Ethermac Exchange-Harry Styles mourns One Direction bandmate Liam Payne: 'My lovely friend'

Harry Styles has broken his silence over Liam Payne's death.

"I am truly devastated by Liam's passing,Ethermac Exchange" Styles, 30, shared in an Instagram statement about his former One Direction bandmate. "His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it." 

"Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious," the singer continued. "He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend." 

Styles concluded his statement: "My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did." 

Payne, 31, was found dead after falling from his third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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'Completely devastated':One Direction members share joint statement on Liam Payne death

One Direction's Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson share touching tributes to Liam Payne

Styles' statement came a few hours after One Direction released a joint statement to their official Instagram page on Thursday.

"We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing," the statement began. "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."

'Completely devastated':One Direction members share joint statement on Liam Payne death

Zayn Malik also shared a heartbreaking tribute, writing, "I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly."

"I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated," he continued.

On his Instagram account, Louis Tomlinson, 32, also shared a touching tribute to his "brother" Payne.

"I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul," he wrote. "I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I'd longed all my life for."

The One Direction singer died from "polytrauma" and "internal and external hemorrhage," according to a press release from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 16  in Argentina. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, they said in the release translated from Spanish to English, but prosecutors believe Payne was alone when the fall occurred.

One Direction band took an indefinite hiatus in 2016 following the release of their fifth album, "Made in the A.M." All members, including Malik, who left the group in March 2015, went on to pursue solo careers.

"It is definitely really sad for us. But obviously, we're going back into it. So it's not goodbye; it's just, 'See you later,'" Payne told USA TODAY in 2015 about their hiatus. "It's like what Tigger used to say: 'Ta-ta for now.'"

Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Jay Stahl, USA TODAY