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Liam Payne and Harry Styles rose to stardom together alongside their fellow One Direction bandmates
Harry Styles has said the death of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne caused him to relook at his life.
The singer opened up about the impact the loss of his friend had on him while discussing the influences for his upcoming fourth album Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally.
Payne died in October 2024 at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
Styles told DJ Zane Lowe on his Apple Music show that it is hard losing any friend, but to lose one who is "like you in so many ways" is "so difficult".
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The singer is set to release his fourth album, Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally, this week
"I saw someone with the kindest heart who just wanted to be great," the 32-year-old said.
"It was a really important moment for me, in terms of taking a look at my life and being able to say to myself: 'OK, what do I want to do with my life? How do I want to live my life?'
"And I think the greatest way you can honour your friends who pass away is by living your life to the fullest."
The pair rose to stardom together alongside their fellow One Direction band members - Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.
The boy band was formed on TV talent contest, The X Factor, back in 2010, before they went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
The group reunited at Payne's funeral to pay tribute to their former band member.
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The band members launched their own solo careers after the group went on an indefinite hiatus
Styles admitted he still struggles to talk about the death of Payne, who he described as a "super special person".
He also said he found it challenging to acknowledge how other people "kind of own part of your grief" and he was aware of a "desire" for his feelings to be conveyed otherwise they would be questioned.
In January, the singer released Aperture - his first single in nearly three years.
Up until then, he had been taking a break from the spotlight after wrapping his Love On Tour shows in summer 2023.
The well-earned rest came after Styles spent over a decade touring and releasing music, first with One Direction and later as a solo artist when he launched his own career in 2017.
Reflecting on his musical influences, he told Lowe some of his favourite musical moments are when you're listening to an artist "discover themselves".
"I think the thing that makes someone like an artist, is letting them watch you be an ordinary person," he said.
"It's not about being 'I am this mystic thing'.
"I think the difference is we're all ordinary people and there's some people who let other people watch you be an ordinary person.
"And I think that is kind of the key in a lot of ways - for me anyway."
