Former One Direction member Liam Payne was laid to rest Wednesday at a private funeral service attended by his former bandmates and close friends. Payne died on Oct. 16 at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The service, held at an undisclosed location outside London, saw the attendance of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan, who paid their respects to their former bandmate. Malik rescheduled dates on his U.K. tour to be able to attend. Also present were Simon Cowell, who created One Direction on the X Factor in 2010, and TV presenter James Corden.
Payne’s death, which authorities attributed to internal and external bleeding and multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the fall, sent shockwaves through the music world. The four remaining One Direction members shared a joint tribute on the band’s Instagram, expressing their devastation and vowing to cherish their memories of him.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” the statement read. “We will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
Payne’s family, in a statement released shortly after his death, described him as “kind, funny and brave” and said he would “forever live in our hearts.”
The singer rose to fame as part of One Direction, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time after placing third on the U.K. X Factor. One Direction released five albums, *Up All Night* (2011), *Take Me Home* (2012), *Midnight Memories* (2013), *Four* (2014) and *Made in the A.M.* (2015), and achieved hit songs including “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” “Little Things” and “Steal My Girl.”
Payne also had a successful solo career, with hits like “Strip That Down” and “Bedroom Floor.” He is survived by his son, Bear, whom he shares with former X Factor judge Cheryl Cole, and his girlfriend at the time of his death, Kate Cassidy, who was also present at the funeral.
Argentine authorities have arrested a hotel staffer and an alleged local drug dealer in connection with Payne’s death, which occurred while he was under the influence of narcotics, according to local news outlet La Nacion. Authorities are also investigating an Argentine businessman’s home in connection with the incident.