Justin Bieber pays heartfelt tribute to One Direction star Liam Payne: ‘Rest easy’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Justin Bieber has paid a heartfelt tribute to Liam Payne, days after the former One Direction member tragically died at the age of 31.
On Monday, October 21, Bieber shared a somber video on his Instagram story, showcasing floral tributes and messages laid in memory of Liam Payne who died after falling from the third floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Liam Payne's tragic death and touching tribute by Justin Bieber
The video included a simple but somber message, "Rest easy, Liam," followed by a broken heart emoji.
Liam died from multiple injuries, leading to "internal and external hemorrhaging."
Payne is survived by his seven-year-old son, Bear Grey, whom he shares with his ex-partner, 'Girls Aloud' singer, Cheryl Cole.
Bieber’s tribute, along with his emotional Instagram post, featured a voiceover that resonated with many grieving fans.
"Just remember: you are allowed to grieve as a fan. You are allowed to love someone you’ve never met," Bieber's tribute message stated.
"You are allowed to admire someone for their art. You are allowed, to cry, to break, to feel like a part of you is gone," the voice-over concluded.
Justin Bieber and Liam Payne's feud
Liam Payne and Justin Bieber's relationship started as a chart rivalry but eventually evolved into a friendship.
Their feud began when a video appearing to show Payne taking a dig at Bieber surfaced, according to Daily Mail.
In 2022, Payne once recalled on Logan Paul's podcast, "I was like, 'well the only thing between me and him is I haven't been arrested" which, "started some beef."
The rivalry between him and Bieber was largely fueled by their overlapping fanbases which later spilled into real life as they crossed paths at various award ceremonies.
Inside Justin Bieber and Liam Payne's unexpected friendship
Liam Payne shared an instance at one awards show where he decided to approach Justin Bieber and end the feud.
"I'll have a chat with him' in order to settle the conflict," Payne said of Bieber at the time. Liam added, "He had grown as a person."
“I’ve always felt for you… number one, I’ve done all the things that you’ve done and I’ve never been caught for any of them... number two, I’ve always really felt for you, mate, and I think in our situation we all suffer from the same disease,” he recalled during the podcast."
According to Payne, Bieber responded, “Bro, that’s given me chills,” and from that moment, the pair became friends.
Payne told Rollacoaster magazine in 2017, "I said to him, 'Take my number and any time you want a chat, let me know as I’m here and I understand exactly what you’re going through and I understand your world.'"
