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One Direction’s Liam Payne dead at 31: what we know

Vaseline October 21, 2024

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 trauma and bleeding, and had multiple drugs in his system . the time of his death, sources told ABC News.

Photos, letters and flowers are on display in tribute to Liam Payne in front of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos … (+) Aires, where Payne fell.

SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

Key facts

Sources told ABC News that Payne had multiple drugs in his system at the time of his death, including crack, cocaine, benzodiazepine and “pink cocaine,” a drug that is typically a mix of methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA and other substances .

Buenos Aires police issued a statement on Wednesday saying Payne fell from a third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentine capital, suffered “very serious injuries” and was pronounced dead at the scene by medics.

According to autopsy results released by officials on Thursday, he died of multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding.

Authorities said substances were found in Payne’s hotel room, indicating he had used alcohol and drugs before his death. The investigation so far shows that the musician was under the influence and alone when he fell.

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

Police were reportedly called to the scene just after 5:00 PM local time after the hotel’s manager placed an emergency call to 911 complaining of a guest “under the influence of drugs and alcohol” who had “destroyed some items in the room ”.

According to the BBC, the manager also expressed concern that the guest “has a balcony, and we are concerned that they would do something to endanger their lives.”

Local officials said they have launched an investigation into the death and the BBC reported that the British Foreign Office is in contact with Argentine authorities about the matter.

Payne’s family released a statement to British media on Thursday: “Liam will live on forever in our hearts and we will remember him for his kind, funny and courageous 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 passing and that they “need some time to grieve and mourn the loss of our brother, whom we loved dearly”.

How have fellow One Direction band members reacted to Payne’s death?

Payne’s former bandmates all made individual statements on Instagram as of Thursday. Zayn Malik has postponed the US leg of his tour – where shows are scheduled this month – due to “the heartbreaking loss he experienced this week”, writing on Saturday that the shows will be rescheduled for January. Previously, Malik said that although he and Payne “butted heads,” he feels like he has “lost a brother.” Niall Horan, whose concert Payne attended just two weeks before his death, called Payne “the smartest in every room” and said he feels “so lucky to have seen him recently.” Louis Tomlinson praised Payne as the “most vital member of One Direction,” and Harry Styles called his time with Payne “one of the most cherished years of my life.”

Who else reacted to Payne’s death?

Simon Cowell, the “X Factor” creator and judge who put together One Direction in 2010 after all five members auditioned as individuals and signed them to his record label, said in a statement Friday afternoon that he felt “heartbroken” and ” empty’ feels. Payne’s ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole, with whom he had his son Bear, said on Instagram that she is dealing with her grief and urged the media to stop the “exploitation” of Payne’s death. Cole was a judge on the ‘X Factor’ panel for both of Payne’s auditions in 2008 and 2010, and the two dated between 2016 and 2018. Payne’s friend Kate Cassidy said in an Instagram Story on Friday that she was “completely lost” and asked to be given space to grieve and say she loves Payne “unconditionally and completely.” Cassidy, whom Payne had been dating 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 Brooklyn concert on Friday to pay tribute to Payne, saying, “The world cries for you, brother, and we are all praying for your son and your family.” And Payne’s sister, Ruth Gibbons, posted an emotional message on Instagram, saying: “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”

One Direction’s music returns to the streaming charts

One Direction’s music soared on the Spotify charts after Payne’s death. The band was the most-streamed artist in their native Britain on Thursday and ranked No. 2 on Spotify’s global artist chart. The band’s song “Night Changes,” one of its biggest hits with a sentimental message about aging and the transience of life, was the sixth most streamed song worldwide on Spotify the day after Payne’s death. “Night Changes” also ranks at No. 6 on TikTok’s weekly trending songs list 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 a makeshift … (+) altar following 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 outside 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 was a member of One Direction – a band put together by the judges of the British show ‘The X Factor’ in 2010 – along with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson. They didn’t win the season, but the group enjoyed astronomical success after the show, going on to have stadium tours and a number 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, although Malik had left earlier that year. Payne subsequently pursued a solo career, releasing his first solo album, LP1, in 2019, before continuing to make pop, hip-hop, Latin and electronic music. Payne opened up about his struggles with addiction in recent years, saying he suffered from suicidal thoughts when he was a member of One Direction. In a 2023 YouTube video, Payne said he spent 100 days in rehab and “had a better handle on life and everything that eluded me” after getting sober. Payne had four chart-topping hits and one Billboard Top 10 hit in his solo career, 2017’s “Strip That Down” with Quavo. He released his most recent song ‘Teardrops’ earlier this year. Payne also had a child with Cheryl Cole in 2017.

Mary Whitfill Roeloffs contributed reporting.

CNNLiam Payne, former One Direction member, dies at 31 | CNNABC NewsFormer One Direction star Liam Payne dies after falling from hotel in Argentina: Police