One Direction mastermind Simon Cowell posts emotional tribute to Liam Payne: ‘I feel empty’

Simon Cowell has released a statement regarding Liam Payne’s tragic death .

“You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens,” Cowell, the mastermind behind One Direction, wrote via Instagram Friday.

“Liam, I am devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you.”

Cowell said it was “difficult” to put his emotions “into words” — but he tried his best to do so regardless.

“I went outside today, and I thought about so many times we had together. I wanted to let you know what I would always say to the thousands of people who would always ask me. What is Liam like?” he shared.

“And I would tell them you were kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, focused. And how much you loved music. And how much love you genuinely had for the fans.”

Cowell reflected on the first time he met Payne at 14, when he rejected him on “The X Factor” because it “wasn’t [his] time.”

“And we both made a promise that we would meet again. A lot of people would have given up. You didn’t,” he continued.

Liam Payne ‘begged’ girlfriend Kate Cassidy to stay in Argentina in ‘heated’ exchange pre-death

“You came back and within months the whole world knew Liam. And you never forget the fans. I watched you spending so much time with people who had wanted to meet you. You really cared.”

Cowell revealed Payne came to see him “last year,” not “for a meeting” but “just to sit and talk.”

“We reminisced about all the fun times we had together. And how proud you were to be a Dad,” Cowell continued. “After you left, I was reminded that you were still the sweet, kind boy I had met all of those years ago.”

The longtime judge also revealed he met Payne’s 7-year-old son, Bear, whom the late musician shared with ex Cheryl Cole.

“He has your smile and that twinkle in his eye that you have,” Cowell wrote. “And he will be so proud of everything you achieved. And how you achieved it.”

Cowell also noted how he always thought of the five One Direction members as “brothers,” which was confirmed by their touching tributes to the late singer.

“Regarding their messages today I believe you were,” he wrote. “And now Liam, I can see the effect you had on so many people. Because you left us too soon. Rest In peace my friend. And I am sending my love, thoughts and prayers to your family.”

Liam Payne was dealing with ‘significant’ drug addiction before label and publicist dropped him

The former One Direction member died on Wednesday after he fell from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to local officials, per the Associated Press . He was 31.

Cowell, 65, played a significant role in Payne’s life since he created One Direction in 2010.

Payne, then 16, auditioned for “The X Factor” as a solo singer during Season 7 of the UK singing competition series before Cowell suggested he form a group with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.

One Direction placed third in the competition series. However, Cowell still signed the group to his label in 2011 and they quickly skyrocketed to fame.

The group subsequently released five chart-topping studio albums before Malik left the band in 2015 . Payne, Styles, Tomlinson and Horan continued to perform together before taking an indefinite hiatus the following year.

Cowell released the statement after Buenos Aires police officials confirmed Payne’s death on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the Buenos Aires police said that Payne died after falling from the balcony of his hotel room and landing in the hotel courtyard.

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Police arrived and saw that Payne’s fall resulted in “extremely serious injuries” that were fatal.

“We arrived in time to try and revive him, but there was nothing we could do,” Alberto Crescenti, the head of the state emergency medical system, told Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel on Wednesday.

Crescenti claimed that Payne fell around 14 meters and “suffered severe injuries that provoked his immediate death.”

The police arrived to the hotel after they received a call about an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

An eyewitness echoed that same sentiment to TMZ and claimed that Payne had been “acting erratic” in the lobby prior to his death.

The “Strip That Down” singer was reportedly seen smashing his laptop at one point and was later carried back to his room.

It’s unclear at this time whether Payne’s death was accidental or intentional. Police told local outlets that they’ll be conducting an autopsy.

Payne was vacationing in Argentina with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy , after seeing Horan perform there on Oct. 2. Cassidy, however, left the South American country two days prior and shared a TikTok video of her returning home to Florida.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

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