Justin Bieber Pays Tribute to a Friend Killed in Paris Attacks

Impact

In a heartfelt tweet on Monday, Justin Bieber paid tribute to a friend and colleague who was killed during the chain of terrorist attacks throughout Paris that left at least 129 dead and hundreds wounded on Friday. 

The friend, Thomas Ayad, was Mercury Records' international product manager and one of at least 89 people killed when members of the Islamic State took concertgoers hostage during an Eagles of Death Metal show at the Bataclan theater. In a tweet on Monday, Bieber wrote that Ayad was "part of the team for years" and that he wished he had more time to thank him, urging his followers to "make sure you appreciate people while you have them."

Upon receiving the HALO Hall of Fame award on Saturday, Bieber said a prayer for the victims of Paris during his acceptance speech. "We should all honor that and just take one moment of silence for that, if you guys could," he said. 

Bieber released his highly-anticipated fourth studio album, Purpose, on Friday, the same day as the attacks. The 19-track album includes famed hits "What Do You Mean" and "Sorry," both of which Bieber has admitted were influenced by ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez. Purpose is available to stream on Spotify and purchase on iTunes.