After news of One Direction’s Liam Payne’s death broke, fans worldwide shared their sorrow and sent condolences to his family and friends. The sudden passing shocked everyone, especially since nobody was ready to say goodbye to the young artist.
Local Directioners were heartbroken too, knowing that their favourite childhood singer is no longer with them. Following the news, radio stations across Malaysia played One Direction songs and Liam’s solo tracks as a tribute to the late superstar. However, many believe that Fly FM and Hitz FM may have gone too far with their tributes.
Recently, the two radio stations posted on their social media platforms that they will be holding a physical memorial in Kuala Lumpur for the singer. Hitz FM has since deleted the posts, with the message only remaining on Fly FM’s Facebook page. But it was too late – the move had sparked major criticism amongst locals. Some netizens were shocked to see a tribute being organised for a foreign artist who had never contributed to the local music industry.
Others argued that it would be a waste of time, with some saying Payne was not worth celebrating due to his lifestyle and history of substance abuse, not to mention his alleged abuse towards his ex-lover. Some also claimed that he stood with Israel because of a tweet he posted over a decade ago. However, in more recent times, Payne has shown clear support for Palestine by posting donation links and encouraging fans to do the best they can to support the people of Gaza.
Despite his life history, we agree that harsh words against Payne are uncalled for, because, at the end of the day, his fans lost a special figure to them. Meanwhile, Hitz and Fly FM have yet to clarify what the status of their planned memorial is.
May contributed to this article.
