BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local authorities said.
Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur hotel in the Argentine capital’s trendy Palermo district, resulting in “extremely serious injuries.” Doctors confirmed his death on the spot, the press release said.
Pablo Policicchio, communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, said in a statement to The Associated Press that Payne “jumped from his bedroom balcony.” Police rushed to the hotel in response to an emergency call shortly after 5 p.m. local time, he said, warning of an “aggressive man who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol”.
The hotel manager can be heard in a 911 call obtained by the AP saying they had “a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol…He destroys the whole room and, well, we We need you to send someone, please. The manager’s voice grew more anxious as the call continued, noting that the room had a balcony.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the state’s emergency medical system, told Argentine television channel Todo Noticias that authorities were investigating the circumstances of his death and carrying out an autopsy.
Payne had spoken about his struggle with alcoholism, publishing a video in July 2023 on his YouTube channel where he stated that he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment. Representatives for Payne did not immediately respond to emails and calls.
Dozens of One Direction fans flocked from Buenos Aires to the Casa Sur hotel after the news broke, forming lines that spilled out into the cordoned off street in front of the hotel where police stood sentry. Forensic investigators were seen leaving the hotel, from which Payne’s body was removed about three hours after the fall. Young women filming with their cellphones expressed shock and grief when a makeshift memorial with rows of candles and bouquets quickly grew outside the hotel.
“I didn’t think he was going to die so young,” Isabella Milesi, 21, told the AP.
Payne was one of five members of One Direction, which formed when they each auditioned for the British singing competition series “The X Factor” in 2010, two years after Payne’s first attempt to compete on the show. At 16 the second time around, Payne sang Michael Bublé’s version of “Cry Me a River,” appearing nervous at first but warming up to cheers and applause from the audience.
After each singer failed to make it through the solo competition, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges combined Payne, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson to form what would become one of the most successful boy bands. more successful – even if they lost. the competition.
Each member had their own personality, with Payne – originally from Wolverhampton, a city in the West Midlands region of England – being known as the one in charge. The group became known for their pop sound and romantic hits like “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Night Changes” and “Story of My Life.” Payne played prominent solos on songs such as “Stole My Heart” and “Change Your Ticket,” co-writing several of the group’s hits. They had six Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts at the time of their breakup in 2016 and a very loyal fan base, known as “Directioners,” many of whom were teenage girls.
“I’ve always loved One Direction since I was little,” said Juana Relh, 18, another fan outside Payne’s hotel. “To see that he is dead and that there will never be another reunion between the boys, it’s unbelievable, it’s killing me.”
With his meteoric rise to fame, Payne had said it took him some time to adjust to the public eye.
“I don’t think we can ever handle that, it’s kind of crazy for us to see that people get into that kind of mindset about us and what we do,” he said. he said in an interview with the AP in 2013 after recounting an experience where a fan was in a state of shock upon meeting him.
After the group disbanded, Payne – like each of his former bandmates – pursued a solo career, moving into EDM and hip-hop. His 2017 single “Strip That Down,” featuring Quavo, reached the Billboard Top 10 and remained on the charts for several months. He turned off an album “LP1” in 2019, and his latest album – a single called “Teardrops” – was released in March.
Payne had a 7 year old son, Bear Gray Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl who was known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud. She was a judge on “X Factor” during One Direction’s season, although their relationship began years later. Payne was previously engaged to Maya Henry, from August 2020 to early 2022. Henry released a novel earlier this year that she said was based on their relationship.
In addition to his son, he is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
___
Huamani reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press journalists Natacha Pisarenko and Debora Rey contributed reporting from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
