R.I.P Former 'One Direction' singing star Liam Payne has died at the age of 31
The former One Direction star died after falling from the third floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to state police. According to police, Payne was staying at a hotel on Costa Rica Street in Palermo.
UPDATE: The latest news is that there was a sort of ruckus in the room before the fall but no more has been said at this time.
Born in Wolverhampton, England, Payne is best known as a former member of the boyband One Direction, which was formed on The X Factor in 2010.
Comprised of Payne alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, One Direction was one of the biggest boybands in the world, touring four times in six years, and releasing five albums before going on hiatus in 2016.
His final post on Instagram was a tribute to documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, with whom he worked on the 2013 One Direction: This Is Us documentary.
"Rest in peace Morgan Spurlock it was a pleasure working with you ❤️," Payne wrote in May.
Just two weeks ago, Payne was spotted attending former bandmate Horan's concert at Movistar Arena in the Argentinian capital with his partner of two years Kate Cassidy.
Following One Direction's split in 2016 – Malik had already left the band nine months prior in March 2015 – Payne went on to pursue a solo music career, with his debut album LP1 being released in 2019. In March this year, he released Teardrops, his first single in three years.
"You are all SO talented, I'm very lucky to have you all!" he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) weeks later, thanking his fans for their Teardrops support and fan art.
It's understood Payne's Snapchat account was posting Stories just minutes before his death was announced.
Payne's social media activity was something that drew attention earlier this month, with Payne admitting in a Snapchat video ahead of his Buenos Aires trip: "It's been a while since me and [Horan] have spoken. We've got a lot to talk about and I would like to square up a couple things with the boy. No bad vibes or nothing like that but we just need to talk."
Payne – who first auditioned for The X Factor UK in 2008 at the age of 14 as a solo act before returning and being put in One Direction two years later – had a tumultuous relationship with his former bandmates in the wake of their split, which in large part was heightened by an explosive interview Payne gave to Logan Paul's IMPAULSIVE podcast in June 2022.
Months later, Payne issued an apology for his comments in a YouTube video, where he shared he was six months sober after spending 100 days in a rehabilitation facility.
"I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself actually because I kind of became somebody who I didn't really recognise anymore," Payne said in the video. "And I'm sure you guys didn't either."
"I was in bad shape up until that point and I was really happy more than anything after I arrived to kind of put a stopper to life and work," he said.
Payne, who was born three weeks early and later was diagnosed with a dysfunctional kidney due to internal scarring, was open about his battle with alcoholism, which he struggled with at the peak of One Direction's success.
He was also open bout his struggles with suicidal ideation.
"Fame is like having a weird midlife crisis. I am lucky to be here still," Payne told Ant Middleton on Straight Talking in November 2019.
"There's times where that level of loneliness and people getting into you every day every so often… that's almost nearly killed me a couple of times."
In 2017, Payne told The Sun: "Going out and putting that happy smile on my face and singing the songs, honestly, sometimes it was like putting on one of those costumes."
"Underneath the costume, people don't really see what's going on," he said at the time.
Payne is survived by his son, Bear Grey Payne, whom he welcomed in March 2017 with Girls Aloud star Cheryl.
"He's awesome. He's growing up far too quickly," Payne said in a YouTube video in 2023. "He's far more smart than I think I'll ever be. He's a wonder."
He is also survived by his parents, Karen Payne and Geoff Payne, and his two older sisters, Nicola Payne and Ruth Payne.
