Simon Cowell recalled a special moment with Liam Payne that occurred a year before the former One Direction member’s death. “You came to see me last year. Not for a meeting. Just to sit and talk. And we reminisced about all the fun times we had together.

Simon Cowell, The X Factor judge who played a vital role in One Direction’s rise into the spotlight, has issued a statement following Liam Payne’s death. Simon had previously been slammed for focusing on the profits made by an artist rather than their mental health—especially when Liam turned to alcohol as a way to cope with the “isolation” he struggled with while on tour.