Liam Payne, former member of the iconic boy band One Direction, has tragically passed away at the age of 31. According to reports from Reuters, Payne was found dead outside a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after an apparent fall from the third floor.
On Wednesday, October 16, local media outlets La Nacion and Clarin reported the news, citing information from emergency services and on-scene officials. According to Reuters, ambulance workers confirmed Payne’s death after discovering him in the hotel’s indoor patio.
Born on August 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, England, Payne shot to fame in 2010 as a contestant on the reality show The X Factor. Although initially auditioning as a solo act, he was placed into a group with Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, forming what would become one of the most successful boy bands of all time, One Direction.
Chart-topping successes such as “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Steal My Girl” propelled One Direction to international popularity. The band announced an indefinite pause in 2016, a year after Malik quit. Payne pursued a solo career and released his debut album, LP1, in 2019.
Fans across the globe are in mourning, flooding social media with tributes to the late singer. “I feel like most of us are shocked over Liam Payne’s death,” one fan wrote on Twitter. “He was part of something our 13-year-old selves couldn’t imagine living without.”
Another fan tweeted on Payne’s influence, saying, “Liam Payne’s passing is heartbreaking. He was a part of everyone’s childhood. Rest in peace.
Payne is survived by his son, Bear Grey Payne, whom he shared with singer Cheryl Cole, born in 2017. Fans continue to pay their respects, honoring the legacy of the man who shaped their teenage years and left an indelible mark on pop music.