Five days after Liam Payne’s tragic passing, Justin Bieber has broken his silence with a poignant tribute.
The singer shared a moving video on Instagram, showcasing floral tributes and heartfelt messages in memory of Liam, accompanied by a simple yet touching caption: “Rest easy, Liam,” followed by a broken heart emoji.
Liam Payne, a key member of the chart-topping boyband One Direction, passed away at 31 after a fatal fall from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Bieber’s tribute video captured the emotions of grieving fans with a powerful voiceover: “You are allowed to grieve as a fan. You are allowed to love someone you’ve never met. 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.”
While Bieber and Payne had their share of rivalry in the past, it eventually blossomed into a surprising friendship. Their feud began when a YouTube video surfaced, showing Payne seemingly taking a jab at the Canadian pop star.
However, in 2022, Liam shared how the tension between them dissolved after a sincere conversation.
Speaking on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Payne revealed he once made a comment about Bieber while drunk on Instagram, saying, “Well, the only thing between me and him is I haven’t been arrested.”
Payne acknowledged the comment was misinterpreted, leading to tension. “It started some beef,” he admitted. As their shared fan base often compared them, the feud escalated.
But eventually, Payne decided to address the conflict in person at an awards show, telling Bieber, “I’ve always felt for you. I’ve done all the things you’ve done and never been caught for them.”
Payne also recognized that Bieber, as a solo artist, didn’t have the same support system as One Direction members did.
Following this conversation, the two singers became friends, with Bieber telling Payne, “Bro, that’s given me chills.” Liam later described Bieber as “a great guy” with “a really good heart.”