Liam Payne, the former member of One Direction, has tragically passed away at the age of 31 in Argentina. Authorities report that he fell from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires. Police discovered Payne’s body after responding to an emergency call in the upscale Palermo neighborhood on Wednesday.
Payne, who gained worldwide fame with One Direction after their formation on the X Factor TV show in 2010 alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, had recently attended a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan in Argentina.
According to Buenos Aires police, initial reports indicated an “aggressive man who may have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol.” Upon arrival at the hotel, officers were informed of a loud noise from an interior courtyard, where they subsequently found Payne’s body. A police investigation is currently underway.
Alberto Crescenti, the director of emergency medical services, told local media that Payne had sustained “serious injuries” and that an autopsy is pending. He declined to comment on the specifics of Payne’s fall from the balcony.
The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is liaising with Argentine authorities concerning “reports of the death of a British man,” but provided no further details.
Just hours before the incident, Payne appeared to post on Snapchat, commenting on the pleasant weather in Argentina. Following the news of his death, fans gathered outside the Buenos Aires hotel where he died, leading police to cordon off the area. Some fans lit candles in his memory.
Violeta Antier, a young fan, recounted to Reuters news agency her disbelief upon hearing the news from her sister. “We couldn’t believe it. We came here directly to confirm it was true,” she said, mentioning she had seen Payne at Niall Horan’s concert two weeks prior. Another woman, tearfully expressing her grief, told Reuters in Spanish that visiting the hotel was her only way to bid farewell to Payne.
Tributes have been flooding in online. Max George of The Wanted shared his devastation, recalling how he met Payne during The X Factor days and developed a close friendship. George remembered Payne’s support when his bandmate Tom Parker was battling a brain tumor, noting that Payne attended Parker’s funeral in 2022.
Olly Murs, who competed on The X Factor a year before One Direction, expressed his shock and sorrow, emphasizing Payne’s shared dreams and passions. “To see his life now end so young hits hard,” Murs wrote on Instagram, mourning for Payne’s family and his son Bear.
Dermot O’Leary, a presenter on The X Factor, reminisced about Payne’s audition at 14, praising his talent and humble nature. Paris Hilton also offered condolences on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “RIP my friend.”
Payne, born in Wolverhampton, UK, first auditioned for The X Factor in 2008 but was advised by Simon Cowell to return in two years. In 2010, he impressed the judges and was grouped with four other solo contestants to form One Direction. The band achieved immense success, with four UK number one albums and singles, before going on hiatus in 2015.
Payne launched a solo career in 2017 with his debut single “Strip That Down,” reaching number three on the UK charts. His collaboration with Rita Ora on “For You” from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack also achieved top 10 status. He began dating Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy in 2016, and they welcomed their son Bear the following year before splitting in 2018.
Earlier this week, Payne’s former partner Maya Henry, through her lawyers, announced she had issued a cease and desist letter against him, accusing him on social media of persistent contact. Payne did not respond to these allegations.
