Death of Liam Payne | One Direction band members ‘completely devastated’

(Buenos Aires) Members of the group One Direction said Thursday they were “completely devastated” by the death of British singer Liam Payne on Wednesday in his fall on 3^e floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires in a context of “consumption of alcohol and narcotics”, according to the first results of the investigation.

“We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s death,” wrote Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan, the four other members of the group which rose to dazzling fame after its formation in 2010.

“In due time, and when everyone is able to do so, we will have more to say. But for now, we are going to take the time to mourn and digest the loss of our brother, whom we loved very much,” they added on the group’s Instagram account.

For his part, singer Harry Styles also paid tribute to his former companion.

“I am totally devastated by Liam’s death,” the singer posted on Instagram. Making people happy was his greatest joy and it was an honor to be by his side,” he added, describing Liam Payne as a person who wears his “heart on his sleeve”.

« Substances »

The autopsy carried out late Wednesday evening established that the 31-year-old singer had, due to his fall, suffered “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” which caused death, according to a press release from the prosecutor’s office. .

Liam Payne occupied a room on 3^e floor, with a balcony overlooking a backyard, a height of almost 14 meters. The medical team that rushed in could only “note death”. “There was no possibility of resuscitation,” according to the emergency chief.

Before his fall, shortly after 5 p.m., the hotel had called the emergency number 911: “we have a guest who is overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol and destroying his room, we need you to send someone ! “.

“He has a room with a balcony and we are a little afraid that he might do something that puts his life in danger,” the receptionist said, asking for “urgent help”.

In photos of the room published by several media, we can see a television with a broken screen, bottles, cans with burn marks, candles, traces of white powder on a table, a half-finished glass of champagne. drank.

According to the prosecution, “a series of substances were seized in the musician’s room which would support a previous situation of consumption of alcohol and narcotics”.

The results of histopathological, biochemical and toxicological analyzes were not initially known on Thursday.

Liam Payne had openly spoken about his difficult relationship with fame and his problems with alcoholism which, as he revealed in 2023, had led him to a rehab center.

“Everything seems to indicate that the musician was alone at the time of his fall and that he was going through an episode of substance abuse,” notes the prosecution, seeming to rule out the intervention of a third party.

On Payne’s hands, “no ‘defensive’ type injuries were found,” according to the autopsy. “All the injuries were vital and produced simultaneously.”

These injuries and the position of the body on the ground suggest that “Payne did not adopt a reflex posture to protect himself [dans la chute] and that he may have fallen into a state of semi-or total unconsciousness.” Which would validate an accidental thesis.

“All my childhood”

On the sidewalk in front of the hotel, many fans gathered as soon as the death of their idol was announced and left flowers, candles and messages.

Late Thursday afternoon, nearly a hundred young people gathered around the Obelisk, in the heart of Buenos Aires, for meditation, between tears, candles, white balloons decorated with messages, noted AFP.

Sitting in a circle around a photo of Liam, they alternated moments of silence and covers of songs from the group such as Night changes et What makes you beautiful.

“One Direction is my whole childhood. I grew up with them, I’ve been listening to them since I was 13,” confided Antonela Segura, 24, from the suburbs of Buenos Aires. “The circumstances of his death are very hard, it splits you in two […] I just hope that in his last days he was able to feel the love of the people here, that he left with this memory of us.”

“One Direction was one of the biggest groups in history, and their music had a huge impact on millions of fans,” responded a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who presented his “sincere condolences” to the artist’s loved ones.

The family of the Briton, born August 29, 1993 in Wolverhampton, said in a statement that they were “heartbroken” and asked for “privacy and space at this terrible time.” “Liam will forever live in our hearts, and we will remember him for his kindness, his humor and his courage,” it added.

Solo careers

According to the magazine Billboardthe singer attended a Niall Horan concert on October 2 in Buenos Aires.

One Direction, one of the most lucrative boy bands in the world, with their smooth, light pop, released their fifth and final studio album, Made in the A. M.in 2016.

The announcement the same year of a break in the group’s career, never formalized as a separation, upset millions of fans.

With less success than Harry Styles or Zayn Malik, Liam Payne then launched a solo career. His first album, LP1was released in 2019, and its single Strip that Down had placed third in the British rankings.

Last year, Liam Payne announced that he was working on a second album, and had just released a new single in March 2024.