Liam Payne, one of the five members of the globally successful boy band One Direction, has tragically passed away at the age of 31. The singer died after falling three floors from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to the Associated Press. Pablo Policicchio, the communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, confirmed in a statement that Payne had jumped from his room’s balcony.
Payne was best known for his smooth falsettos, which played a key role in One Direction’s hit songs like “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” and “Best Song Ever.” One Direction, one of the most successful boy bands in recent history, sold over 70 million records during their career, solidifying their place in pop music.
Born in Wolverhampton, England, Payne’s musical journey began when he first auditioned for The X Factor in 2008, at the young age of 14. Despite his strong audition, judge Simon Cowell felt Payne was too young to continue and encouraged him to come back when he was older. It was during this initial audition that he met Cheryl Cole, who later became his girlfriend and the mother of his son. Payne returned to The X Factor in 2010, singing Michael Bublé’s “Cry Me a River,” earning him four “yeses” from the judges and a standing ovation from Cowell. Following his second audition, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik joined him to form One Direction.
Fans first connected with One Direction through the video diaries produced by The X Factor, where Payne’s personality stood out. He was often viewed as the most responsible and mature member, and his “brotherly” nature endeared him to fans. Under Cowell’s mentorship, One Direction quickly rose to stardom, releasing numerous chart-topping hits and becoming global superstars.
In 2016, the band announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus, a year after Zayn Malik’s departure. Payne, like his bandmates, pursued a solo career. He signed with Capitol Records UK and released his debut solo single, “Strip That Down,” featuring Quavo from Migos. Co-written by Ed Sheeran, the song became a hit, peaking in the top 10 in the U.S. and reaching No. 3 in the U.K. His debut album, LP1, followed in December 2019. Earlier this year, he released a new single, “Teardrops,” and an acoustic version as well.
Just a few weeks ago, Payne was spotted at Niall Horan’s concert in Argentina, cheering and dancing in the crowd. He even shared a backstage selfie with Horan, rekindling their friendship. In a Snapchat video posted a day before, Payne expressed his excitement to reconnect with Horan, saying, “It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken. We’ve got a lot to talk about. And I would like to square up a couple of things with the boy. No bad vibes or anything like that. But just, um, we need to talk.”
Payne had been open about his struggles with alcohol and mental health. Last year, he shared that he had been sober for over 100 days, saying, “I feel amazing, I feel really, really good and the support from the fans has been really, really good.” He often expressed gratitude for the love and support he received during his sobriety journey.
Payne, who never married, leaves behind his 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, whom he shared with Cheryl Cole. The two dated from 2016 to 2018, after meeting on The X Factor years earlier. His passing is a heartbreaking loss to his family, friends, and millions of fans around the world.
