A shriek followed by hysterical sobs. Those nearest instinctively raised their heads in concern but the sobs did not cease. A middle-aged female reached her first.

“What on Earth is the matter with you?” The sobs were violent and loud and for a moment it was all the young girl could do. We waited for her to calm down as the bus took a left.

“Liam Payne is dead,” she finally managed.
“Who?”
“Liam Payne!” Murmurs rippled around the bus. Behind me, a man wearing a turban asked who that was. The girl didn’t answer but stared at her phone, reading the news article. It was confirmed: Liam Payne has died in Argentina, aged 31.

Liam Payne is an English singer and songwriter and former member of the boy band One Direction. 1D came together in 2010 during the X-Factor UK and quickly amassed a massive following, especially in adolescents. The frenzy of their fans often led to whole streets being closed during concert tours. While the band separated in 2016, they remain one of the best-selling boy bands of all time with over 70 million records sold worldwide as of 2020.

The 1D craze had affected me as well. In high school, I purchased their first three albums – Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), and Midnight Memories (2013) – and knew a dozen songs by heart. Pop wasn’t my favourite genre but there was something special in singing familiar tunes together with a group of fans. There were people I met through 1D who I never would have met otherwise. This is one of the powers of art: connecting strangers through a common love. So when the group separated in 2016 to pursue individual projects, I secretly hoped they would return to write songs that would unite people. I think many people did.

Looking at the young girl on the bus, I saw a generation’s hopes fall with her tears. While fans’ reactions to celebrity deaths might seem overdramatic, they represent something deeper: the end of an era, the loss of shared memories, the realisation that time moves relentlessly forward. These artists soundtrack our lives, their songs becoming timestamps for friendships, loves and connection.

Rest in peace.