Former One Direction star Liam Payne has died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Payne’s death occurred at a hotel on Costa Rica Street in the Palermo neighborhood, according to a statement from police provided to CNN.
Born on August 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, England, Payne rose to fame while competing on season five of The X Factor in 2008 in front of judges Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh.
After the audition stages, Cowell grouped Payne with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.
After launching their debut album, Up All Night, in 2011, they went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time before going on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
Payne had a son, born in 2017, whom he shared with former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole.
Tributes from across the music industry have quickly poured in for Payne.
Liam Payne tributes: MTV and music icons pay condolences after One Direction star’s shock death
Kevin EG Perry17 October 2024 01:15
In pictures: Fans mourn Liam Payne
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 01:10
Former ‘X-Factor’ presenter Dermot O’Leary posts tribute to Liam Payne
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 01:00
Liam Payne: the ambitious One Direction star who struggled with dark side of fame
Read The Independent’s full obituary:
Katie Hawkinson17 October 2024 00:45
Payne reportedly in Argentina for Niall Horan show
Liam Payne was reportedly in Buenos Aires for a show by Niall Horan, previously telling fans he needed to “square a couple of things” with his former One Direction bandmate.
“We’re going to Argentina,” he wrote on Instagram. “One, because we want to. Two, because we want to. And three, because Niall Horan’s playing down there and I think we might just go and say ‘hello.’”
Payne also admitted: “It’s been a while since me and Niall 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.”
Mike Bedigan17 October 2024 00:30
Liam Payne death: Crowd gathers and police attend scene at Buenos Aires hotel
Mike Bedigan17 October 2024 00:10
Liam Payne posted Snapchat Story in hours before death
Liam Payne posted several videos to his Snapchat Story in the hours leading up to his death on Wednesday.
In one of the since-deleted snaps, the One Direction star told fans he was having a “lovely day” while spending time with girlfriend Kate Cassidy in Argentina.
The couple sat around a dining room table while enjoying different breakfast foods and discussing their plans for the rest of the day, which included polo and riding horses.
Mike Bedigan17 October 2024 00:00
Fans outside hotel pay tribute to Liam Payne
Fans gathering outside the hotel in Buenos Aires expressed their sorrow following the death of Liam Payne.
Martina di Lalla, a fan of the band went to see the British pop band in May 2015, told El Pais: “It hit us hard, One Direction was part of our adolescence.
“I camped out for two nights to see them years ago, it’s like someone [close to us] dying.”
Mike Bedigan16 October 2024 23:50
Emergency services chief: ‘no possibility’ of saving Payne
Head of the local emergency services, Alberto Crescenti, said that “there was no possibility” for emergency personnel to save Liam Payne’s life, stating he had “very serious injuries.”
“He had very serious injuries that caused his death, such as a fracture at the base of the skull,” said the doctor, who said investigators and experts would now look into the circumstances of the tragedy.
Mike Bedigan16 October 2024 23:47
