Liam Payne tribute from Boyzone asks document label to get psychologists
A Boyzone star has paid tribute to Liam Payne after his shock death, and urged record companies to give their young talent help in managing fame.
Mikey Graham took to X to offer his condolences after the One Direction star fell to his death from the third floor of a room in the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aries yesterday.
The former 90s singer added that more needed to be done to protect young people in the industry as ‘fame can be very damaging’.
He wrote: ‘Rip Liam Payne. Such tragic news. I think it would be a wise move for record companies to have psychologists on their books from now on in his memory as a duty of care for the vulnerability of their young talent.
‘Fame can be very damaging especially in today’s world. Lots of money. Nobody to help. Lots of yes people. Nobody honest.’
Mikey Graham took to X to offer his condolences after the One Direction star fell to his death from the third floor of a room in the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aries yesterday
The English star rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, alongside his former bandmates Harry, 30, Niall Horan , 31, Zayn Malik , 31, and Louis Tomlinson , 32
The English star rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, alongside his former bandmates Harry, 30, Niall Horan, 31, Zayn Malik, 31, and Louis Tomlinson, 32.
He had discussed his own mental health struggles while in One Direction in a conversation back in 2021, where he addressed alcoholism and suicidal ideation on The Diary of a CEO podcast.
‘I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be. Where’s rock bottom for me? And you would never have seen it. I’m very good at hiding it. No one would ever have seen it,’ he said.
‘There is some stuff that I have definitely never, never spoken about. It was really, really, really severe. And it was a problem. And it was only until I saw myself after that, I was like ‘Right, I need to fix myself,’ he continued.
He also opened up about drinking.
Liam died in Buenos Aires after falling from a hotel on Wednesday evening; He is pictured in 2023
‘The problem was… the best way to secure us, because of how big it got, was to lock us in a room. And, of course, what is in the room? A minibar,’ he explained.
‘At a certain point, I just thought, ‘Well, I’m going to have a party for one,’ and that just seemed to carry on throughout many years of my life.’
‘It was wild, but it was the only way you could get the frustration out in the day,’ he said.
The popstar had reportedly arrived in the Latin American country earlier this month to attend his ex bandmate Horan’s concert.
Local police have since launched an investigation into the sudden death, as tributes flood in the wake of the tragedy.
A statement from local police said they arrived to the hotel after they were ‘informed of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol’.
The English star rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, alongside his former bandmates Harry, Niall, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson; (L-R) Liam, Niall, Louis, Zayn and Harry in 2013
Boyzone were formed in 1993 by pop manager Louis Walsh who was looking to make an ‘Irish Take That’ (L-R Ronan, Mikey Graham, Stephen Gately, Shane and Keith)
The band officially split in 2000, but have frequently got back together for landmark tours (pictured on stage in 2019)
Boyzone achieved international fame as well as six UK No.1s – including Words, No Matter What, All That Matters To Me and You Needed Me.
The band officially split in 2000, but have frequently got back together for landmark tours – including the Back Again…No Matter What tour in 2009 – which was the last time they’d perform as a five-piece.
The band also reunited in 2013 to celebrate their 20th anniversary with a tour and new releases.
In 2018, Boyzone confirmed their plans to split for good after releasing one final album dedicated to late bandmate Stephen Gately.
The band revealed they would call it quits after their 25th anniversary tour and album.
It was a tribute to Stephen – who tragically died suddenly in 2009 of a congenital heart defect aged 33.
