The release of a new song by Liam Payne has been postponed after his collaborator said “it’s not the time yet” and he wants to let the singer’s family “mourn in peace”.
The One Direction star, who died two weeks ago, co-wrote and sang on the track Do No Wrong with North Carolina singer Sam Pounds.
Pounds had said the song would be released on Friday, 1 November, and he hoped it would “eclipse the negative echoes” surrounding Payne’s death.
But, in a statement on Tuesday, Pounds said he was “deciding to hold Do No Wrong and leave those liberties up to all family members”.
He added: “I want all proceeds go to a charity of their choosing (or however they desire).
“Even though we all love the song it’s not the time yet. We are all still mourning the passing of Liam and I want the family to mourn in peace and in prayer.
“We will all wait.”
Fans thanked Pounds for delaying the song’s full release, with one saying it was the “right decision” while another said “there will be a right time for it in the future but for now we mourn”.
Last week, Pounds posted clips of the pair in the studio, filmed by Payne’s sister Ruth, who co-wrote the track.
He also posted artwork showing an angel below a broken black heart.
Talking about its planned official release, Pounds wrote on X: “I pray that this will be a blessing to the world like Liam has always dreamed.
“I pray angels will comfort you all every day while listening. I pray that this song will be a blessing to Ruth, Bear, and the entire family.”
Payne shared his seven-year-old son, Bear, with Girls Aloud star Cheryl, who he was in a relationship with from 2016 to 2018.
Following his death, all five One Direction albums have returned to the UK top 40.
After leaving the group, Payne had top 10 hits with Rita Ora and Quavo. His last solo song, Teardrops, which was released earlier this year, reached number 85.
The 31-year-old singer, who grew up in Wolverhampton, died when he fell from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires on 16 October.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Argentina is continuing to investigate the circumstances around his death. (BBC News)
