Brit Awards remembered former One Direction member Liam Payne, who died in October last year at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. Host Jack Whitehall introduced a video paying tribute to the singer.
Jack said, “It is now time to take a moment to remember a very special person who meant so much to many of the people in this room, and to millions of you around the world. Last October, we woke to the devastating news that Liam Payne had tragically passed away.”
“He achieved so much in the short time that he was on this earth, and was not only a supremely gifted musician but an incredibly kind soul who touched the lives of everyone he came into contact with. We have so many amazing memories with Liam here at The Brits. So tonight we celebrate his legacy and look back and remember, the remarkable Liam Payne,” he added.
The footage included pictures from Liam’s childhood, his black-and-white video with his family, a clip from his time on The X Factor and then with One Direction, who won seven Brit Awards before they split up. Their hit Little Things played in the background while a clip showed Liam recording a version of the song.
The montage also included a photograph of him meeting Queen Elizabeth II. In the video Payne said, “We thought something might happen, but never anything like this. I’m always trying to remind myself of where I’ve come from, where I’ve managed to get to in my life. It’s amazing, really.”
Liam rose to fame alongside band members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, after they met on The X Factor. After One Direction went on hiatus, Liam launched a successful solo career, releasing his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the songs Polaroid and Strip That Down featuring Quavo, as well as the track For You with Rita Ora.
