Liam Payne, ex-One Direction star, passes away at 31
Liam Payne, once a member of the renowned boyband One Direction, has tragically passed away after a fall from a hotel window in Buenos Aires, as reported by local law enforcement. He was 31.
The incident unfolded Wednesday at a hotel situated on Costa Rica Street within the Palermo district, according to a police statement given to CNN. Buenos Aires authorities revealed that officers from the 14B Police Station responded to a call on Wednesday afternoon. The call reported an aggressive individual, possibly under the influence of intoxicants. The identity of this person was not specified as Payne by the police.
Payne was seen in Argentina attending a concert of his former bandmate, Niall Horan, on October 2nd, as evidenced by social media footage from the event. He had recently marked his 31st birthday in the UK, as seen in videos on his Snapchat. Born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Payne is the youngest sibling among three. He studied music technology at the City of Wolverhampton College.
He rose to fame with One Direction, a celebrated British boyband that included Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Horan. The band came together in 2010 following each member's participation in the UK edition of "The X Factor."
CNN has reached out to Payne's representatives and his former bandmates from One Direction for their comments. "I do love being on stage," Payne expressed in a 2015 interview with Entertainment Weekly. He felt immense pride in co-writing "What a Feeling" with Louis. "That was a big one that me and Louis sat and wrote together," Payne reminisced. "It just kinda came together. It was inspired by a Fleetwood Mac sound. It’s just a nice driving jam—imagine driving down the coast."
After One Direction announced a hiatus in 2015, Payne embarked on a solo career, releasing his debut album "LP1" in 2019. In May 2023, Payne shared his enthusiasm for a new album and mentioned plans for a tour. He had been candid about his struggles with substance abuse, completing treatment, and celebrating six months of sobriety by summer 2023.
The tour was set to launch in South America in September that year, but Payne had to delay the dates due to a kidney infection. In March, he released "Teardrops."
Payne was a father to a son, born in 2017, with Cheryl Cole, a former member of Girls Aloud. In a 2023 YouTube video, Payne expressed his love and admiration for his son, Bear. "He’s awesome. He’s growing up far too quickly," Payne conveyed. "He’s far more smart than I think I’ll ever be. He’s a wonder."
This account has been updated with further details.
