A whole lot of history: How this fan found dreams, community through Liam Payne

MANILA, Philippines — When he found out one morning that Liam Payne had died, Isaac Jeff Coloma tried his hardest to fight back tears.

It was hard for him to process the demise of the former One Direction member, who changed his life in more ways than one.

“I immediately remembered all the memories I had as a fan, the friends I made, the [Liam Payne Philippines] team — like an instant flashback to my teenage years in my head,” he told Rappler.

Payne was found dead in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday, October 16. When the news broke, Coloma received a deluge of messages from people he had not spoken to in years. They remembered how much the British singer meant to him.

Coloma, who was known as “Jeff” by his fellow Directioners, used to be the president of Liam Payne Philippines (LPPH). He organized events, including fan projects and a cinema block screening. This is where he learned to coordinate with artist management, music stores, event places, and sponsors to make them happen.

His passion for social media management and event planning, which was brought by his love for Payne and One Direction, eventually became a part of his career. He is currently in France, where he served as a National Olympic Committee Assistant during the Paris Olympics.

“There were actual athletes, sports management graduates, and even French speakers who applied,” he said. “But here I am now, answering your questions from Paris, with my Curriculum Vitae having ‘Liam Payne Philippines’ on it.”

The greatest team the world has ever seen

More than the career opportunities he had found, Coloma values the lifelong friendships he formed as part of the LPPH community.

Coloma joined the fan base shortly after it was founded in 2013. He was happy to have bonded immediately with a group of people who share the same love for Payne and the rest of One Direction.

Even when the band went on a hiatus in 2016, Coloma stayed connected with his fellow Filipino Directioners and LPPH members. 

“I know a lot of people think that online friends are just temporary, but now, they [are] some of the longest friends I’ve had, who have also guided me and been with me throughout ups and downs,” he said.

He recalled many fond memories with the team, from late-night event planning to their simple interactions with fellow fans online. 

“I think one of the most heartbreaking parts about this is we went from organizing album or song launches, birthday and anniversary parties, to now organizing an in memoriam and a eulogy for him,” he said.

Just hours after his death was announced, members of LPPH who are still based in the Philippines were able to organize a memorial event for Payne, which will be held from Saturday, October 19, to Sunday, October 20, at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Pasay City.

One Direction rose to fame after it finished third on the British version of the “X Factor” in 2010. The group last visited the Philippines in March 2015 as part of their “On The Road Again” tour.

All of One Direction’s former members have pursued solo music careers when the boy band went on a break. Payne was known for his songs “Strip That Down” and “For You,” among others. – Rappler.com