AJ McLean reveals he texted Liam Payne out of concern just one day before his death

AJ McLean contacted boyfriend Liam Payne 24 hours earlier out of concern his tragic death.

The Backstreet Boys member, 46, grew close to the One Direction member, 31, while the two were filming the movie. upcoming Netflix series ‘Building the Band’ in which Payne served as a guest judge and McLean hosted.

McLean told the Los Angeles Times that he and Payne bonded over their unique experiences as teenage heartthrobs who later fight against substance abuse. He told the outlet that they spoke almost every day on WhatsApp even after the show ends.

However, Payne reportedly went radio silent about him in the weeks leading up to his death, prompting McLean to become increasingly concerned about his friend’s well-being.

“Hey man, are you okay?” McLean texted the ‘Strip That Down’ singer on October 15 – one day before his fatal fall.

Payne never replied.

Argentinian authorities believe that the ‘For You’ singer was unconscious when he fell from a third-floor hotel balcony. Security footage allegedly showed him fainted before falling over the railing.

An autopsy revealed that Payne had done so crack, benzodiazepine and ‘pink cocaine’ a mix of designer drugs, in his system at the time of his death.

“I feel like there will never be a definitive answer as to why this happened. That’s the most painful thing to deal with. Why now? Why this way?” McLean told the outlet on Friday. “But there’s no rhyme or reason when you’re in pain and looking for escape.

“I can torture my brain about ‘Why didn’t he respond?’ But I get it. I just hope people remember him for what he was: a huge heart and a huge talent.”

McLean described Payne as “an absolute light” with “such an old soul.”

“But you could tell that you were talking to someone who had seen something, who had not lived a normal life,” he added.

The “Everybody” singer considered himself an “older brother” to Payne and believed his relapse was very recent.

McLean told the Times he does not believe Payne used drugs during the filming of the competition series, which wrapped in August.

He said they often “talked openly about sobriety, shared stories and tested each other. We can all laugh about it because if you’re still around to talk about it, that means you’re going in the right direction.”

Almost a week after the shocking death of Payne, McLean told TMZ He couldn’t ‘fathom’ losing his ‘friend’.

“We just finished filming a show together,” he told the outlet. “We spent six weeks together and it’s absolutely tragic. I’m still processing it.”

McLean, who celebrated three years of sobriety noted in September that “addiction is real.”

“I went through it and luckily I came out the other side, but I’m one of the few,” he said.

In light of Payne’s death, “Building the Band” has been put on hold. The streaming giant reportedly plans to “sit down with Liam’s family when the time is right to discuss the series and when it could be released.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the issues addressed in this story, please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Hotline at 800-662-4357.