Louis Tomlinson offers emotional tribute to late friend Liam Payne in new single 'Dark to Light'

Jan 25, 2026

Los Angeles [US], January 25 : Singer Louis Tomlinson appears to have offered an emotional tribute to his late friend and former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne, adding a poignant song to his latest album 'How Did I Get Here?'
In a heartfelt move to pour his heart out through music, Tomlinson recently dropped a new single titled 'Dark to Light', leaving fans moved to tears as they quickly made sense of the lyrics and their meanings.
Lines like "Is there anything that I can do? I wish you could see how you look in my eyes, one more time. Could it bring you from dark to light?" and "No phoenix in the flames
There's only empty photographs" have caught the internet's attention as Louis Tomlinson soulfully sings.
https://youtu.be/02QyA29poAM?si=gqBYVkyJi99h8Uq4
Quick to connect the dots, fans also remembered Liam Payne's appearance on Rita Ora's 2018 'Phoenix Tour', where the duo performed 'For You', as per TMZ.
Payne passed away in October 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
At the time, Louis Tomlinson, in a heartbreaking post, mourned the singer's passing and wrote, "I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul. I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I'd longed all my life for. Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band."
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBPRBySzeJW/
On the work front, Tomlinson is set for his next musical tour across the UK, Europe, the US, and Australia.
The tour arrives on the heels of his newly released album, 'How Did I Get Here?', marking his third full-length project since launching his solo career after One Direction's hiatus.