Former One Direction member Liam Payne has reportedly passed away at 31.
Reuters reports the singer was found dead outside a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He reportedly fell from the hotel’s third floor.
Local newspapers La Nacion and Clarin reported the tragic news on Wednesday (October 16), citing emergency services and officials at the scene.
Ambulance workers later confirmed that Payne died after he was found in an interior hotel patio, reports Reuters.
The singer was best known as a member of British boyband One Direction.
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Liam Payne rose to fame with One Direction (Getty/Marc Piasecki)
The group, which also included Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, first formed in 2010 as part of reality competition show The X Factor.
Born on Aug. 29, 1993 in Wolverhampton, England, Payne first rose to fame after auditioning for The X Factor‘s fifth season in 2008.
After being placed into a group with Styles, Malik, Tomlinson, and Horan on the show, the fivesome went on to become a global sensation and one of the best-selling boy bands of all time procuring hit after hit like “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Steal My Girl.”
The band announced they were taking a hiatus in 2016 after Malik departed the group a year prior. Payne went on to release his own solo projects including his 2019 debut solo album LP1.
Payne was 31 at the time of his death. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Fans are heartbroken and have been pouring in tributes for Payne on social media.
“I feel like most of us are so shocked over Liam Payne’s death cause that man once was part of something our 13 year old selfs could never imagine living without. Like why am I actually speechless right now. It’s so weird,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“Damn this Liam Payne news got me speechless,” another user wrote. “Looked up to [One Direction] so much during the wdw days. You really never know when it’s your time to go. Remind your friends/family that you love them today and every day.”
He is survived by his son Bear Grey Payne. (Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)
“Liam Payne’s death is sad very very sad. He played a role in all our childhoods. Just doesn’t seem real… I’m speechless. Rest Easy,” said another.
“I feel so unsettled hearing this news — I think it’s because we grew up with him, he’s only our age,” wrote another.
Payne is survived by his son, Bear Grey Payne, whom he welcomed with singer Cheryl Cole in 2017.
Fans were heartbroken after noticing that Liam Payne seemed to post on social media just one hour before he passed away.
The 31-year-old singer was found dead after falling from the third floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina according to local police.
The Argentine Director of Emergency Medical Services, Alberto Crescenti, confirmed that Payne was found dead in the interior patio of the hotel.
Payne was found dead at 31 (Dave Benett/Getty Images for evian)
Just one hour before he died, a post was shared to Payne’s Snapchat where he detailed his plans for the day in Argentina.
“Today, we ride. We’re going to ride some horses,” Payne said in the video post. “Think I’m going to play polo again, which is going to put me out of action for about six weeks.
“It’s so hard to do, number one, my back and my neck from swinging that hammer around… or mallet, I think it’s called if you’re in the know. It hurts a lot, it’s very tough to do.”
A story was shared to Payne’s Snapchat an hour before he passed (Snapchat)
Fans have noted that the posts seem to be scheduled as the singer’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy (whose voice could be heard in the videos), posted a TikTok about traveling back to Florida from Argentina two days ago.
Payne’s death has come as a shock to many.
The singer rose to prominence as part of British boyband One Direction along with Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan.
The group were formed on reality competition show The X Factor in 2010, and went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
The singer was part of boy band One Direction. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)
Although they announced their hiatus in 2016, Payne went on to pursue a solo career and released his debut solo album LP1 in 2019 .
Fans have since flooded social media with tributes with one user writing on Twitter, “This doesn’t even feel real, like he was part of a group that raised an entire generation. Like he just posted a story on Snapchat an hour ago is insane. RIP Liam.”
“Liam Payne’s death is sad very very sad. He played a role in all our childhoods. Just doesn’t seem real… I’m speechless. Rest Easy,” said another.
“I feel so unsettled hearing this news — I think it’s because we grew up with him, he’s only our age,” wrote another.
Payne is survived by his son, Bear Grey Payne, whom he welcomed with singer Cheryl Cole in 2017.
