Niall Horan is speaking out following the death of former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne, saying he is “absolutely devastated at the passing of an amazing friend.”

“It just doesn’t feel real,” Horan wrote early Friday on Instagram alongside a black-heart emoji.

“Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure,” he recalled fondly.

“All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness.

“We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime,” he said.

Horan said he felt “so fortunate” to have recently seen his old bandmate, who was in Argentina when he died because he wanted to see one of Horan’s concerts there.

“I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking,” he said.

Payne, alongside his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, traveled to Buenos Aries, Argentina, to see Horan, 31, perform on October 2.

“We’re going to Argentina,” the “Sunshine” singer says in an Instagram story. “One, because we want to. Two, because we want to. And three, because Niall Horan’s playing down there and I think we might just go and say hello.”

Payne added: “It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken. We’ve got a lot to talk about and I would like to square up a couple of things with the boy. No bad vibes or nothing like that but we just need to talk.”

The “Strip That Down” singer was spotted on camera at Horan’s concert.

Two weeks later, on October 16, Payne died after falling from his balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel. Cassidy had gone back to Florida solo just two days prior.

Medical officials said Payne fractured his skull and died from “very serious injuries” following the fall.

Buenos Aires emergency services chief Alberto Crescenti said first responders arrived at the hotel after receiving an emergency phone call from its manager.

“Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life,” the top medic said, according to La Nacion. “The team could do absolutely nothing. There was no resuscitation because it was confirmed that he had died. The whole body had very serious injuries.”

A newly released autopsy report shows that Payne might have been unconscious when he fell from the hotel balcony.

The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 16 reported the position of Payne’s body on the ground, as well as his injuries, indicated he could have “fallen while in a state of semi or total unconsciousness,” the report revealed Thursday.

Horan and Payne first met each other when they both auditioned on “The X Factor” in 2010. The pair, alongside Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles, were grouped together on the show by Simon Cowell and guest judge Nicole Scherzinger.

Though the boy group came in third place that year, they went on to record five studio albums, toured extensively and win dozens of accolades from the Brit Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard Awards, Kids’ Choice Awards and more.

Malik, 31, left the band in 2015 to pursue a solo career. In November of that year, One Direction released its last studio album, “Made in the A.M.”

A year later, the rest of the band went on an “indefinite hiatus” and pursued successful solo careers.

After leaving the band, Horan signed a record label deal in 2016 and released his first solo album, “Flicker,” in 2017. He released his second album, ” Heartbreak Weather,” in 2020 and his third, “The Show.” in 2023.

Styles, 30, also supported Horan during his concert at Co-op Live in Manchester, England, in August 2024.

The former band members of One Direction released a joint statement following Liam Payne’s tragic death at 31.  

“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” reads the statement from Malik, Styles, Horan and Tomlinson. “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, 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,” they added. “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.”

Cowell stopped filming on “Britain’s Got Talent” following the tragic news.

“Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, BGT has decided to postpone today’s auditions in Blackpool. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” reads a statement from Applause Store, which sells tickets for the live show’s filming, posted to X on October 17.

A spokesperson for the show’s producer also confirmed the show’s postponement to the Herald, saying, “Due to the tragic passing of Liam Payne, we have decided to postpone the Britain’s Got Talent auditions.”

Payne’s family also released a statement.

“Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny, and brave soul,” they said. “We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”

Payne is also survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with singer Cheryl Cole.