Shawn Mendes shares 'unlikely' connection with Liam Payne

Shawn Mendes dedicated his unreleased track Heart of Gold to the late One Direction singer Liam Payne following his death on Wednesday, October 16.

The 31-year-old, who fell to his death from third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, has struck a chord with his fans, family, and fellow artists across the music industry.

During his recent performance at Brooklyn Paramount Theater in New York on Friday, October 18, Mendes delivered a heartfelt speech about the singer’s unexpected death.

Speaking of Payne, whom he claimed to have met “a couple of times,” the Mercy singer said, “He was a beautiful soul and his eyes gleamed. It was beauty shining through his eyes.

“It’s about grieving those we miss with tears and it’s also about celebrating them and who they were and what they left in this world."

Expressing his love for the late legend, he enthused, “I just want to take a second to send so much love to him wherever he is up there. Liam, we love you. The world is crying for you, brother, and we’re all praying for your son and your family. I miss you.”

He then quickly went on to dedicate his unreleased track to Payne as he belted out lyrics that said, “You had a heart of gold/You left too soon/It was out of your control/Underneath your skin and bone/You had a heart of gold.”

The 26-year-old announced, “This one’s for you tonight, Liam, from all of us.”