Harry Styles' new song lyrics dedicated to Liam Payne after struggling to publicly speak about his death

Marking the anniversary of his former bandmate’s death, Harry Styles performed an unreleased song at his Madison Square Garden concert last night (16 October).

Liam Payne died on 16 October 2024 at the age of 31 after he fell from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires while intoxicated.

The One Direction lads have made various tributes to the singer, with Niall Horan recently featuring audio of his voice when performing a song written for him.

And now Styles has also penned a new track, after previously opening up about how he’s struggled with talking about Payne publicly.

Ahead of singing ‘What Is Enough’, Styles told fans he wrote it for ‘for my friend about two years ago’ as he acknowledged ‘many people’ who have ‘touched my life in such special ways’.

Harry and Liam were in One Direction together for six years. (Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

‘What is Enough’ lyrics

Speaking on stage at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Styles said: “I feel incredibly lucky to get to play these shows here in New York, and this building means a lot to me.

“There are so many people in my life, friends and people that I’ve worked with that I wouldn’t have been able to do this without.

“And two years ago today, I lost one of those friends.”

Acknowledging those who have made an impact on his life, he added: “I wouldn’t be here without them.”

And from the viral videos of his performance, the lyrics of the new track (from what we can make out clearly) are as follows:

"In the early morning rain

And the flicker of the light

In the kisses of the waves

I’m rustling through the shades

It’s not really the time

Is it just another lie?

Instead of my arms are wide

You dance until you’re tired

Among the stars above, the friend in all those satellites

Do you?

I’m not wise enough

But I wrote you a letter just to burn it up

And watch it rise

Like you're in the sky

[unclear]

Just wasn’t enough

To help you understand what you leave behind

I could tell you what it’s like

To bury friends on a Wednesday nights

Gathered in the garden 'round a fire

You dance until you’re tired

Now you don't

Now you never will, will you?

I’m not wise enough to call for a conversation

And then back it up

Why?

Like you in the sky.”

Harry is currently in New York as part of his Together, Together tour. (Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Harry on talking about Liam’s death

Speaking with Zane Lowe for Apple music, the star spoke about how it’s been difficult to mourn and speak about his late bandmate publicly.

"Full transparency, I struggle with that a little bit even," he said. "I think there was a period when he passed away where I really struggled with kind of acknowledging how strange it is to have people kind of own part of your grief in a way."

He continued: "I have such strong feelings around my friend passing away. And then suddenly being, you know, like aware of there's maybe like a desire from other people of you to convey that in some way, or it means you’re not feeling what you're feeling or something, you know?"

Styles said it is ‘so difficult’ to lose a friend like this.

“It’s difficult to lose any friend, but it’s so difficult to lose a friend who is so like you in so many ways,” he continued. “It’s like, I saw someone with the kindest heart who just wanted to be great.”

The ‘Aperture’ singer said that it has made him look at his own life and how he wants to live it as he added: “And I think the greatest way you can honour your friends who pass away is by living your life to the fullest."