said. “I just didn’t know where I was going to end up.” He added, of being in One Direction, “I was very confused about fame when it all happened; and learning to be a person outside of your job was difficult.”
Mikey Graham, a member of Irish boy band Boyzone, echoed Osbourne’s concerns in a post on X, formerly Twitter, following Payne’s death.
“Such tragic news,” Graham wrote. “I think it would be a wise move for record companies to have psychologists on their books from now on in his memory as a duty of care for the vulnerability of their young talent. Fame can be very damaging especially in today’s world. Lots of money. Nobody to help. Lots of yes people. Nobody honest.”
Payne, 31, died in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. According to a post-autopsy report, released yesterday, Payne died of multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding, and a cranial injury as a result of his fall. Early investigations also indicate the presence of narcotics in his hotel room.
The Security Secretary of Buenos Aires confirmed Payne’s death to Rolling Stone Wednesday afternoon, with SAME’s Director Alberto Crescenti telling local press that the artist fell from “about 13 or 14 meters” and that Payne “suffered severe injuries incompatible with life.”
Payne’s family issued a statement via the BBC Thursday saying they are “heartbroken” by his death.
“We are heartbroken,” the Payne family said. “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
One Direction and its individual members have since paid tribute to Payne, with the band saying they are “completely devastated by the news” in a statement. “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever,” the band said. “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.”
