Former One Direction Star Liam Payne Dies After Fall From Hotel Balcony

Musician and former One Direction member Liam Payne has died at the age of 31.

The singer-songwriter reportedly passed away after falling from the third floor of his hotel balcony in Argentina (via ABC). Local police state that he had been spending his trip staying at Palermo, Buenos Aires’ CasaSur.

Payne is best known as one of the five original members of One Direction (also known as 1D). The group, which included Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Payne, was arguably the biggest pop band of the 2010s. The band was known for mega-hits such as What Makes You Beautiful, Drag Me Down, and Best Song Ever. Malik announced his departure from One Direction in 2015. Although the remaining four members continued to release music in the months following his leave, they went on to announce an indefinite hiatus from One Direction later that same year.

One Direction got its start after all five members auditioned for British reality TV competition X Factor. They were quickly brought together to form the group shortly after. Payne’s solo career involved the release of his record LP1 in 2019, which included tracks such as Strip That Down and For You. In the days leading up to his death, the singer’s former fiancée, Maya Henry, accused him of obsessive behavior. According to Daily Mail, Henry issued a cease and desist to Payne last week.

Payne had one 7-year-old son, Bear Payne, with former girlfriend and Girls Aloud musician Cheryl. The details of Payne's death remain unclear while authorities investigate.

Thumbnail credit: Joseph Okpako/WireImage

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

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