‘I Loved and Respected You Dearly’

Malik continued by remembering Payne’s professionalism when they were placed in One Direction, and how he was the “most qualified in every sense” to be in the group. “I was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which way to steer the ship next,” he said.

“I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what l’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly,” Malik added. “I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever.”

Malik ended his post by saying he hoped Payne is “good and at peace.” He paired the post with a throwback photo of the two of them sleeping on a car ride, writing in the caption, “Love you bro.”

The tribute from Malik came just minutes after Louis Tomlinson remembered Payne as the “most vital part” of One Direction, sharing that he was “really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye.” Malik, Tomlinson and 1D bandmates Harry Styles and Niall Horan issued a joint statement earlier, saying they were “completely devastated” by the news of Payne’s death.

“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,” the band wrote. “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you, Liam.”

Earlier on Thursday, the prosecutor’s office in Argentina shared a post-autopsy report revealing that Payne died of multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding, and a cranial injury as a result of his fall.