Buenos Aires – Liam Payne, former member of the internationally renowned boyband One Direction, has tragically passed away at the age of 31. Payne died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, according to local police.
The incident occurred at a hotel on Costa Rica Street in the Palermo neighborhood, a popular district in the Argentine capital. Buenos Aires police reported that officers from the 14B Police Station responded to a 911 call about an aggressive man, possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol, at the hotel. While the police did not identify the individual in question as Payne, he was later confirmed as the victim of the fatal fall.
Payne had been seen in Argentina just days before attending a concert by his former One Direction bandmate, Niall Horan, on October 2. Videos posted on social media show the singer enjoying Horan’s performance.
The British star, born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, had recently celebrated his 31st birthday in the UK. A talented performer from a young age, Payne studied music technology at City of Wolverhampton College before rising to global fame as part of One Direction.
The group was formed in 2010 after each member appeared as a contestant on the UK reality show The X Factor. Alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Horan, Payne quickly became a household name. One Direction enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame, producing chart-topping hits and becoming one of the best-selling boybands of all time.
Payne expressed his deep passion for performing and songwriting throughout his career. In a 2015 interview with Entertainment Weekly, he spoke fondly of co-writing “What a Feeling,” a track from One Direction’s fifth album, Made in the A.M. “That was a big one that me and Louis [Tomlinson] sat and wrote together,” Payne said, describing it as a “driving jam” inspired by the music of Fleetwood Mac.
Beyond his musical career, Payne was also a devoted father to his son, Bear, born in 2017, whom he shared with former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole. In a 2023 YouTube video, Payne spoke about the joy and pride he felt in watching his son grow, calling Bear “awesome” and remarking that he was “far more smart than I’ll ever be.”
Payne’s death has sent shockwaves through the music industry, and tributes are pouring in from fans and fellow artists alike. Representatives for Payne and his former bandmates have yet to comment on the tragedy.
