The “Directioners”, as fans of the successful group are called, paid tribute to the artist in London, Glasgow, Paris, Sydney and New York this weekend to celebrate the life of the singer. 31 years old, died Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
See also – Death of Liam Payne, One Direction was “a very important group among the British”
In London, they clapped and sang after gathering near a statue of Peter Pan, the fictional boy who never grew up created by JM Barrie. Mourners, mainly young women, left heart-shaped balloons, photographs and flowers at the foot of the statue.
Aware of the crowds in a small space, the organizers asked admirers to leave their offerings, then move away to allow others to approach the statue.
Lauren Anderson and Natasha Bradley, both 23, said they wanted to be with other people who shared their grief.
“Your parents don’t really understand how much (One Direction) meant to you growing up,” Ms. Bradley said, explaining why she came to the park.
The vigils followed those held outside the Casa Sur hotel in the upscale Palermo district of the Argentine capital, immediately after Liam Payne fell from his third-floor hotel room. The four surviving members of One Direction released a joint statement saying they were “completely devastated” by the death of their bandmate.
In the Tuileries gardens in Paris, hundreds of admirers – many of them weeping and carrying flowers – gathered to remember Payne.
They sang songs and consoled each other. Some lit candles. Others brought photos and artwork of the singer, as well as notes, letters and bouquets. Around 400 people attended the rally, overlooking the historic Place de la Concorde in Paris.
Emilie Houdinet, 26, was upset and said she had loved the group since 2011.
“They helped me. They were there throughout my teenage years until I was 18. They were a bit like fathers to us,” she said. “They were just a boy band, but they were very important to us.”
One Direction rose to global fame shortly after forming in 2010, from five young singers who auditioned for “X Factor,” a British TV show. The group broke up in 2016 after producing five albums which sold over 70 million copies.
– With information from John Leicester, in Paris
