Tens of thousands of Australian Olivia Rodrigo fans are seeing their idol in the flesh this week – but before they can enter Qudos Bank Arena, they've got to walk past a confronting sight first.
It was 11 years ago almost to the day when One Direction stepped onto that same stage to perform their first of four Sydney concerts as part of the boyband's Take Me Home Tour.
Now, Liam Payne is dead, and a shrine to the late singer has been erected just outside the venue.
Watch the video above.
READ MORE: Cruel way Liam Payne's sister found out about his death
Olivia Rodrigo has been performing at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena over the last few days. (Getty Images for Live Nation)
Since her first show, Liam Payne has died, and a memorial has been made outside the venue. (TikTok)READ MORE: Three numbers confirm NRL star's lavish Italian wedding
Thousands of One Direction fans flooded city streets across the globe over the weekend, with tributes left at memorials in London, Glasgow, Paris and New York City, among others, for Payne, who died on October 16 (October 17 in Australia) aged 31 after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
One such memorial occurred outside Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena, where the shrine of flowers, photos, handwritten messages and other tributes still lays.
Footage shared to TikTok overnight showed fans of Rodrigo – who tonight is performing the final of her four sold-out GUTS World Tour Sydney shows at the venue – getting emotional as they walked past the memorial on their way inside.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
'Come back in two years': Five words made Liam Payne a star
"Sydney. Still can't believe he really is gone. Deserved so much more," one user wrote alongside footage of the shrine.
"Wish he knew how much he was loved. Fly high Liam."
"Shambles," another TikTok user wrote alongside footage of themselves visiting the shrine on their way into Rodrigo's show.
READ MORE: Pink's cryptic announcement worries fans
The memorial is one of many in cities across the globe. (TikTok)
Fans react as they gather near the Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park, London, over the weekend to mourn Payne. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)READ MORE: 'He will be missed by us all': Iron Maiden rocker dies aged 66
It comes as Payne's sister Nicola Payne broke her silence on the singer's death, revealing she found out about it from a news alert.
"When I saw the news pop up on my phone that you had left us I went cold, I wanted so much for this to be untrue," she wrote.
"I have spent days hoping that it was a mistake and somebody has got it wrong. You were truly too good for this earth, you are an angel who just lived for making people smile and happy."
READ MORE: The smile that has the world doing a double-take
READ MORE: 'The brutal reality' of King Charles III's Australian visit
Over the weekend, Payne's other sister Ruth Gibbins also paid tribute to her brother, as did his exes Cheryl and Danielle Peazer, and his partner of two years Kate Cassidy.
His father, Geoff Payne, also visited the site where he died in Buenos Aires while on a trip to Argentina to identify Payne's body.
Payne – who was open over the years about his battle with alcoholism and addiction – died on October 16 (October 17 in Australia) after falling from a hotel balcony, located on the building's third floor.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
'Come back in two years': Five words made Liam Payne a star
His body will not be delivered to his family until authorities conclude their final clinical tests.
A preliminary toxicology report, according to reports overnight, showed Payne had multiple substances in his system at the time of his death.
In recent weeks, claims about his behaviour towards former partners had circulated online, with one reportedly taking legal action to stop him from contacting her friends and family. He did not comment on these claims prior to his death.
READ MORE: Liam Payne's ex reveals final message he sent her
Rodrigo, meanwhile, was seen getting emotional herself at her Sydney show on Monday night, being brought to tears by the crowd at one point during her show where she is suspended in the air on a crescent moon.
"What the f---, you're making me cry," the singer said, holding her hand on her heart and wiping away tears as the crowd applauded.
"I love you guys so much," she continued in a video shared to social media, where the 21-year-old said she was emotional ahead of her final concert in Sydney tonight – which marks the end of her world tour.
If you, or someone you know would like to talk to someone confidentially about addiction, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit Reach Out.
If you or someone you know needs immediate or mental health-related support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via lifeline.org.au.
In an emergency, call 000.
English (US) ·