Liam Payne died after falling over a hotel balcony. He was 31 years old.
The former One Direction member died after falling multiple stories at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday, Oct. 16, according to Policía Federal Argentina. Argentine news station TN was the first to report the news.
The local police have initiated an investigation into Payne’s death circumstances and will conduct an autopsy.
In a Spanish-language statement, Alberto Crescenti (director of SAME, Buenos Aires’ public emergency medical services system) informed TN that Payne fell into the hotel’s internal courtyard.
At about 5:11 p.m. local time, a SAME team arrived at the hotel and confirmed Payne’s death. Crescenti said the musician’s injuries were too severe for resuscitation.
Bear Grey, Payne’s 7-year-old son from his relationship with Girls Aloud star Cheryl, survives him.
The British vocalist started his music career on The X Factor in 2010, where the judges teamed him up with fellow solo candidates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson to form One Direction. Even though the group did not win the program, they rose to superstardom and became one of the most well-known boy bands in history.
Before member Malik quit the group in 2015, the pop-rock band had published four very successful studio albums and amassed a big global audience, with Payne co-writing singles including “Midnight Memories,” “No Control,” “Steal My Girl,” and “Night Changes.”
Following the release of their last album, Made in the A.M., without Malik, One Direction announced in 2016 that the band would go on a permanent sabbatical, with each surviving member—Payne, Styles, Horan, and Tomlinson — launching their own solo careers.
Payne launched his solo career as a singer-rapper in 2017 with the smash single “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo, which has over 1 billion Spotify listens. He released his first solo EP, First Time, in 2018 and his debut studio album, LP1, the following year.
In his personal life, the former One Direction member began dating X Factor judge Cole, who was previously a member of the girl group Girls Aloud, in late 2015. They welcomed their son Bear in 2017. Since announcing their separation in July 2018, the couple has continued to co-parent Bear.
Payne previously told PEOPLE that he “always wanted to be a young dad,” but it was not an easy task. During a subsequent interview in December 2020, he elaborated on how he had “to learn” to be a parent over time.
“I had my son at a young age, and you think it will be a magical thing that you’re going to grow up one day into the person you’re supposed to be,” the artist had told PEOPLE at the time. However, it took a long time for me to find my footing again. I assumed Dad takes care of everyone; that’s what he does, so I’d cook.”
The “Strip That Down” singer engaged model Maya Henry two years after their breakup with Cheryl in 2020, but they called off their engagement the following year. Eventually, they rekindled their love and reengaged before finalizing their separation in May 2022.
When he passed away, Payne was dating Kate Cassidy; their first sighting was in October 2022.
The singer has been open about his alcoholism throughout his career, claiming that his One Direction fame fueled it. “It’s difficult when you have the level of fame that we had as a band,” he told Men’s Health Australia in 2019.
“Many individuals struggling with mental health issues are not receiving the necessary assistance, and I believe this is a significant issue within our industry,” he states. “Everyone has been experiencing the same issues since the 1970s,” he says. You know what the traps are, and if you’re lucky enough, like myself, to be able to escape out of that situation and return to normalcy, you realize things are a little different.”
The star’s battles with alcohol persisted, and in July 2023, he stated that he was six months sober and had spent over 100 days in a treatment center. “I just kind of feel like I’ve got more of a grip on life and everything that was getting away from me; I just feel like I’ve got more of a handle on it,” Payne said in a clip posted to YouTube titled “I’m Back…”
“I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself, actually, because I kind of became somebody I didn’t recognize anymore,” he told me. “I am sure you didn’t either. It was great to end life and work because I was in terrible shape.”