Shawn Mendes gets emotional as he pays tribute to ‘brother’ Liam Payne with new song at concert
It was an emotional night at Shawn Mendes' recent concert, as he paid tribute to 'his brother' Liam Payne.
Payne passed away on Wednesday (October 16), at the age of 31, after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires.
The former Once Direction member had been staying with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, who returned to the US two days before his death.
Speaking about the tragic night earlier this week, Argentine Director of Emergency Medical Services, Alberto Crescenti said on the nation's Todo Noticias TV channel: "At 17.04 through the 911 integrated public safety system, we were alerted of a person who was in an internal courtyard of the management of a south house hotel.
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"At 17.11 a SAME team arrived and verified the death of this man and later we found out that he was a singer in a musical group.
"Unfortunately, he had injuries that were incompatible with life, as a result of his fall, so we had to confirm his death, there was no possibility of resuscitation."
Mendes was performing at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater in New York on Friday (18 October) evening, when he paid tribute to Payne.
The singer revealed how he had met the One Direction singer ‘a couple of times’, before adding: “He was a beautiful soul and his eyes gleamed. It was beauty shining through his eyes. It’s about grieving those we miss with tears and it’s also about celebrating them and who they were and what they left in this world.
“I just want to take a second to send so much love to him wherever he is up there. Liam, we love you. The world is crying for you, brother, and we’re all praying for your son and your family. I miss you”
Mendes then proceeded to sing a song in memory of Payne in the form of the unreleased track, ‘Heart of Gold’.
As per Rolling Stone, the chorus sees Mendes singing: “You had a heart of gold, you left too soon, it was out of your control, underneath your skin and bone, you had a heart of gold.”
Payne's sister, Ruth Gibbins, was the latest to pay her respects with a statement she uploaded to Instagram on Saturday (October 18).
Her statement, in part, read: "I don't believe this is happening. Many times have I poured my heart out publicly with pride about Liam but never much about life as his sister.
"Liam is my best friend, no one could ever make me laugh as much as him, doing his impressions always had me creasing and he loved seeing how much of a laugh he could get."
Topics: Celebrity, Liam Payne, Music, World News, UK News
Callum Jones