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BACKGRID
AJ McLean fondly reflects on Liam Payne as “a beacon” in his life following the singer’s recent demise, reminiscing about their shared experiences while collaborating on a new Netflix project.
The Backstreet Boys star addressed the death of the former One Direction member at LAX, where he recounted how he and Liam’s friendship blossomed during their time together on “Building the Band,” a music reality series that gives artists a chance to create the next iconic pop ensemble.
AJ mentioned they had just completed filming the TV program… where he, Liam, Nicole Scherzinger, and Kelly Rowland worked intimately for six weeks and enjoyed “a wonderful time.”
AJ, who has struggled with addiction throughout his life, noted he didn’t witness any red flags during their collaboration… yet acknowledged the two boy band members shared “many similarities.”
While the pair never touched upon their individual journeys of sobriety, AJ expressed that he and Liam frequently discussed “life,” commending the late pop star as “hilarious” and a “genuine sweetheart.”
He continued… “Addiction is a serious issue. Thankfully, I made it through, but I’m among the few who have.”
Currently, AJ is keeping the former bandmates of Liam—Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik—in his thoughts, explaining how members of boybands “often become like family” while collaborating.
As previously reported by TMZ, Liam tragically passed away after falling from a third-story balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday. He had traveled to the South American nation to cheer on Niall’s concert at the Movistar Arena earlier in the month… ultimately leading to his unforeseen demise.
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A visit to maximize your stay in the bustling capital of Argentina.
Law enforcement authorities have announced that Liam leapt from the terrace of his hotel … pointing to substance abuse as a suspected trigger for his unpredictable conduct last week. The preliminary outcomes from Liam’s autopsy are already available … highlighting a toxicology assessment which revealed the presence of cocaine, crack, “Cristal” – the local variation of methamphetamine – alongside other substances in his system.
As previously mentioned, Liam had been asserting his sobriety to acquaintances earlier this year.