One Direction’s Liam Payne Dead at 31: What We Know

Top line

Liam Payne, an English singer who rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, died after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and suffering multiple traumas and hemorrhages, according to prosecutors national penal and correctional system. Desk.

Key facts

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Crucial quote

The four other former members of One Direction released a joint statement Thursday afternoon on Instagram, saying they were “completely devastated” by Payne’s passing and would “take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, whom we loved very much.

How did the other members of One Direction react to Payne’s death?

Payne’s former bandmates all made individual statements on Instagram between Thursday and Friday. Niall Horan, whose concert Payne attended just two weeks before his death, called Payne “the most brilliant in every room” and said he felt “so lucky to have been able to see him recently”. Zayn Malik said that although he and Payne “clashed,” he feels like he “lost a brother.” Louis Tomlinson hailed Payne as the “most vital member of One Direction”, and Harry Styles called his time with Payne “among the most cherished years of my life”.

Who else reacted to Payne’s death?

Simon Cowell, the “X Factor” creator and judge who created One Direction in 2010 after the five members auditioned individually and signed them to his label, said he felt “heartbroken” and “empty” in a press release Friday afternoon. Payne’s ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole, with whom he had son Bear, said on Instagram that she was overcoming her grief and urged the media to stop “exploiting” Payne’s death. Cole was a judge on the “X Factor” panel for Payne’s two auditions in 2008 and 2010, and the two dated between 2016 and 2018. Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, said in an Instagram Story Friday that she was “completely lost” and asked for space to grieve, stating that she loves Payne “unconditionally and completely”. Cassidy, who Payne has been dating on and off since 2022, was with Payne in Buenos Aires until Monday, the day she posted a TikTok video filming her trip from Argentina to Florida.

One Direction’s music returns to streaming charts

One Direction’s music climbed the Spotify charts following Payne’s death. The group was the most streamed artist in their native United Kingdom on Thursday and ranked No. 2 on the Spotify global artist chart. The group’s song “Night Changes,” one of its biggest hits with a sentimental message about aging and the fleeting nature of life, was the sixth most-streamed song worldwide on Spotify the day after the band’s death. Payne. “Night Changes” also ranked No. 6 on TikTok’s weekly trending songs chart, as fans use it in videos to pay tribute to Payne.

Key context

Payne was a member of One Direction, a group formed by the judges of the British show “The X Factor” in 2010, alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson. They didn’t win the season, but the group enjoyed astronomical success after the show and went on to have stadium tours and a number of pop hits, including “Story of My Life” and “Best Song Ever “. The group announced they would be taking a temporary hiatus in 2015, although Malik left earlier that year. Payne then pursued a solo career and released his debut solo album, LP1, in 2019, before continuing to make pop, hip-hop, Latin and electronic music. Payne has spoken about his struggle with addiction in recent years and said he suffered from suicidal thoughts while a member of One Direction. In a 2023 YouTube video, Payne said he spent 100 days in rehabilitation and had “more control over life and everything that was taking me away” after becoming sober. Payne has had four charting songs and one Billboard Top 10 hit during his solo career, 2017’s “Strip That Down” with Quavo. He released his most recent song, “Teardrops,” earlier this year. Payne also had a child in 2017 with Cheryl Cole.

Mary Whitfill Roeloffs contributed reporting.

Further reading

CNNLiam Payne, former member of One Direction, dies at 31 | CNNABC NewsFormer One Direction star Liam Payne dies after falling from hotel in Argentina (police)