One Direction's Liam Payne dies at 31 - what we know

Topline

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, suffering multiple traumas and bleeding, according to the National Penal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office.

Photos, letters and flowers are displayed in honor of Liam Payne in front of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos … (+) Aires, where Payne fell to his death.

SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Important facts

Buenos Aires police issued a statement Wednesday saying Payne fell from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur hotel in the Argentine capital, suffered “extremely serious injuries” and was immediately pronounced dead by paramedics .

A toxicology report is pending, but autopsy results released by officials Thursday said he died of multiple trauma and internal and external bleeding.

Authorities said substances were found in Payne's hotel room that suggested alcohol and drug use before his death. The investigation so far suggests that the musician was under the influence of alcohol and was alone when he fell.

A local official quoted by the Associated Press said Payne “jumped from the balcony of his room,” and forensic experts later said the position of his body suggested he “did not adopt a reflexive stance to protect himself and that he could have fallen in”. a state of semi- or total unconsciousness,” according to NBC News.

Police were reportedly called to the scene shortly after 5:00 p.m. local time after the hotel manager made an emergency call to 911 complaining about a guest who was “under the influence of drugs and alcohol” and “some items in the room “destroyed.”

According to the BBC, the manager also expressed concerns that the guest “has a balcony and we are concerned that it could endanger his life.”

Local officials said they had launched an investigation into the death, and the BBC reported that the British Foreign Office was in contact with Argentine authorities on the matter.

Payne's family released a statement to British media on Thursday: “Liam will live forever in our hearts and we will remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”

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Crucial quote

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

How did other One Direction bandmates 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 smartest person in any room” and said he felt “so lucky I got to see him recently.” Zayn Malik said that even though he and Payne had “clashed,” he felt like he had “lost a brother.” Louis Tomlinson praised Payne as “the most important member of One Direction” and Harry Styles called his time with Payne “one of the most precious years of my life.”

Who else reacted to Payne's death?

“X Factor” creator and judge Simon Cowell, who put together One Direction in 2010 after all five members auditioned individually and signed to his record label, said in a statement Friday afternoon that he was “heartbroken” and ” “empty”. Payne's ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole, with whom he had his son Bear, said on Instagram she was working through her grief and called on the media to stop “exploiting” Payne's death. Cole was a judge on the “X Factor” jury for both of Payne's auditions in 2008 and 2010, and the two took place between 2016 and 2018. Payne's friend Kate Cassidy said in an Instagram Story on Friday that she was “completely at a loss” and asked to give space to grieve and explain that she loves Payne “unconditionally and completely.” Cassidy, who Payne had dated on and off since 2022, was in Buenos Aires with Payne until Monday, the day she posted a TikTok video filming her trip from Argentina back to Florida. Shawn Mendes stopped his concert in Brooklyn on Friday to pay tribute to Payne, saying: “The world is crying for you, brother, and we are all praying for your son and your family.” And Payne's sister Ruth Gibbons posted one on Instagram emotional message: “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”

One Direction's music returns to the streaming charts

After Payne's death, One Direction's music rose sharply on the Spotify charts. The band was the most streamed artist in their home country of the UK on Thursday and ranked No. 2 on Spotify's global artist chart. The band's song “Night Changes,” one of their 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 Payne's death. “Night Changes” also sits at No. 6 on TikTok’s weekly trending songs chart as fans use it in videos to pay tribute to Payne.

Fans of One Direction and Liam Payne gathered outside the hotel to light candles at an impromptu event … (+) Altar after the death of a British musician on Wednesday evening.

Anadolu via Getty Images

The group of fans gathered outside the hotel could be heard singing One Direction songs.

Anadolu via Getty Images

Fans of British singer Liam Payne cry next to the hotel where he died in Buenos Aires.

AFP via Getty Images

One Direction fans also mourned Payne's death on social media.

AFP via Getty Images

Important background

Payne, along with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson, was a member of One Direction – a band put together by the judges of the British show “The X Factor” in 2010. They didn't win the season, but the group enjoyed astronomical success after the show and went on to have stadium tours and a string of pop hits, including “Story of My Life” and “Best Song Ever.” The band announced that they would be taking a temporary hiatus in 2015, despite Malik having already left the band earlier in the year. Payne then pursued a solo career, releasing his first solo album, LP1, in 2019, before continuing to make pop, hip hop, Latin and electronic music. Payne spoke about his battle with addiction in recent years, saying that he suffered from suicidal thoughts as a member of One Direction. In a 2023 YouTube video, Payne said he had spent 100 days in rehab and had a “better handle on life and everything that has eluded me” now that he was sober. Payne has had four chart-topping songs and one Billboard Top 10 hit, 2017's “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo, in his solo career. He released his latest song “Teardrops” earlier this year. Payne also had a child with Cheryl Cole in 2017.

Mary Whitfill Roeloffs contributed reporting.