Alice Lane reflects on the nostalgic love that our generation holds for our childhood music heroes
For many Gen Z’s, the tragic and shocking death of former One Direction star Liam Payne is among the first of celebrity deaths that has provoked a truly emotional response. While the death of a celebrity, particularly one of such a young age, is always a devastating occurrence, Payne’s passing feels like something that our generation was not prepared for, nor ready to experience. One fan encapsulates the specifics of this incomprehensible feeling: “this is the first time I have seen the full rise of a celebrity, had them be such a big part of my childhood, then heard about their passing.”
Rising to fame in 2010, The X Factor child star, only sixteen at the time, was thoughtfully placed with his bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik. Little did they know they would become overnight heartthrobs, often being labelled “the new beatles”, and selling more than fifty-million records worldwide before their unfortunate hiatus in 2016
“Payne’s passing feels like something that our generation was not prepared for, nor ready to experience.
Liam Payne then embarked on his own successful journey as a solo artist, with well-known hits such as “Strip That Down” giving One Direction fans a taste of his undeniable potential aside from his successes in the group.
On October 16th, 2024, authorities were called to the hotel in the Buenos Aires area of Argentina where Payne was staying, seeking help for a guest who was “trashing the entire room” due to “drugs and alcohol”. Sadly, when they arrived, the well-known star was found deceased after falling from his third-floor balcony. The unfortunate extent of his injuries was said to be “incompatible with life”, and therefore attempts to save him at the scene would have proved futile.
An outpour of love and support was immediately radiated by his tragic death, with many fans even visiting the hotel of his passing to pay their respects. They grieved in unity: crying, holding candles and singing to mourn the loss of their idol. Through seeing the scope of thoughtful vigils held, from the intimate location of his death, all the way to his hometown of Wolverhampton, the deeper significance of fandom was highlighted to many. It is easy to dismiss interests in popular culture as perhaps shallow or superficial, especially when pitted up against the news of pressing global events.
However, popular culture, for many, is a form of escapism and momentary comfort from the universal political and economic circumstances that consume a large portion of the media.
“a community can simultaneously be recognised as a support system and form of comfort.
The notion of fandom is often reduced to the misogynistic presumption of ‘screaming girls’, but in tragic instances such as these, where the centre of a fandom passes, the establishment of a community can simultaneously be recognised as a support system and form of comfort. The personal attachment to a particular artist with which we may connect becomes a collective process of grief for fans: they may prefer to grieve alone, but they are never forced to, and that is what makes some aspects of fandom so special.
The true beauty of fandom is also elevated by social media outlets and online forums such as Tik Tok and Instagram, where fans from across the globe can connect through their mutual love for the former One-Direction star.
“the artistic and personal attachments we make to our idols are valid, as much as our grief.
Much as his death is untimely, dire and devastating, the public response to it has shown a measure of humanity: positioning something rather beautiful in the face of such upsetting circumstances. While most Liam Payne fans did not know him personally, the artistic and personal attachments we make to our idols are valid, as much as our grief.
So, if you know of someone who may be a fan, it might brighten their day if you reach out, affirming that they are not alone in navigating this new and difficult process of losing someone they looked up to.
For more Comment articles:
Do Patriarchal Structures Continue to Undermine Women’s Autonomy?
Comments