BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA – Tragedy struck in Buenos Aires when Liam Payne, former member of the globally renowned boy band One Direction, died after falling from his hotel room. According to Argentinian state police, Payne plummeted from the third floor of the CasaSur hotel in Palermo.
Emergency services, responding to reports of a man displaying erratic behavior, arrived at the scene shortly after the call was made. Alberto Crescenti, director of Buenos Aires Emergency Medical Services, revealed that Payne, 31, was pronounced dead in the hotel’s inner courtyard upon their arrival.
Crescenti described the fall as a drop of approximately 42 to 45 feet, resulting in injuries deemed “incompatible with life.” Payne’s identity was confirmed posthumously, as efforts to revive him were futile.
Since finding fame on the UK talent show “X Factor” in 2010, Payne achieved international stardom with One Direction, joining fellow bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson. Despite the band’s hiatus in 2015, Payne embarked on a solo career, releasing hits like “Strip That Down” and the album “LP1”.
In a past interview during the “Good Morning America” Summer Concert Series in 2018, Payne expressed nostalgia for One Direction, describing their potential reunion as akin to a team of superheroes. “We’re like ‘The Avengers,'” he remarked, anticipating future collaborations.
Payne had been candid about his struggles with sobriety, revealing in a 2023 YouTube video his milestone of six months sober following a rehabilitation stint. His priority, he shared, had become focusing on his role as a father to Bear, his son with singer Cheryl Cole.
In March, Payne released the song “Teardrops,” described as an emotional reflection from his personal experiences. “Born from many tears, not all mine,” he wrote on Instagram, sharing hopes that listeners would appreciate the music without too much personal pain.