Liam Payne, the former One Direction member who successfully transitioned to a solo career, died on October 16 at the age of 31. According to police, he fell from a third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The incident followed a report to local authorities about a man exhibiting aggressive behavior, though no additional details about the fall have been disclosed.
Payne gained fame as part of One Direction, formed in 2010 on the U.K. version of The X Factor, alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan. The band achieved significant success with over 300 performances across four world tours and multiple top-charting albums and hits.
After the group’s hiatus in 2015, Payne launched his solo career in 2017 with the single “Strip That Down,” featuring Quavo, which reached the top 10. He followed this with several collaborations and released his first EP, Fast Time, in 2018, and his debut album, LP1, in 2019.
In 2021, Payne opened up about his struggles with depression and addiction during his time with One Direction. However, by May 2023, he reported being sober for over 100 days and feeling great, expressing gratitude for the support from fans.
In August 2023, he was hospitalized due to a serious kidney infection, which led to the postponement of his tour dates in South Africa. He was released from the hospital a few weeks later.
In March 2024, he returned with new music, releasing a single titled “Teardrops,” co-written with *NSYNC member JC Chasez. Just weeks before his death, he attended a concert by fellow One Direction member Niall Horan in Buenos Aires, where he interacted with fans.
Payne is survived by his son, Bear Grey, whom he had with singer Cheryl Cole in March 2017.
