Liam Payne, former One Direction member, dies at 31 in Argentina hotel fall

Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, was found dead after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said.

Buenos Aires police said in a statement on Wednesday that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina's capital, resulting in “extremely serious injuries.” Medics confirmed his death on the spot, the statement said.

Pablo Policicchio, the spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Buenos Aires municipality, said in a statement to AP that Payne “had thrown himself from the balcony of his room.”

He said police were dispatched to the hotel in response to an emergency call about an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.” Arriving police heard a thud and found Payne's body in the hotel courtyard, Policicchio said.

Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, said on Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel that authorities were investigating the circumstances of his death and conducting an autopsy.

He declined to answer further questions about the incident, including whether Payne jumped from the balcony or fell by accident.

"So young": fans mourn Payne's passing

Payne had been vocal about struggling with alcoholism, posting a video in July 2023 to his YouTube channel where he said he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment. Representatives for Payne did not immediately return emails and calls.

One Direction fans flocked from across Buenos Aires to the Casa Sur Hotel after the news broke, forming lines that spilled into the street as police stood sentinel outside. Young women at the scene expressed shock and heartbreak.

“I didn’t think he was going to die so young,” said 21-year-old Isabella Milesi. Video showed dozens gathered on the cordoned-off street outside the hotel, with many recording videos on their cellphones. Forensic investigators were seen exiting the hotel, where Payne's body remained on Wednesday evening.

Payne was one of five members of One Direction, which formed in 2010 when they each auditioned for the British singing competition series “The X Factor.”

After each singer failed to make it through the competition as solo acts, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges combined Payne, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson into what would become one of the most successful boy bands — even though they lost the competition.

The band became known for their pop sound and romantic hits like “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Night Changes” and “Story of My Life.” They had six Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts by the time they disbanded in 2016.
They had a loyal fan base, many of whom were teen girls, who became known as “Directioners.”

A father, son, and brother lost

After the group's dissolution, Payne — like each of his erstwhile bandmates — pursued a solo career, shifting toward EDM and hip-hop. He put out an album “LP1” in 2019, and his last release — a single called “Teardrops” — was released in March.

Payne had a 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, with musician Cheryl who was known as Cheryl Cole. She was an “X Factor” judge during One Direction's season.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.