Former One Direction Star Liam Payne Found Dead At Age 31

Liam Payne’s death has rocked the music world. The former One Direction star was pronounced dead on October 16 after reportedly falling off of a balcony in Argentina. TMZ broke the story, alleging that there were multiple witnesses who saw Payne fall from the third floor of his Buenos Aires hotel. The singer had been traveling with girlfriend Kate Cassidy, but the outlet claims that Cassidy left Argentina on October 16. The circumstances surrounding Liam Payne’s fall remain unclear. He was 31 years old.

TMZ claimed to have obtained photos of Liam Payne’s body on the deck shortly after his fall. The outlet alleges that the former One Direction singer had been acting erratically in the hotel lobby leading up to his death. One witness alleges that Payne smashed a laptop, and had to be carried back to his room by hotel security. TMZ also reported that someone called 911 to report a male who was acting “aggressive” at the hotel. The caller did not provide a name or physical description, but the timing of the call seems to align with the aforementioned witnesses alleged to have seen.

Liam Payne was forthright about his personal struggles in the years leading up to his death. During a 2021 appearance on the Diary of a CEO podcast, the singer admitted to struggling with alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. These issues surfaced while he was still a member of One Direction. “I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be,” he explained to the host. “Where’s rock bottom for me? And you would never have seen it. I’m very good at hiding it. No one would ever have seen it.”

Liam Payne also suffered a health scare in 2023. The “Strip That Down” singer was hospitalized due to a serious kidney infection in August of that year, and forced to cancel tour dates. He eventually made a full recovery and got back on the road. “I just want to let everybody know,” Payne’s girlfriend said in a TikTok. “He’s doing so much better. He’s out of the hospital and he’s in good hands.” Liam Payne is survived by his son, Bear, who was born in 2017.