Liam Payne, the former member of the iconic boyband One Direction, has died at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Local police confirmed the tragic incident occurred on Wednesday at a hotel on Costa Rica Street in the Palermo neighborhood.
Authorities responded to a 911 call regarding an aggressive individual who appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, the police did not officially identify the person involved as Payne.
Just weeks prior to his death, Payne was spotted in Argentina attending a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan on October 2. He had recently celebrated his 31st birthday in the UK, sharing moments on social media.
Born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Payne was the youngest of three siblings and studied music technology at the City of Wolverhampton College.
Payne gained fame as part of One Direction, which formed in 2010 on the UK version of “The X Factor” alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Horan. The band went on hiatus in 2015, after which Payne released his debut solo album, “LP1,” in 2019.
Earlier this year, he announced plans for a new album and an upcoming tour, although he had to postpone South American tour dates due to a kidney infection.
Open about his struggles with substance abuse, Payne discussed his recovery and six months of sobriety in summer 2023.
He was also a devoted father to his son, Bear, born in 2017 with former Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole. In a recent video, he expressed his love and admiration for his son, noting how quickly he was growing up.
This loss has shocked fans and fellow musicians alike, as they remember Payne’s contributions to music and his vibrant personality.
