Liam Payne's sister reveals his text message after One Direction was formed

Liam Payne may not be alive to witness the 16th anniversary of One Direction’s formation, but his sister thinks he’s “up there” celebrating all the same.

Thursday, July 23, marked 16 years since the iconic boyband was formed during X Factor Season 7, with members Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik likely unaware that they were going to make history.

This was apparent in Payne’s text message to his family, which his sister, Ruth Gibbins, revealed on Instagram on the band’s 16th birthday.

Dated July 23, 2010, at 8:09 PM, a then 17-year-old Payne wrote simply, “Im in a boyband.”

Alongside the text screenshot, Gibbins wrote, “16 years… I don’t have the words atm for any of this, I just know Liam would celebrate today as he was so proud of this band and so this is for him, for being part of the best boyband ever.”

She continued, “@liampayne miss you. you should be here. I hope someone up there is sitting listening to you sing your songs and all your memories you have to tell today.”

One Direction would go on to become one of the most iconic boybands in the world. They broke up after only five years, but the boys would go on to pursue successful solo careers.

Sadly, Payne passed away in October 2024 at the age of 31.