Liam Payne, former One Direction star, has tragically passed away at the age of 31 after a fatal fall from a third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, according to police reports.
The singer’s death occurred on Wednesday at 5 p.m. local time.
“Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, and former member of One Direction, passed away today after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo,” Buenos Aires police confirmed in an official statement.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical services, shared with Todo Noticias TV in Argentina that Payne fell into an internal courtyard at the hotel.
“Emergency services arrived shortly after and confirmed the death of the man, who we later identified as a member of a musical group. His injuries were incompatible with life due to the fall. Sadly, there was nothing we could do,” Crescenti explained.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances of Payne’s death, with an autopsy pending.
Payne had been in Argentina with former bandmate Niall Horan, who performed at the Movistar Arena on October 2. Payne was spotted at the concert, singing and dancing alongside fans.
On Wednesday evening, hundreds of devastated fans gathered outside the hotel, where police had cordoned off the entrance with tape.
A solemn atmosphere hung over the scene as fans stood in disbelief, many wiping away tears as they consoled one another. Some stared up at the hotel’s closed curtains, lost in their grief.
“I’m heartbroken. His music helped me through bullying in school. I’m devastated,” said 26-year-old fan Martina Belaustgui. “I was at Niall’s show just weeks ago and saw Liam singing and dancing.”
Another fan, 25-year-old Mariana Pinto, shared her memory: “I met him when I was 12. He was so kind. I was too shy to speak, and now I regret it.”
Born in Wolverhampton, England, in 1993, Payne was only 16 when he joined One Direction, the boyband assembled by Simon Cowell on the UK reality show The X Factor in 2010.
Despite not winning the competition, One Direction—comprising Payne, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik—became one of the most successful boybands in history, selling over 70 million records globally with hits like “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Night Changes,” and “Steal My Girl.”
After the band went on hiatus in 2016, Payne embarked on a solo career, debuting with the hit single “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo. Other chart-topping tracks included “For You” with Rita Ora and “Get Low” with Zedd.
In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Payne opened up about his struggles with mental health, revealing that he had been in therapy for two years. During One Direction’s peak fame, Payne turned to alcohol and epilepsy medication to stabilize his mood, as he battled the “extreme highs and lows.” “I just needed a little help to stay steady… things were very unstable,” he admitted.
Last year, Payne shared that he had reached over 100 days of sobriety. “I feel incredible now, truly amazing. The support from fans has been overwhelming,” he told IFL TV.
Payne became a father in 2017, welcoming his son Bear Grey Payne with then-partner and X Factor judge Cheryl Cole. The couple parted ways in 2018 after two years together.
