Liam Payne, the former One Direction singer, was honoured at the London Jingle Bell Ball with a heartfelt tribute nearly two months after his untimely death.
As the show kicked off, the lights dimmed for a moment before a message appeared. It stated “Tonight we’re celebrating Liam Payne 1993-2024″ alongside a picture of Payne’s 2017 solo performance.
The Teardrops crooner’s last performance at the show was in 2019.
“It was the perfect way to open the show. The whole of The O2 went dark and quiet and then the tribute to Liam was shown on the screen.” A concertgoer revealed his experience to the Mirror. “Thousands erupted into cheers and it was so touching.”
The poignant homage came shortly after Zayn Malik dedicated a performance to Payne while performing at Wolverhampton. Since the start of his Stairway To The Sky Tour, Malik has been featuring an emotional message for his late friend every night.
Previously, Rita Ora who collaborated with Payne on the 2018 hit song, For You, also gave a tearful speech at the MTV EMAs. She described Payne as the “the kindest soul” and shared how his passing has left a void in her life.
Payne succumbed to his multiple injuries – traumas and internal and external haemorrhage – from his fatal fall from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
