The death of Liam Payne was a shock to many, and now, weeks after the news broke, many are sharing stories about him while mourning this tragic loss. This includes Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean, who bonded with the former One Direction member about sobriety. Now, the singer is opening up about that connection and the difficulty he’s having grieving the loss of his friend and fellow artist.
The Backstreet Boys member had worked with Payne on Building the Band, a reality competition that’s part of Netflix’s upcoming releases. The two bonded over their boy band histories as well as their sobriety. During an interview with the LA Times, AJ McLean opened up about their friendship, saying:
[We spoke] candidly about sobriety, sharing stories and one-upping each other. We could laugh about it all, because if you’re still there to talk about it, that means you’re moving in a good direction.
McLean explained that he felt like Payne’s “very older brother,” and he noted that he could “tell” that the singer “had seen some shit.” Both men experienced overwhelming fame at a young age, because of the success of their respective boybands. They also both have histories dealing with addiction, with McClean being sober for three years.
The Backstreet Boys member said he didn’t think the former 1D singer was using when they worked together. However, after Payne unexpectedly fell to his death in Buenos Aires, an autopsy revealed that he had pink cocaine – which is a mix of methamphetamine, ketamine, ecstasy and possibly other drugs – in his system.
Before Payne’s death, gusts at the hotel he was staying at said he was “causing a disturbance,” and that he needed to be “escorted back up to his room.” Others said he was seen “smashing his laptop in the lobby,” and that he also “passed out” there. While there are still a lot of questions about his death, as I mentioned, it was later revealed that there were drugs in his system, and crack and cocaine had been found in his room.
After working together on the Netflix series, McLean explained that he would text Payne frequently, and he had sent the late singer a text the day before he died. Reflecting on everything that’s happened, and the grief he’s feeling, the “I Want It That Way” singer said:
I feel like there will never be a definitive answer as to why this happened. That’s the most painful thing to sit with. Why now? Why this way? But there’s no rhyme or reason when you’re hurting and looking for escape. I can torture my brain about ‘Why didn’t he respond?’ But I get it. I just hope people remember him the way he was — a massive heart and a massive talent.
Like AJ McLean, many celebrities have shown their love and support for Liam Payne and his loved ones. Along with all the members of One Direction, Simon Cowell penned an emotional tribute about him, saying he was “truly devastated” by this loss. Shawn Mendes also paused his concert to speak about the “Night Changes” singer, saying he “was a beautiful soul.”
As we learn more about Liam Payne’s death and hear more stories about him from those who knew and worked with him, we’ll be sure to keep you posted.
