One Direction’s Liam Payne dies in Buenos Aires: what we know | Music news

Liam Payne, former member of the hit group One Direction, has died at the age of 31 in an incident in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Payne is said to have fallen from the third floor balcony of the CasaSur hotel in the Palermo district. According to authorities, it is not yet known whether Payne’s death was accidental, foul play or suicide.

Local emergency services confirmed his death, leaving fans and fellow artists in shock.

One Direction, who disbanded in 2015, had 29 Billboard Hot 100 hits and, as of 2020, has sold more than 70 million records worldwide, making them one of the most successful “boy bands.” sold history.

Who were Liam Payne and One Direction?

Payne, the youngest of three siblings, was born in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. He studied Music Technology at City of Wolverhampton College, laying the foundations for his future career in the music industry.

At the age of 14, Payne made her debut on the reality television show The X Factor in the United Kingdom in 2008, but did not make it past the initial stages. Undeterred, he returned two years later, delivering a powerful rendition of “Cry Me A River” that won over the judges.

One Direction was formed on this X Factor show in July 2010, brought together by one of the judges, Simon Cowell, later famous for being a ruthlessly critical judge on the reality TV show American Idol.

All members of the group had originally auditioned for The X Factor as solo artists, with the group consisting of Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.

Their achievements cemented their position as one of the most commercially successful boy bands in music history, known for hits like “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Story of My Life.”

The band’s debut album, Up All Night, released in 2011, made history by becoming the first album by a UK-based band to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200. First week sales reached 500,000 digital copies.

In 2013, they released their third album, Midnight Memories, which became one of their most successful albums, selling 4 million copies in less than two months. Their 2014 “Where We Are” tour was one of the highest-grossing tours for a vocal group, generating revenue of $290 million.

Following the announcement of an indefinite hiatus in 2015, the members of One Direction have since primarily focused on developing individual solo careers.

Payne released his debut solo single “Strip That Down” with American rapper Quavo in 2017. His debut solo album, LPI, released in December 2019, peaked at number 17 on the UK Albums Chart.

Payne has a seven-year-old son named Bear Gray Payne with his former British girlfriend, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, whose musician name is Cheryl. Fernandez-Versini, 41, first met Payne in 2008 when she auditioned for The X Factor. Cheryl was then a judge alongside Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh.

Fernandez-Versini was also an X Factor judge during One Direction’s appearance on the show in 2010.

After her split from ex-husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, Cheryl reconnected with Payne in 2016. In 2017, they had their son, Bear Gray Payne, but separated the following year.

Payne had openly discussed his struggle with alcohol addiction. In a July 2023 video, he shared his progress, stating that he remained sober for six months following a period of rehabilitation.

In March 2024, Payne released his latest single, Tearsdrop, on which he collaborated with Jamie Scott and JC Chasez of N*SYNC. He shared footage of some emotional moments during the development of Tearsdrop on TikTok.

Hours before his death, Payne posted a video on Snapchat in which he was seen having breakfast with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. He begins the video by saying: “Hello everyone, have a nice day here in Argentina. ” He continues with light banter with Cassidy, smiling at times, as he talks about riding horses, playing polo, and going home to see his dog, Stan. He ends the video with: “So, it’s going to be a great day. »

Liam Payne had posted on Snapchat hours before his death, sharing photos of himself with his partner Kate Cassidy as well as videos in which he said it was a “beautiful day here in Argentina”.

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Last month, Netflix announced that it had hired Payne as a judge for its new reality competition, Building the Band. Other judges include Destiny’s Child alum Kelly Rowland, Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger and Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean as host.

Payne is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.

Why did he go to Argentina?

Payne traveled to Buenos Aires in late September to support his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan in a concert that was part of his tour, The Show Live On Tour, and featured his third studio album, The Show , which came out. in June 2023.

The visit comes after Payne’s appearance at Horan’s show at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires on October 2, where he attended the show in the presence of fans.

How did Payne die?

According to local authorities, Payne fell from the third floor balcony of the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

According to a recording of a 911 call obtained by the Associated Press news agency, the manager of the CasaSur hotel told police there was “a guest overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol.”

Referring to Payne’s hotel room, the manager said: “He’s destroying the whole room and, well, we need you to send someone, please.” »

On Wednesday, the head of Buenos Aires Emergency Medical Services (SAME), Alberto Crescenti, told Argentine news channel Todo Noticias: “At 5:04 p.m. we were alerted by 911 of a person who was in the interior courtyard of the CasaSur hotel. At 5:11 p.m., a team arrived and confirmed the man’s death.

Payne was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

“There was no possibility of resuscitation”, with the singer suffering “very serious injuries incompatible with life following his fall”, Crescenti told Todo Noticias.

Authorities are expected to conduct an autopsy and open an investigation into the circumstances of Payne’s death. We still don’t know if it was an accident or a suicide.

What was the overall reaction?

Celebrities and musicians from around the world have paid tribute to the former One Direction member.

MTV released a statement on its X account: “We are deeply saddened to learn today of the tragic passing of Liam Payne. During this difficult time, our thoughts remain with his family, loved ones and fans.

The mother of Harry Styles, his former One Direction bandmate who has since developed his own singing and acting career, posted a heartbroken image on Instagram after hearing the news of Payne’s death.

Ant Middleton, a former special forces soldier who made a documentary with Payne in 2019 called Ant Middleton & Liam Payne: Straight Talking in which the two men traveled together through Namibia, expressed shock at the news.

Middleton told Australia’s The Morning Show: “After filming Straight Talking with Middleton, he was my first celebrity guest and now we’ve formed a brotherhood. He was like a little brother to me.

Flavor Flav of American rap group Public Enemy shared his condolences on his X account, posting: “RIP to Liam Payne… way too young. »

Celebrities, including American company heiress Paris Hilton, also expressed their sadness. Media groups including Spotify and IHeartRadio also posted reactions on their X accounts, expressing support for Payne’s family and friends.

Bridget Phillipson, Britain’s education secretary and minister for women and equalities, told Sky News on Thursday morning: “This is very sad news, there is no age limit for someone to lose his life, and my thoughts are with his friends and family, this must be a total shock to them and very, very upsetting.

Fans gathered outside the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires to mourn Payne’s death, lighting candles and singing One Direction songs.