Liam Payne, musician and former member of One Direction, dies at 31: reports – National
Several media report that Liam PayneBritish musician and former member of One directiondied after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires. He was 31 years old.
Buenos Aires police said in a statement to The Associated Press 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, a spokesman for the Buenos Aires municipal security ministry, said in a statement to The Associated Press that Payne “threw himself from his bedroom balcony.”
He said police were dispatched to the hotel in response to an emergency call about an “aggressive man who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.” When police arrived, they heard a loud noise and found Payne’s body in the hotel courtyard, Policicchio said.
The news first surfaced in Argentine media, which reported that police were investigating whether the death was an accident or self-inflicted.
The director of the Buenos Aires ambulance service, SAME, confirmed the death to the TN socket.
Get the latest national news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up to receive breaking news alerts sent directly to you as they happen.
“He suffered injuries incompatible with life as a result of his fall,” Alberta Crescenti told TN, in a translated statement. He declined to answer further questions but confirmed an autopsy would be carried out.
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.
Global News reached out to Payne’s representatives for confirmation, but did not immediately receive a response.
Born in Wolverhampton, England, in 1993, Payne rose to fame as part of the since-disbanded pop group One Direction, alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson.
After every singer failed to pass the British singing competition The X factor solo, record executive Simon Cowell and his fellow judges combined the five into a group in 2010.
The new boy band placed third in the competition and launched a hugely successful career, selling 70 million records worldwide. They had a loyal fan base, many of them teenage girls, known as “Directioners”.
Their debut album reached number two in the UK charts and number one in the US, and produced the Billboard top 10 hits “That’s What Makes You Beautiful” and “One Thing”. Their next four albums topped the charts in both countries and several others.
The group broke up in 2016 as its members pursued different projects including solo careers. Payne released his only studio album, LP1in 2019. His last release was a single titled “Teardrops,” in March.
Argentine media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to see his former bandmate Horan in concert.
Payne had a 7-year-old son, Bear Gray Payne, with his former girlfriend, musician Cheryl, known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud. She was a X factor judge during the One Direction season.
He is also survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
—With files from the Associated Press
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
