Liam Payne, PC: Wikipedia
His cousin, Ross Harris, wrote Bones after Payne died aged 31 on 16 October 2024 and later built The Bones Fund around the song’s master royalties. Its inspiration came from a late-night video call in summer 2024, when the cousins browsed online fundraising pages and found children whose fundraising pots needed completing. Payne donated nearly £10,000 to young people that night before his bank began blocking further payments, according to the fund’s website. The song came out at the end of August 2025, shortly after what would have been Payne’s 32nd birthday. In an Instagram post reported by Rolling Stone on 1 September 2025, Harris described the track as the most personal song he had written and explained that creating it had helped him process his loss.
A song written in memory of Liam Payne is being used to continue the former One Direction singer’s charitable giving. The initiative combines those royalties with direct donations and merchandise profits, with the money intended for causes Payne supported during his life. Harris has since sought to carry that spirit of giving forward through the song and the fund. Harris wrote Bones with Jordan Round as an outlet for his grief after Payne’s death.
The fund’s website says Payne made donations totalling nearly £10,000 that night. One says around 60% to 70% of the profit on each item is donated, while another says every penny of profit goes to charity. In October 2025, the Express & Star reported that almost £250,000 had been raised in his memory, citing a source who said most contributions had been made privately.
The figures are estimates, with the site explaining that totals are updated as documented streaming figures and royalty payments come in.
The website says master royalties from the song are directed to the fund, alongside direct donations and merchandise profits. The website says the fund will report back with as much information as possible about the money raised and where it goes. Rolling Stone and the fund’s website say the song’s artwork features a rose drawn by Payne himself. During the conversation, they browsed JustGiving and GoFundMe pages, looking for children whose fundraising pots needed completing. Harris later decided to use the song’s earnings to continue the kind of giving they had done on that call. The Bones Fund’s website displays a running counter for streams and estimated royalties. Supporters can contribute directly through the fund’s website, with payments processed by Stripe. Merchandise offers another source of income, with products including tote bags, mugs, magnets and stickers printed to order. The website gives two descriptions of how merchandise profits are used. These statements differ, and the site does not explain the discrepancy. Payne’s family also asked for donations to Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity instead of funeral flowers. For Harris, the project links a personal tribute to a practical way of helping others. The song began as an outlet for grief, while the fund draws on a memory of Payne giving money to children whose fundraising campaigns needed support. Through the song, its acoustic version, donations and merchandise, Harris hopes to keep his cousin’s generosity alive.
The idea behind the fund drew on the cousins’ earlier FaceTime call.