The music industry is mourning the loss of Liam Payne, former member of the popular British boyband One Direction, who passed away at the age of 31 in Argentina after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires. Police confirmed that they discovered Payne’s body after an emergency crew responded to a 911 call in the upscale neighbourhood of Palermo. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Payne shot to fame as part of One Direction, created on the X Factor TV show in 2010 alongside Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik. The group had four UK number one albums and four number one singles, topping charts around the world, before taking a hiatus in 2015. Payne’s debut solo single Strip That Down peaked at number three on the Official UK Chart in 2017, and his collaboration with Rita Ora on the song For You – from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack – also reached the top 10.
Payne was born in Wolverhampton in the UK. He first auditioned for ITV talent show The X Factor in 2008, but judge Simon Cowell instructed him to “come back in two years”. Payne returned and was put together with four other solo hopefuls at the boot camp stage, forming One Direction. Payne began a relationship with Girls Aloud star Cheryl in 2016, and the couple had a son, Bear, the following year, before splitting in 2018.
Fans of Payne were shocked to learn of the tragic news, with many mourning their loss outside the Buenos Aires hotel where the incident occurred, despite police cordoning off the area. Tributes have begun pouring in on social media, with figures from the music industry and beyond expressing their condolences. Presenter Dermot O’Leary fondly recalled Payne’s audition for The X Factor, saying that he “always had time for everyone, was grateful and always humble.
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