Liam Payne, a former member of the popular boyband One Direction, has passed away at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The police found Liam Payne body after getting an emergency call from the fancy Palermo area on Wednesday. Payne became famous worldwide in 2010.
When he joined One Direction, along with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, on the TV show The X Factor. Just earlier this month, he attended a concert by his former bandmate, Niall Horan, in Argentina.
The police in Buenos Aires said they first responded to a call about a man acting aggressively, possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
When they got to the hotel, someone mentioned hearing a loud noise from the courtyard. The police later found a body there and started an investigation.
The head of emergency services, Alberto Crescenti, told the media that Payne had severe injuries and an autopsy would be done. He didn’t comment on how Payne fell from the balcony.
The UK government said they are in contact with the authorities in Argentina about the death of a British man, but they didn’t give any more information. Payne had posted on Snapchat just hours before, saying, “It’s a lovely day here in Argentina.”
After the news of Liam’s death spread, fans started gathering outside the hotel in Buenos Aires where he passed away. The police had to block the entrance, and some fans lit candles in his memory.
“I was at home when my sister told me Liam had died,” said a fan named Violeta Antier. “We couldn’t believe it, so we came here to see if it was true.” She mentioned that she had seen him just two weeks ago at a Niall Horan concert.
Another woman cried and said, “This is the only way I can say goodbye to him.”
Tributes have also flooded social media. Max George from The Wanted shared on Instagram that he met Liam during The X Factor and was deeply saddened by his passing.
He added that he had the chance to know Liam personally in recent years and treasured the time they spent together.
George said that Liam Payne was a great support when their bandmate Tom Parker got sick with a brain tumor. After Parker passed away in 2022 at 33 years old, Payne attended his funeral.
Singer Olly Murs, who was on The X Factor a year before One Direction, said he was “speechless.” He added that Liam had the same passions and dreams as him, and losing him so young was heartbreaking, especially for Liam’s family and his son, Bear.
On Instagram, presenter Dermot O’Leary shared memories of Liam, recalling how impressed he was when 14-year-old Liam auditioned for The X Factor, singing Sinatra. He described Liam as always being kind, polite, and humble.
Socialite Paris Hilton also sent her love and condolences on X (formerly Twitter), calling Liam her friend and saying “Rest in peace.” Liam Payne, born in Wolverhampton, UK, first auditioned for The X Factor in 2008, but judge Simon Cowell asked him to come back in two years.
In 2010, he impressed the judges once again and was grouped with four other solo contestants, leading to the formation of One Direction.
The band went on to achieve four UK number-one albums and four number-one singles, dominating charts globally before going on hiatus in 2015. In 2017,Liam Payne released his debut solo single “Strip That Down,”
which peaked at number three on the Official UK Chart. His collaboration with Rita Ora on “For You” from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack also made it into the top 10. In 2016, Payne started dating Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy, and they welcomed their son, Bear, in 2017.
The couple separated in 2018. Recently, Maya Henry, another ex-partner, claimed through her lawyers that she had sent Payne a cease and desist letter after accusing him on social media of repeatedly contacting her. Payne has not publicly responded to these allegations.
