Simon Cowell Reveals Last And Deepest Chances Of Liam Payne

Simon Cowell (Instagram @simoncowell)

JAKARTA - British music and talent producer Simon Cowell has finally spoken out about the tragic departure of former One Direction member Liam Payne, including about their last meeting.

Payne, who turned into a solo artist after a huge success with One Direction, died in October last year as he fell from the balcony of the third floor at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Argentine prosecutor's office released the results of an investigation stating that the cause of death of the 31-year-old man was multipel trauma and internal and external bleeding.

Cowell, who has a personal close relationship with Payne, told how the news of the death hit him so hard. He also recalled the last moment of their togetherness.

"When I heard the news, it really hit me. I met him a year before this happened. He came to my house. We talked about his son and became a father," recalls Cowell, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone.

He also recalled the advice he had given, "I remember saying, 'Music is not everything. Don't let it take control of your life anymore. Find other things you love.' You ask yourself that question: 'Can I do something more?'"

Cowell then reflected on Payne's fate had he never joined One Direction. He also shared about the conversations he recently had with Payne's parents.

"What will happen to Liam if he is not in the band? After talking to his mother and father recently, what they keep telling me is that he is very proud of what he has accomplished," he said.

"I wish I could turn back time, of course. When I spoke to him that day, I felt really good about him. I thought, 'Wow, you seem to be in a really good place.'"

As for the sad news of Payne's death, Cowell had shared emotional respect on social media.

"You never really know how you feel about someone until a moment like this happens," he wrote. "Liam, I'm devastated. Broken heart. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I shed is a memory of you."

Cowell went on to add a personal picture of Payne's figure, "I want to tell you what I'll always tell thousands of people who always ask me. What's Liam like? And I'll tell them you're good, funny, sweet, caring, talented, humble, focused. And how much love you love music. And how much love you sincerely have for the fans."

For information, Cowell is the central figure in Payne's career. He signed One Direction to his label, Syco, after the group took third place in The X Factor 2010, where Cowell himself served as the main judge.

The group then scored five studio albums and successfully sold more than 70 million records globally.