Liam Payne’s mentor Simon Cowell says an emotional farewell

As a judge on The X Factor, Simon Cowell was involved in the success of Liam Payne’s long-standing band One Direction, which formed in 2010 on the advice of guest judge Nicole Scherzinger. After the group’s third place finish on the seventh season of the British singing show in 2010, the band signed to Simon Cowell’s record label. The music producer has now spoken out on social media following Payne’s tragic death.

“You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens,” Cowell begins. “Liam, I’m devastated. Heartbroken. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I’ve shed is a memory of you. It It’s so hard to put it into words.” He continues: “I want you to know what I always said to the thousands of people who asked me: What is Liam like? And I told them that you were kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble and focused and how much you love the music and how much love you really have for the fans.”

Simon Cowell encouraged Liam Payne to return to The X Factor

In his post, Cowell also looks back on Liam Payne’s special journey on “The X Factor”, as the musician had already taken part in 2008 at the age of 14, but had to leave the show. Cowell encouraged him to return to the show in two years. “We promised each other that we would meet again,” the juror wrote in his post. “A lot of people would have given up. Not you, you came back and within a few months the whole world knew Liam. And you never forgot the fans. I watched you spend so much time with people who wanted to get to know you. You really cared.”

Cowell also talks about meeting Payne again last year. “It wasn’t a meeting. We just sat and talked. We remembered all the fun times we had together. And how proud you were to be a father.” After the singer left, “I was reminded that you are still the friendly boy I met all those years ago,” writes the 65-year-old. Payne’s son Bear has his father’s “smile and sparkle in his eyes.” “And he’ll be so proud of everything you’ve accomplished. And how you accomplished it.”

Cowell also says he has always considered the five One Direction members “brothers,” which was confirmed by their touching farewell words to Payne on social media. When he looks at the messages from Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik, “I think it was you,” the juror writes. “And now Liam, I can see the impact you have had on so many people. For you left us too soon. Rest in peace my friend. And I send my love, thoughts and prayers to your family.”

Simon Cowell is to be replaced by judge Bruno Tonioli following the death of Liam Payne on “Britain’s Got Talent”. Filming for the talent show was interrupted last Thursday.

Liam Payne has died aged just 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.