Harry Had a ‘Sixth Sense’ For When Liam Was ‘Struggling’—A Look Back at Their Friendship

July 2010: Liam & Harry meet on The X Factor

Liam Payne and Harry Styles first crossed paths as contestants on the seventh season of the British singing competition, The X Factor. Though they auditioned as solo artists, fate had other plans for them. Liam, then 16, and Harry, also 16, were both nervous but excited as they stepped onto the stage for their auditions; little did they know that this moment would be the beginning of a friendship that would span over a decade.

After their individual journeys through the early phases of the competition, Simon Cowell and the X Factor judges made a decision that would change the course of their lives. They decided to group Liam, Harry, and three other contestants (Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik) into a boy band. One Direction was born, marking the beginning of an incredible journey for the five of them.

2011–2015: World tours and chart-topping success

The years following The X Factor were a whirlwind for Liam, Harry, and the rest of One Direction. As they skyrocketed to fame with hit albums and world tours, their friendship evolved from talent show contestants to brothers-in-arms.

On stage, Liam and Harry were known for their brotherly banter. Fans loved their playful bickering and antics, but there were plenty of sweeter moments, too. During a concert in Charlotte, North Carolina in September 2014, for example, Harry took a break mid-performance just to tie Liam’s shoelaces.

Their bond was evident right up to One Direction’s final performance before their hiatus. At the X Factor UK Final in December 2015 in London, Liam gave Harry a huge, cheeky kiss on the cheek—a gesture that pretty much sums up their years of friendship.

October 2017: A chance encounter in New York City

After One Direction began their hiatus in 2016, Liam and Harry’s paths didn’t cross as frequently. However, a chance encounter in New York City proved that their friendship remained strong. Liam revealed the touching moment during an interview with the U.K.’s The Sun. He shared, “I have bumped into him. He’s been through a rough time recently. God bless him, he was really happy to see me. The funniest thing was we didn’t really talk business.”

He went on to add, “Dunkirk was out and all this was happening, and we just gave each other a big hug. We didn’t say much but you could tell we were really happy to see each other. It was like touching home base.”

November 2019: Harry reflects on friendship and loss

In an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe, Harry Styles shared some thoughts about friendship and loss. While not directly referencing Liam, his words would later take on a deeper meaning for fans. “I think you have those moments where—and every single person does it who’s ever lost a friend, whether you’re close to them or not—I think everyone has that thing of like, I wish I had just asked one more time if they’re okay you know,” Harry said.

He added, “If there’s any positive thing that could possibly come out of that it’s that now the conversations that I have with friends about that stuff is way different. In terms of like, you ask a friend if they’re okay and it’s like ‘yeah, yeah I’m good’ and I’m more prepared to have that ‘No but are you actually okay?'”

November 2019: Liam expresses interest in collaborating with Harry 

In an interview with Hits Radio, Liam showed his support for Harry’s album Fine Line and even expressed interest in a potential collaboration. He said, “From the first song off [‘Fine Line’], I feel like me and Harry could do a really cool song together,” he said. “There could be a good mix between the two things because the first song was kind of funky so I feel like we could break down into some sort of hip-hop-R&B thing halfway through, and have like a little megamix.” Despite their different styles, Liam clearly had plenty of continued appreciation for his former bandmate’s music.

December 2019: Liam reflects on his relationship with Harry

In December 2019, Liam sat for a handful of interviews that shed light on his relationship with Harry and the other One Direction members during their solo careers.

In an interview with The Face Magazine, Liam reflected on the different directions the band members had taken. When asked which former bandmate he’d like to walk down memory lane with, Liam replied, “To be honest with you, more than anyone, probably Harry.” He elaborated on the mystery surrounding Harry’s new persona, saying, “I was looking at some pictures of him the other day, and I just thought: ‘I don’t know what more I’d say to him other than, ‘Hello’ and ‘How are you?’ I mean, look at the stuff I put out and the stuff Harry puts out. Polar opposite. I’m like the antichrist version of what Harry is.”

Liam also expressed admiration for Harry’s bold fashion choices, particularly referencing his Met Gala appearance from earlier that year. “Do you know what? For me, it’s a case of fair play to him for doing what he f—king wants,” he said. “If he wants to wear one earring and go to the Met Gala wearing something unexpected, what of it? Fair f—king play. I couldn’t put myself in that. I’d look f—king…It’d look weird.”

In another interview with Esquire, Liam provided more context about the dynamics within One Direction and how they affected his relationship with Harry. He compared the band to an office environment, explaining, “One Direction was my office. So, if you change everything, just put desks in, in an office environment, some people talk, some people don’t talk, there’s something about someone you absolutely hate, that’s literally the way an office works.”

Liam admitted that he and Harry had grown apart after the band’s hiatus. “With Harry I just didn’t know anything about him. And that’s not his fault or my fault, it’s just the way that that laid out,” he said. However, he was quick to clarify that there was no animosity between them. “I mean, we spoke, me and Harry caught a laugh every so often. It wasn’t like we never spoke, that we just saw him around, but it was not like I’d see him on the weekend, that we’d go out or anything together.”

Despite their different paths, Liam expressed deep respect for Harry. “I don’t have nothing against the boy, I think he’s a beautiful, beautiful person, he’s a very lovely person, and you can see that by how many people he meets that get along with him, the general thing you hear coming back is true. And I can say that from my own experience with him but I just haven’t spoken to him for a number of years because of our music–I’m like the antichrist version, to his christness.”

December 2019: Liam & Harry reunite at the CapitalFM Jingle Bell Ball

Both Liam and Harry performed at the CapitalFM Jingle Bell Ball in December 2019. Later that month, on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Liam discussed their interaction: “We spoke about a number of things. It was good to see him, he was pretty much the same boy that I left him.”

June 2021: Liam & Harry have a heartfelt phone call

During an Instagram Live, Liam shared a touching anecdote about Harry’s intuition. “He called me because he has a sixth sense for if I’m struggling or if one of us is in trouble, I feel like,” Liam revealed. “I spoke to him, and it was a really lovely catch up actually. And I’ve got a lot of love for the man. He’s great, he’s really, really great.”

February 2023: Liam celebrated Harry’s Grammy success

Following Harry’s multiple Grammy Awards wins, Liam posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram: “Wow … this image is really something to wake up to and when you write music like you do. Harry you deserve every millisecond of that moment looking down smiling at the trophy you’ve earned. God bless you brother, congratulations.”

October 2024: Harry’s tribute to Liam

Following the tragic news of Liam’s passing, Harry shared a tribute on his Instagram. He wrote, “I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it,” he wrote. 

Harry went on to celebrate Liam for all that he was when he was alive. “Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving,” he reflected. “The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.”

The “As It Was” singer closed out with his sympathies to Liam’s loved ones and fans, writing, 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.”