Liam Payne, a former member of the band One Direction, has sadly died at the age of 31. On Wednesday, October 16, Payne fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The accident happened at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, and the local police confirmed his death. Argentine news outlet TN was the first to share the news.
Authorities are still investigating what led to Payne’s fall. Alberto Crescenti, who leads the emergency medical services in Buenos Aires, said that Payne fell into the hotel’s inner courtyard.
Emergency responders arrived quickly, but his injuries were so serious that nothing could be done to save him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy will be conducted to help clarify the cause of his death.
Liam Payne leaves behind his 7-year-old son, Bear Grey, whom he shared with his ex-girlfriend, singer Cheryl. Payne’s passing has shocked fans worldwide, and many are remembering him for his musical career and the impact he had on the pop music scene.
Payne first rose to fame in 2010 when he appeared on the UK’s popular talent show The X-Factor. He originally auditioned as a solo singer, but judges decided to group him with Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson to form One Direction.
Although the group didn’t win the competition, they quickly became one of the biggest boy bands in the world, with millions of fans and chart-topping songs like “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Story of My Life.” Payne also helped write some of the band’s well-known songs, such as “Steal My Girl” and “Night Changes.”
After the band’s member Zayn Malik left in 2015, One Direction continued for a short time before announcing a break in 2016. The band members went their separate ways, each starting their own solo careers.
Payne found success with his 2017 hit single “Strip That Down,” featuring rapper Quavo, which has been streamed over a billion times on Spotify. In 2019, Payne released his solo album LP1 after previously putting out an EP titled First Time.
While Payne’s music career flourished, his personal life faced ups and downs. He began dating Cheryl in 2015, and they welcomed their son, Bear, in 2017. Although they split up a year later, the two remained committed to co-parenting their son together.
Payne has spoken publicly about the challenges of being a father, especially becoming a parent at a young age. In a 2020 interview with PEOPLE, he explained how being a dad didn’t come as naturally as he had expected and that he had to grow into the role.
After his relationship with Cheryl, Payne became engaged to model Maya Henry in 2020, but they called it off the following year. They briefly got back together before breaking up again for good in 2022. At the time of his death, Payne was dating Kate Cassidy, and the two had been seen together since late 2022.
Although he found success in his solo career, Payne struggled with personal issues, especially with alcohol. In several interviews, he opened up about how his sudden rise to fame with One Direction led to mental health challenges and alcohol dependency.
In a 2019 interview with Men’s Health Australia, Payne explained how difficult it was to handle the pressures of being so famous at a young age. He shared that many people in the music industry deal with similar struggles but don’t always get the help they need.
Earlier this year, Payne revealed that he had been sober for six months and had spent nearly 100 days in a rehab facility to get his life back on track. In a YouTube video he released in July titled “I’m Back…,” he talked about how he was finally feeling more in control of his life. He admitted that before getting sober, he didn’t recognize the person he had become, but rehab helped him regain his sense of self.
