Niall Horan has shared an emotional confession about how he plans to honour his late One Direction bandmate, Liam Payne, during his upcoming world tour. The 32-year-old Irish singer revealed that Payne's tragic death in 2024 has inspired him to channel his grief into his performances, ensuring his friend's legacy lives on.
Turning Grief into Motivation
Speaking candidly about the loss, Horan described Payne's death as 'extremely shocking and tough.' He reflected on the surreal nature of losing someone so close, noting that Payne was only a few weeks older than him. Rather than letting the tragedy overwhelm him, the 'Slow Hands' singer explained that his late friend now fuels his drive to perform.
'It fires me up because I know that Liam loves being on stage,' Horan said. 'That would make me excited to get on tour and do it for the fans because I know that he loved it as much as I did.'
A Song Dedicated to Liam
Horan has dedicated a track from his upcoming album, Dinner Party, set for release on 5 June, to Payne. The song, titled 'End of an Era,' came together quickly after he and co-writers John Ryan and Julian Bunett realised its true subject. 'We were dancing around it subconsciously,' Horan recalled on the And The Writer Is podcast. 'Julian actually said this song is about Liam. We just don't know it yet.'
The poignant lyrics include lines like: 'It feels like letting go of things we're not supposed to. One breath and it's over, end of an era.' Another verse reads: 'We had it, pure magic, remember what it was like, time passes so fast and I couldn't tell you goodbye.'
Emotional Reflections
Horan became emotional while discussing his former bandmate, admitting to getting 'goosebumps' when thinking about their time together. 'They are two of the feelings I have when I think of Liam: sadness that he's not with us anymore, but also looking back at the good times of growing up together and making records together,' he said. 'All the small moments that we had in hotel rooms and on stage - looking at each other on stage. All of those things come flooding back in this song along with the sadness.'
One Direction Bonds
Horan also made rare comments about his other One Direction bandmates - Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik - confessing that they rarely discuss their careers with each other. 'We don't really talk about music too much. We more talk about the memories,' he explained. 'We don't really have a music industry-style relationship.'
Despite staying in touch via a WhatsApp group, Horan said the group struggles to meet up due to their busy schedules, describing them as 'ships passing in the night.'
Personal Life
On a personal note, Horan teased that he has become a 'homebody' since settling down with girlfriend Amelia Woolley, 28. When asked about starting a family, he added: 'I would like to, I like the idea of course, yeah.'
