Liam Payne, a former member of the popular boyband One Direction, has died at the age of 31 after falling 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, former member of the band One Direction, died today after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo,” stated Buenos Aires police.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the emergency medical system, explained to Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel that Payne fell into the hotel’s internal courtyard.
“A few minutes later, an emergency team arrived and confirmed the death of this man who we later learned was from a musical group. He had injuries incompatible with life as a result of his fall. There was no way to do anything,” Crescenti reported.
The authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding Payne’s death, with an autopsy currently underway.
A police statement mentioned that officers were dispatched to the hotel after being alerted about an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs and alcohol.” The hotel manager reported hearing a loud noise from the back of the building, and upon arrival, police discovered that Payne had fallen from the balcony of his room.
Payne was visiting Argentina along with his former bandmate Niall Horan, who had performed at Buenos Aires’ Movistar Arena on October 2. Payne was seen at the concert, joining the crowd in singing and dancing.
In the hours following his death, hundreds of fans gathered outside the hotel, where authorities had cordoned off the entrance.
A somber mood enveloped the street, with supporters standing in shock, many in tears while consoling each other. Others gazed up at the hotel, its windows all covered.
“I’m heartbroken. I remember when I was a kid, his songs helped me get through bullying at school. I came here as soon as I heard the news,” said Martina Belaustgui, 26. “I saw him at Niall’s show a few weeks ago. He was full of energy.”
“I met him when I was 12. He was so nice even though I was too shy to speak. I regret that I didn’t say more,” shared 25-year-old Mariana Pinto.
Born in Wolverhampton, England, in 1993, Payne was just 16 when he joined One Direction, a group formed by Simon Cowell on the British reality show The X Factor in 2010.
Although the band didn’t win that season, they went on to become one of the biggest boybands ever, selling over 70 million records worldwide with hits like What Makes You Beautiful, Night Changes, and Steal My Girl.
The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016, after which Payne launched a solo career, debuting with the single Strip That Down featuring Quavo in 2017. Other hits included For You with Rita Ora and Get Low with Zedd.
In a 2019 interview, Payne spoke about his struggles with mental health, revealing that he had been in therapy for two years and had used alcohol and medication to manage “erratic highs and lows” during One Direction’s peak fame. “It was very touch and go at times,” he said.
He shared last year that he had been sober for over 100 days, saying, “I feel amazing…the support from fans has been really, really good.”
In 2017, Payne became a father to son Bear Grey Payne with his then-partner Cheryl Cole, a former X Factor judge. The couple separated in 2018 after two years together.
