BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after the 31-year-old fell from his third-floor room balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentine police said on Wednesday.
Police said in a statement that they were called to the CasaSur hotel in the capital’s leafy Palermo neighborhood after being notified of an “aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol.”
When they arrived, the hotel manager reported he had heard a loud noise from the inner courtyard and the police found that a man had fallen from the balcony of his room, the statement said.
In audio related to the case obtained from the Buenos Aires security ministry, a worker can be heard asking for police help.
“When he is conscious he is destroying the entire room and we need you to send someone,” the worker said, adding that the guest’s life was at risk because the room had a balcony.
Shooting to global fame as part of one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, Payne – like his band mates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson – went on to pursue a solo career after they went on an “indefinite hiatus” in 2016. Payne’s last single was “Teardrop,” released in March this year.
While many of the details surrounding the circumstances of his death remain unclear, Payne had spoken publicly about his struggles with mental health and using alcohol to cope with the pressures of fame.
His death led to an outpouring of grief from music industry stars and fans, including those among the crowd who gathered outside the hotel.
Violeta Antier said she had come straight away after being told Payne had died.
“I saw him two weeks ago at a Niall (Horan) concert, another One Direction member. He was there, I saw him,” she said.
“He was ok.”
Payne attended an October 2 concert by Horan in Buenos Aires. The two had posted videos together and with fans.
American singer Charlie Puth was among those expressing their grief.
“I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me,” he said on Instagram. “He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I cannot believe he is gone.”
Payne auditioned for the British version of X Factor for a second time in 2010 at the age of 16 and was put into a group with his future band mates by music mogul Simon Cowell.
Cowell told Rolling Stone in a 2012 interview that he’d “always backed” Payne at the time of his first audition in 2008 but he didn’t quite make it because he had been too young.
“But I always knew that with confidence he would be a valuable member of this band, so I had no hesitation in bringing him back,” he said.
The band may have finished third in X Factor that year but it went on to have more than 29 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100 with six in the top 10, including “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life” and “Live While We’re Young.”
Payne’s co-writing credits include “Story of My Life” and “Night Changes”.
He teamed up with Rita Ora on the 2018 song “For You” and released his first studio album LP1 in 2019.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Payne’s One Direction and solo career helped garner him a net worth of some $70 million.
Payne had a son named Bear with British TV personality and Girls Aloud singer Cheryl.
Last year, he published a video to fans on his YouTube channel in which he spoke about his family, making new art and performing again after having given up alcohol. He thanked supporters for sticking with him through difficult times.
Earlier on Wednesday, Payne had appeared to post on Snapchat about his trip in Argentina, talking about riding horses, playing polo, and looking forward to returning home to see his dog.
“It’s a lovely day here in Argentina,” he said in the video.
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