Liam Payne tributes poured in Wednesday afternoon in the hours following his sudden death after falling from the balcony of his Buenos Aires hotel.
Charlie Puth and Dan Richards, guitarist for the late pop star’s U.K. boy band One Direction, were among those paying tribute to the 31-year-old musician.
Puth, who co-wrote Payne’s 2017 song “Bedroom Floor,” posted an uncaptioned photo of himself with Payne on his Instagram feed.
“I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me. He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I can not believe he is gone,” Puth wrote on his Instagram story. “I am so upset right now, may he rest in peace.”
“This all feels so surreal,” One Direction guitarist Richards wrote on his Instagram Story. “Thanks to everyone reaching out. Still trying to wrap my head around it all. My thoughts go out to Liam’s family at this time.”
Electronic music producer Zedd, who collaborated with Payne on the song “Get Low,” tweeted, “RIP Liam … I can’t believe this is real … absolutely heartbreaking.”
Former One Direction members Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson had not yet issued a public statement as of this writing.
Lou Teasdale, a hairstylist who worked with One Direction, wrote on X, “Sending you all so much love,” along with a broken-heart emoji.
Jack Johnson of pop music duo Jack & Jack wrote on X, “If this Liam Payne news is true that s—t is honestly so gut wrenching … was such a nice guy the few times me and G ran into him, f–k the internet for being so ruthless over the past few months … for real such a toxic environment on here man that’s so sad.”
Payne was vacationing in Buenos Aires with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, when he fell to his death from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Palermo neighborhood, according to local authorities.
Fans also left comments remember Payne on his most recent Instagram post from March, with messages such as “Rest easy Liam. Fly high angel,” and “Liam Payne, we love you, you were my adolescence.”
