Louis Tomlinson reflects on Liam Payne’s death for the first time in Rolling Stone UK shoot as he admits he thought he was ‘well versed in grief’ after losing his mum and sister

Louis Tomlinson has reflected on the death of friend and former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.  

Liam suffered a fatal fall off a hotel balcony in Argentina in October 2024 at the age of 31, and a subsequent toxicology report revealed alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system.

Liam and Louis, 33, found fame alongside One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik on the X Factor in 2010. 

Now speaking to Rolling Stone UK, Louis said he still feels ‘frustrated that Liam’s not with us anymore’ as he discussed his shock passing.

He said: ‘It was really, really, impossibly difficult for me to deal with losing Liam. Naively, I thought that because at this point, I’m relatively well versed in grief for my age, that it might soften the blow. 

‘[That was] super-naive. It’s very different. I’ve never lost a friend before.’ 

Louis Tomlinson has reflected on the death of friend and former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne as he opened up for the first time on Tuesday

Liam suffered a fatal fall off a hotel balcony in Argentina in October 2024, and a subsequent toxicology report revealed alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system; pictured 2015

Louis lost his mother Johannah aged 43, in 2016 after she battled leukaemia and his younger sister Felicite died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 18, in 2019.  

Louis also explained how the 15th anniversary of the band’s formation earlier this year had proved tough because it was the first one to be celebrated without Liam.

He said: ‘It was really uncomfortable, actually, the 15th anniversary, because the [collective] feeling to celebrate is as important, if not more important than ever, on behalf of Liam.

‘There’s still a level in my head [where it feels] unjust and frustrating that he’s not with us anymore. So, it just brought up those feelings, although I’m still living with them anyway.’

Louis went on to hail Liam’s influence in the boyband as he was ‘the most vital’ member due to his ‘perfect pitch, stage presence and gift for writing’.

The Just Hold On singer also admitted that during the X Factor days and early on in his career, he and the other boys ‘looked up’ to Liam as he had the most experience. 

It comes after two One Direction stars will ‘reunite’ for a major new Netflix series where Liam’s tragic death is set to be addressed.

Filming on the documentary has reportedly already got underway, which will see Zayn and Louis come together in a multi-million pound deal.

Both singers will travel across the US in a road trip, where they will discuss their lives and reflect on memories from their days in the band.

Now speaking to Rolling Stone UK, Louis said he still feels ‘frustrated that Liam’s not with us anymore’ as he discussed his shock passing

He said: ‘It was really, really, impossibly difficult for me to deal with losing Liam. Naively, I thought that because at this point, I’m relatively well versed in grief for my age, that it might soften the blow. [That was] super-naive. It’s very different. I’ve never lost a friend before’

‘There’s still a level in my head [where it feels] unjust and frustrating that he’s not with us anymore. So, it just brought up those feelings, although I’m still living with them anyway’

While it’s currently early days for the show, it’s earmarked for release next year, which will be a decade since One Direction split up.

Sources close to the production have revealed Zayn, 32, and Louis are likely to discuss the tragic death of their friend and band mate Liam.

It is believed his death following a balcony fall in Buenos Aires in October last year brought the band, which also consists of Niall and Harry, close again.

One Direction found superstardom after appearing on the X Factor in 2010 and went on to sell a whopping 70M records worldwide.

They won almost 200 awards, including seven Brit Awards, four MTV Music Awards, six Billboard Music Awards, seven American Music Awards, and 28 Kids’ Choice Award.

Zayn has lived in America permanently since 2018, while Louis devotes a large part of his time there thanks to his nine-year-old son with stylist Briana Jungwirth.

Louis and Zayn have become close again, and earlier this year Zayn gave a shoutout to Louis after he attended his Los Angeles concert at the Shrine Exposition Hall.

Liam and Louis found fame alongside One Direction bandmates Harry Styles , Niall Horan and Zayne Malik on the X Factor in 2010; pictured 2012

Louis lost his mother Johannah aged 43, in 2016 after she battled leukaemia; pictured 2015

Louis’ younger sister Felicite died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 18, in 2019

His relationship with his old bandmates became strained when he quit the band in March 2015. 

He went on to say in the years that followed that the group grew ‘sick of each other’ and that he hadn’t stayed in touch with them much since leaving.

It comes after Nicole Sherzinger divulged the subject of the final text conversation she had with her protégé Liam the day he died.

One Direction was initially grouped together on The X Factor UK, where Nicole was serving as a celebrity judge.

The 47-year-old Pussycat Dolls songstress took Liam under her wing and remained a source of guidance to him until his tragic death aged 31 in Buenos Aires last year.

After receiving the shattering news, Nicole still went onstage that night in her revival of Sunset Boulevard, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who revealed that same month that she had texted Liam on the last day of his life.

Now Nicole has finally revealed what she discussed with the young man she helped shepherd to stardom, in an interview with the Times of London.

‘I’d known he was in Argentina. It was just chit-chat and pretty light,’ she said in a new profile for the publication published this week.

One of Liam’s last projects was an X Factor-style reality show called Building the Band, on which he and Nicole worked with Kelly Rowland as celebrity mentors.

‘I just adored Liam. He had such a good heart. I barely knew him when I put One Direction together. I just saw these talented boys and was like: “I’m coming out of a girl group – I know the power of a group,”‘ said Nicole.