Liam Payne’s ex-GF Aliana Mawla mourns singer's death at 31, says she'll love him 'forever'

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA: Aliana Mawla, ex-girlfriend of Liam Payne, shared an emotional tribute to the late singer following his untimely death at the age of 31.

Mawla, 26, who briefly dated Payne in 2022 after his split from fiancee Maya Henry, took to Instagram on Thursday, October 17, to remember the singer with a pair of sentimental photos.

Aliana Mawla's emotional tribute to Liam Payne

Posting a touching message alongside a photo of Liam Payne at a performance, Aliana Mawla wrote, "I'm sorry this happened to you.. will forever love & miss you."

In a second image, she featured Payne’s recognizable "L" and "P" tattoos on each hand, with her thumb resting between them, adding the message, "rest in paradise."

Mawla and Payne reportedly met during the filming of his music video for the track 'Familiar', a collaboration with J Balvin in 2018.

Though their relationship became public in 2022, shortly after Payne’s breakup with Maya Henry, Mawla's representative insisted that the two began dating only after his previous relationship had ended, dismissing rumors of any overlap.

Liam Payne's tragic death

Liam Payne was declared dead on Wednesday, October 16, after falling multiple stories from a balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Policia Federal Argentina confirmed Payne's death, stating that the singer had "jumped from the balcony" of his hotel room, according to People.

Authorities are continuing the investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding his tragic fall, though a preliminary autopsy confirmed that the singer died from multiple injuries, including "internal and external hemorrhages" caused by the impact.

The autopsy report revealed that he sustained 25 injuries "compatible with those caused by a fall from a height," with fatal head trauma and significant hemorrhaging contributing to his death.

Investigators confirmed that no defensive injuries were found, ruling out the involvement of third parties. However, a toxicology report is still pending to determine if any substances may have played a role.

Fellow One Direction bandmates' heartfelt tribute to Liam Payne

In addition to Aliana Mawla’s tribute, Liam Payne’s former One Direction bandmates have expressed their grief following his death.

In a joint statement shared on the official One Direction Instagram account on Thursday, October 17, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik wrote "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing."

"In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly," they said.