One Direction was one of the boy bands that totally captured Gen Z and millennials, but when they split in 2016, it left a ton of fans heartbroken. It’s been a while since then, and each member has gone on to have solo careers, but fans always held onto hope for a reunion someday. Sadly, with Liam Payne’s recent passing, that dream now feels impossible.
Just a few days ago, Niall Horan, one of the former band members, was joined by his old friend and bandmate at one of his tour concerts. He even surprised the crowd with what seemed like an announcement of a possible retirement from performing. But after the tragedy with Payne, the news now feels strangely bittersweet.
Niall Horan Announces He Will Disappear Leaving Fans Worried
The former One Direction fandom has always been super active, even after the band split. Once the members launched their solo careers, many fans continued to support them. Lately, that’s been especially true for Niall Horan, who just wrapped up seventy-six shows on his ‘The Show: Live on Tour’.
Touring across several countries since the beginning of the year, Horan’s last performance was in Bogotá, Colombia. However, to close out the show, he said a few words that caught his fans off guard. On stage, the singer hinted that he might be stepping away from singing: (via NME)
This stands from tomorrow onwards; you will never find me. I’m gonna be hungover as f*** tomorrow! And I’m gonna disappear for a while.
As expected, the story quickly spread online, but the panic was short-lived. Horan soon clarified that it was just a joke, reassuring fans that he only needed some time off to rest and work on a new album.
On social media, he expressed his gratitude to the fans for the past eight months he spent on tour:
However, by an unfortunate twist of fate, the singer’s words now carry a different weight. What began as a lighthearted joke on stage has taken on a somber tone in light of the recent passing of his former bandmate, Liam Payne, making the situation all the more heartbreaking.
Liam Payne Attended Niall Horan’s Concert Days Before His Passing
Many fans are now viewing Payne’s presence at Horan’s concert in Argentina as an unexpected farewell. The two had reconnected shortly after Payne posted on Snapchat, saying, “I think we might just go and say hello.” He also admitted that they hadn’t seen each other in a while and was looking forward to catching up with his friend. (via Page Six)
In fan videos, Payne was spotted enjoying the concert alongside his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. He also took the chance to interact with the crowd who had recognized him, taking photos and even speaking a few words in Spanish.
The singer was quite active on the app, even sharing a photo with Horan backstage at the concert, along with a video where he expressed how proud he was of his friend on stage.
Not long before, Payne had given several interviews where he reflected on his time with One Direction, candidly discussing the ups and downs he had experienced along the way.
With his death, those discussions resurfaced. He had previously spoken critically about his former bandmates in 2022 on the Impaulsive podcast, and had also opened up about his struggles with alcohol on the Diary of a CEO podcast in 2021.
Although everything remains uncertain and it’s too early to draw conclusions, fans believe he had been dealing with numerous personal issues over the past few years. Additionally, he reportedly became the target of backlash due to violent incidents with his ex-girlfriend, Maya Henry, which she recounted in her book. (via New York Post)
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
