British singer and former One Direction star, Liam Payne, has tragically passed away at the age of 31 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following a fall from the third floor of a hotel, according to local police reports.
Payne’s body was discovered after an emergency crew responded to a 911 call in the upscale Palermo neighborhood.
Payne, who first gained global recognition as part of One Direction, the boyband formed on the UK talent show ‘The X Factor’ in 2010, had recently attended a concert in Argentina by his former bandmate Niall Horan.
Alongside Horan, Payne was one of the five members of One Direction, which also included Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik.
According to Buenos Aires police, officers were initially dispatched to the hotel after receiving reports of a “disruptive individual who appeared to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol.”
As they investigated the scene, a loud noise was heard from an interior courtyard, leading to the tragic discovery of Payne’s body.
Emergency medical services director Alberto Crescenti confirmed that Payne had sustained critical injuries from the fall. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation.
Fans of the pop star gathered in shock outside the hotel as news of the accident spread, leading to the authorities cordoning off the entrance to manage the growing crowd.
Payne, born in Wolverhampton, England, first attempted to break into the music scene when he auditioned for ‘The X Factor’ in 2008.
Although Simon Cowell encouraged him to return in two years, his second attempt in 2010 led to his joining four other solo contestants during the boot camp stage, forming what would become One Direction.
One Direction achieved immense success worldwide, with four number-one albums and chart-topping singles across the globe.
The group went on hiatus in 2015, allowing Payne to pursue a solo career. In 2017, his debut single “Strip That Down” reached number three on the UK charts.
He also collaborated with singer Rita Ora on “For You,” a track featured on the ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ soundtrack, which enjoyed similar chart success.
In his personal life, Payne had a high-profile relationship with ‘Girls Aloud’ star Cheryl Cole in 2016, and the pair welcomed a son, Bear, in 2017.
They parted ways the following year. In recent months, however, Payne’s personal life had come under scrutiny, with reports of legal action being taken by a former partner to prevent him from contacting her loved ones.
As news of his untimely death broke, tributes flooded in from across the world. Socialite Paris Hilton shared her condolences, writing on X, “Sending love and condolences to his family [and] loved ones. RIP my friend.”
The music world mourns the loss of an artist who had left an indelible mark on the hearts of millions during his career, from his early days as a teenage heartthrob to his later ventures as a solo artist.
