NEWS
Justin Bieber is empathizing with grieving fans following the death of Liam Payne.
Five days after the former One Direction star died at 31 years old after falling from the third story of his hotel in Buenos Aires, the “Sorry” singer reposted an emotional reel of videos taken at fan memorials for Payne all around the world via his Instagram Story on Monday (Oct. 21). “Just remember, you are allowed to grieve as a fan,” a voice-over on the video states.
“You are allowed to love someone you never met,” it continues. “You are allowed to admire someone for their art. You are allowed to cry, to pray, to feel like a part of you is gone. Even if they never knew your name, they changed your world.”
Over the video, the “Baby” artist added a simple heartbreak emoji.
As seen in the video shared by Bieber, fans have been gathering in London, Glasgow, Paris, Sydney, New York City and more locations to sing and cry together while mourning Payne with flowers, photos and candles. The musician died Oct. 16 and is survived by a 7-year-old son, Bear.
Payne is believed to have been alone when he died, according to a recent preliminary autopsy report. Moments before he fell to his death, a hotel manager called 911 to report that a guest was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol” and “destroying [their] entire room”; by the time police arrived in response, the “Strip That Down” artist had already fallen and suffered multiple fatal hemorrhages.
The initial autopsy also concluded that Payne likely had drugs in his system when he died, which new toxicology test results confirm. Among those substances was a recreational drug called “pink cocaine” — a mix of substances that often contains ketamine combined with MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, opioids and/or psychoactive substances — and authorities are currently investigating who provided Payne with the drugs.
Bieber is just the latest star to post in the aftermath of Payne’s death, with the late singer’s sisters, girlfriend and former One Direction bandmates all posting statements over the past few days. In 2022, Payne opened up about a time he met up with Bieber in a trailer to defuse perceived tensions between 1D and two-time Grammy winner, telling Logan Paul: “I was like, ‘Dude, I’ve always felt for you … I’ve done all the things you’ve done and I’ve never been caught for any of them.'”
Payne also said at the time that he’d told Bieber that they both “suffer from the same disease,” but that he’d at least had bandmates to lean on in hard times. “‘And I know in your camp you’re you and there’s no one like you, so you can’t turn around and have that shoulder,’” Payne recalled telling Bieber. “And he was like, ‘Bro, that’s giving me chills.’”
Smashing Pumpkins are hoping to bring their A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness production to the Las Vegas Sphere for a one of a kind performance centered around the legendary 1995 album.
Billy Corgan is stepping away from traditional rock venues and leaning into the world of opera with his large scale A Night of Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness tour, which transforms the band’s iconic record into a full orchestral and operatic experience.
Even though the group has not officially been invited to perform at the cutting edge venue in Las Vegas, Corgan admitted he would immediately embrace the opportunity.
Speaking with KROQ, he explained: “It’s a no-doubter for us. We just haven’t been asked yet.
“See, if the Sphere came to us and said, ‘We’d love you to do all of Mellon Collie with that production.’ Now, that makes sense to me to do something like that, to build the show around the album.
"Then you have a chance to recast the songs and the music in a different dynamic.”
The performance sees Corgan joined by acclaimed solo vocalists and complete orchestras, reshaping some of Smashing Pumpkins’ most beloved songs into expansive classical arrangements.
The project first premiered in Chicago and received overwhelming praise, with audiences and reviewers applauding the powerful reinterpretations of songs such as 1979 and Tonight, Tonight.
Corgan shared that the experience has become one of the most meaningful achievements of his artistic journey.
He said: “The success of translating Mellon Collie into operatic and classical form has been one of the most satisfying experiences of my life. Where on each of the 7 sold out nights in Chicago, we’d finish within the raucous wave of a standing ovation. So to now take it on the road, and to Europe, too says this magical dream doesn’t have to end.”
The production was developed by Corgan alongside Grammy nominated conductor James Lowe, who added: "It has been so gratifying to discover how the nuances and layers of Mellon Collie reveal themselves in fresh new ways in these symphonic, choral and operatic settings. To now have the opportunity to perform this work in Europe with world class musicians in such important venues is nothing short of thrilling."
The lineup features vocalists Ed Parks, Sydney Mancasola, Zoie Reams, Dominick Valdes Chenes and Dean Murphy. The wardrobe for the production was created by House of Gilles designers Gilles Mendel and Chloé Mendel Corgan.
The upcoming run will include several September performances throughout the UK, Belgium, France and Spain, highlighted by two special evenings at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
