AJ McLean texted Liam Payne the day before his death

AJ McLean was worried about his friend Liam Payne a day before his tragic death.

The Backstreet Boys singer, 46, texted Payne: “Hey man, you okay?” according to McLean’s recent interview with the Los Angeles Times published on Friday, November 1.

McLean told the publication that he decided to contact Payne after not speaking to him for almost two weeks. The duo formed a close friendship on the set of the upcoming Netflix series, Building the bond. (The future of the series currently remains undecided following Payne’s unexpected death.)

According to McLean, he spoke to Payne regularly via WhatsApp – the pair bonding over their struggles with substance abuse.

Related: Boy band alumni mourn One Direction’s Liam Payne after death at 31

Celebrities have flooded social media with tributes to the late One Direction singer Liam Payne, several of whom are other famous boy band members. AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys told TMZ on Monday, October 21, that he couldn’t “fathom” the thought of losing one of his bandmates. “Liam was a friend. We had just finished (…)

“(We talked) candidly about sobriety, sharing stories and picking each other up. We could all laugh about it,” McLean thought. “Because if you’re still here to talk about it, that means you’re going in the right direction.”

Last month, news broke that Payne fell to his death from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires. He was 31. A preliminary autopsy showed Payne had multiple “serious” injuries. It was also reported that Payne had pink cocaine – a mix of methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA – and other drugs in his system.

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

McLean said he felt like a “very older brother” to Payne and wanted to be there for him.

“He was an absolute light, such an old soul,” McLean said of Payne. “But you could tell you were talking to someone who had seen some things, who had not lived a normal life.”

As more details about Payne’s death are revealed, McLean shared that he’s not sure if the world will ever know exactly what the One Direction singer was going through leading up to his passing.

“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?” he said. “But there’s no rhyme or reason when you’re in pain and looking for escape.”

After learning about Payne’s death in October, McLean said he couldn’t “fathom” the loss of his friend.

“Liam was a friend. We had just finished filming a TV show together,” McLean told TMZ in October. “We spent six weeks together, and you know, it’s absolutely tragic. I’m still processing it, I’m sure, as are his family, friends and bandmates. It’s absolutely tragic, and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone: the family, his bandmates, to the fans.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).