Victoria Canal has opened up about the tragic death of Liam Payne and expressed concern about the “lethality of the internet” following his death.
The former One Direction singer died at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wednesday (October 16). According to The Guardianthe Argentine prosecutors revealed that Payne’s cause of death was due to multiple trauma and internal and external bleeding – his head injury was severe enough to cause death.
Canal took to her official Instagram account to pay tribute to the ‘Little Things’ singer, sharing a lengthy statement about how Payne was mocked and hated online before his death and how she feels ‘cheated by the promise of some’ success ‘ is” in the industry.
“If Liam Payne’s unexpected early death has hit you as hard as it has hit me, you’re probably thinking about what it says about the state of our society and mental health in this sector. You probably heard the details of the 911 call, saw the photos of the destroyed hotel room, and read the condolences,” her statement began.
She continued: “Just days before his death, Liam was brutally ripped apart online for a seemingly idiotic display of ego when he danced at Niall Horan’s show in Argentina. Millions of people anonymously mocked him online for being overconfident, insensitive and arrogant. This is a person who, at age 14, was contractually obligated to fulfill an overly rigorous promo and tour schedule, was far too famous to function normally, was driven to alcohol, and felt some semblance of relief.
The musician was referring to Horan’s show at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aries, where the ‘Strip That Down’ singer was in attendance. While sitting in a VIP box, Payne started dancing to the ‘Macarena’ and encouraged fans to cheer him on.
People took to social media to take to Payne’s actions during his former bandmate’s headlining show. They called his actions “painful,” while others claimed he was trying to “lighten the glory days.”
Canal went on to explain that she was so affected by Payne’s passing and the situation he found himself in because “even after he had achieved everything an artist could hope for, and after he had the financial stability one could only hope for dreams, this young man died alone in the hands of addiction, thinking that the whole world hated him.
She added that as an artist who feels “desperate” to achieve the success Payne once had, she feels duped by “the promise of what ‘success’ is in this industry.”
“The truth is, the more eyes are on you, the more authority people think they have over their anonymous cruelty and opinions about you,” she wrote, adding that as an artist she has come to realize that “success in music should not, cannot, be my ‘reason’, my goal.”
She concluded her statement by saying that it has become clear to her how important the people closest to you are, emphasizing the importance of “truly finding value in yourself outside of your art, outside of your product, your streams, your brand, your bank account etc. Now more than ever I feel this desperate desire to connect with the artists around me and say: you are not alone, I am not alone. We are not the only ones.”
The former NME Cover star is the latest to comment on Payne’s struggles and the issues between mental health and the music industry. Robbie Williams also recently shared a tribute to the late singer and encouraged people to be “more careful” with the comments they make to people in the public eye.
The “Angels” singer continued, “I still had my demons at 31. I relapsed. I was in pain. I was in pain because I relapsed. I relapsed for a multitude of painful reasons. I remember Heath Ledger coming over and thinking, ‘I’m next.’ By the grace of God and/or dumb luck, I’m still here.
“Unfortunately, the internet will remain the internet. Unfortunately, the media will remain the media and fame will remain fame.”
Sharon Osbourne also accused the music industry of “abandoning” Payne, writing in an Instagram post: “Liam, my heart hurts. We’ve all disappointed you. Where was this industry when you needed it? You were just a kid when you found yourself working in one of the toughest industries in the world. Who was in your corner? Rest in peace my friend”
Osbourne’s tribute to Payne follows comments from Katie Waissel, who took part in the talent show with One Direction and called for more “care and support for young artists”. Similarly, Rebecca Ferguson, who finished second on the same season of the show, paid tribute to Payne and also spoke out against the “exploitation and profiteering of young stars.”
The X factorwhich ended in 2018, also shared a post on social media writing: “He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy to the music industry and fans around the world.”
Yesterday (October 17), surviving One Direction members Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles shared a joint statement on Payne’s death, expressing their devastation and that they would need time “to grieve and recover.” loss of our brother, whom we loved dearly.”
Styles, Tomlinson and Malik also shared their own individual statements, with Styles writing: I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honor to stand next to him as he did that.”
Payne’s family also released a statement saying: “We are heartbroken. Liam will live on in our hearts forever and we will remember him for his kind, funny and courageous soul. We support each other as a family as best we can and ask for privacy and space during this terrible time.”
