Harry Styles has opened up about the emotional toll of losing his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.
Appearing on the Wednesday, March 4 episode of The Zane Lowe Show, the Aperture hitmaker explained why the loss was particularly “difficult” after his former One Direction bandmate death.
"I mean, full transparency, it's something that I ... even the idea of talking about it, I struggle with that a little bit even," Styles, 32, said of coping with the loss.
He went on to say, "There was a period when he passed away where I really struggled with acknowledging how strange it is to have people kind of like own part of your grief in a way."
Styles recalled that he had "such strong feelings around my friend passing away" but there was "a desire from other people of you to convey that in some way, or it means you're not feeling what you're feeling or something."
"It's so difficult to lose a friend. It's difficult to lose any friend, but it's so difficult to lose a friend who is so like you in so many ways," the Eternals star added.
He continued, "I saw someone with the kindest heart who just wanted to be great."
Styles also mentioned that the loss of Payne led him to rethink what he truly wanted in life.
"It was a really important moment for me in terms of taking a look at my life and being able to say to myself, ‘Okay, what do I want to do with my life? How do I want to live my life?’" he recalled.
Styles added, "And I think the greatest way you can honor your friends who pass away is by living your life to the fullest."
To note, Liam Payne died in October 2024 at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
