Former singer of the boy band One Direction, Liam Payne, 31, is dead. He reportedly fell to his death off a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires’s Palermo district in Argentina earlier this week. Authorities in the area have confirmed the news. According to the state police, Payne fell off from the third-floor hotel balcony on Costa Rica Street.
Liam Payne was born on August 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, England. He first gained public attention in 2010 when he auditioned for The X Factor. Though the first attempt in 2008 didn’t make him stand out, coming back two years later brought him into the limelight. On this second audition, he sang Michael Bublé’s “Cry Me a River,” which would attract the judges’ attention, pushing him into the newly formed boy band, One Direction. Along with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, Payne helped the band take the reins as one of the largest groups in music history. The band would go on to produce catchy hits such as “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Night Changes,” after coming in non-first place in the competition.
After One Direction’s hiatus in 2016, right after the exit of Zayn Malik, Payne began a solo career. He released his first single, “Strip That Down,” featuring Quavo, in 2017 to moderate commercial success. Throughout the years, he would collaborate with artists such as Zedd and J Balvin. Millions of streams across the globe later, he scored hits such as “For You” with Rita Ora. And “Bedroom Floor,” which charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Attention was also given to Payne’s personal life. He had a son, Bear Grey Payne, born in 2017, from his earlier relationship with X Factor judge Cheryl Cole. In recent years, Payne had spoken publicly of his struggles, including his journey towards sobriety. In 2023 he said he had been sober for six months after being treated in a rehabilitation facility. This period in his life became a turning point to try and make things better for himself and most importantly, for his son.
He has been through some personal controversies involving friction with former bandmates and some cases involving his ex-girlfriend Maya Henry. That does not take anything away from his legacy as a talented singer and member of One Direction. Liam Payne made his last public appearance at Niall Horan’s concert in Buenos Aires on October 2nd, where he cheered and mingled with fans.
His son, parents Karen and Geoff, and two sisters, Ruth and Nicola, survive him. He also leaves behind his girlfriend, influencer Kate Cassidy. With whom he was still dating at the time of his death.
ANI