According to a police statement quoted by the AFP news agency: “Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, former member of the band One Direction, died today after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo.”
Local emergency medics say they arrived at the Casa Sur hotel shortly after 17:00 local time (21:00 BST), AFP reported.
Liam Payne, former member of One Direction, died aged 31 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He was found dead after falling from the third floor of a hotel, according to AFP news agency and local media citing police.
From X Factor to global superstar
Liam Payne first tried for stardom when he auditioned for The X Factor in 2008 – but judge Simon Cowell told him to “come back in two years”.
So he did, impressing the judges more in 2010, and was put together with four other solo hopefuls at the boot camp stage. One Direction were born – they didn’t win the talent show, but swiftly found huge chart success and became the world’s biggest boy band.
They had four UK number one albums and four number ones singles as well as topping charts around the world, before splitting five years later.
In 2017, Liam’s debut solo single Strip That Down which peaked at number three on the Official UK Chart, and his collaboration with Rita Ora on the song For You – from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack – also reached the top 10.
He and Girls Aloud star Cheryl began a relationship in 2016 and had a son, Bear, the following year. The couple split in 2018.
In recent weeks, claims had circulated on social media about his behaviour towards other former partners, with one reported on Tuesday to have taken legal action to stop him contacting her friends and family.
There was no possibility of resuscitation after fall, local medics say
The former One Direction star, Liam Payne, has died aged 31 in Buenos Aires, police in Argentina have said.
A police statement said he had fallen from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo, an upmarket neighbourhood in the city.
The head of the city’s SAME emergency medical service, Alberto Crescenti, tells local television he had suffered “very serious injuries incompatible with life as a result of his fall” and there was “no possibility of resuscitation”.
He adds that Payne was taken to the Casa Sur hospital after a call was made to emergency services on Wednesday evening.
Payne a key part of one of the world’s biggest bandspublished at 17:00 16 October
One Direction was one of the biggest bands of the 2010s, the BBC’s Music Correspondent Mark Savage told Radio 5 Live a short while ago.
They sold 70 million records, with songs that everybody will know – like What Makes You Beautiful, Story of My Life, and Best Song Ever – dominating air waves.
“Liam was a key part of that band. He helped to write a lot of their songs, and of course, he had a very successful solo career after One Direction split,” Savage says.
“[He had] several other high-profile singles, and was supposedly making music as recently as last month.
“So very much cut off in his prime.”
Industry bodies ‘deeply saddened’ by news
A number of industry bodies have joined friends and fans in posting tributes to the 31-year-old.
Streaming giant Spotify, MTV and the Brit Awards all say in separate statements they are “deeply saddened” by Payne’s death.
“Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who love his music,” Amazon Music also said, in a post to X, alongside a black-and-white picture of the star.
Backstreet Boys say hearts go out to ‘Directioners around the world
Pop band The Backstreet Boys perform and dance on stage with mics as strobe lights singing one of their songs
Pop band The Backstreet Boys perform on Strictly Come Dancing in 2018
Boyband the Backstreet Boys have paid tribute to Liam Payne, in a post on their social media.
It says: “Words can not express the emotions we are collectively feeling right now. And it seems like the rest of the world is in the same boat.
“Our hearts go out to Liam’s family, friends, and directioners around the world.
“Rest in peace brother.”
Fans leave letters to Liam Payne outside Buenos Aires hotel
Letters pinned outside hotel, one saying “You’ll always be in our hearts”
Outside the hotel where he died, fans have left letters and notes to Liam Payne.
One says “goodbyes are bittersweet but it’s not the end” – a quote from the One Direction song Walking In The Wind. The hotel is surrounded by cameras and media. But it is still operational, with some guests coming in and out too.
Letter saying “goodbyes are bittersweet but it’s not the end”.
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