Liam Payne, best known for his time as a member of the chart-topping boy band One Direction, has passed away at the age of 31.
The pop star tragically passed after reportedly falling from a hotel window in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which happened on October 16th (Wednesday) in the city’s Palermo district, as confirmed by local police. According to authorities, officers from the 14B Police Station were dispatched to the hotel on Costa Rica Street after receiving a 911 call regarding a man behaving aggressively, potentially under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Although the police report did not initially identify the individual as Payne –– the news was later confirmed by multiple legitimate outlets, including CNN.
Just days before the tragic event, Payne had been seen attending his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert in Argentina on October 2, with fans sharing videos of his presence on social media. He had also recently celebrated his 31st birthday in the UK, posting frequent updates on his Snapchat, and was reportedly looking forward to releasing new music with his long-awaited sophomore album.
Payne rose to international fame as part of One Direction –– the world renowned British-Irish pop group formed on the UK’s “The X Factor” in 2010 alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson. The band went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands in music history, with numerous chartbreaking hits like “What Makes You Beautiful, “Night Changes,” “Story of My Life,” and more. Payne was particularly proud of co-writing “What a Feeling,” a 2015 track he worked on with his bandmate, Tomlinson.
After One Direction announced their hiatus in 2015, Payne launched a solo career –– releasing his debut album, LP1, in 2019. Earlier this year, he revealed he was working on new music and that he planned to tour, though those dates were postponed after he suffered a kidney infection. Payne had also been open about his struggles with substance abuse, sharing in mid-2023 that he had completed treatment and was six months sober. He was eagerly anticipating his return to the stage, particularly after releasing the single “Teardrops” in March of this year.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.