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    • One Direction's Liam Payne dies at 31 – what we know
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    One Direction's Liam Payne dies at 31 – what we know

    Kathleen William Posted on

    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 traumas and bleeding, according to the National Penal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office.

    Important facts

    Buenos Aires police issued a statement Wednesday saying Payne fell from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur hotel in the Argentine capital, suffered “extremely serious injuries” and was immediately pronounced dead by paramedics .

    A toxicology report is pending, but autopsy results released by officials Thursday said he died of multiple trauma and internal and external bleeding.

    Authorities said substances were found in Payne's hotel room that suggested alcohol and drug use before his death. The investigation so far suggests that the musician was under the influence of alcohol and was alone when he fell.

    A local official quoted by the Associated Press said Payne “jumped from the balcony of his room,” although authorities did not provide further details Thursday about the nature of the fall.

    Police were reportedly called to the scene shortly after 5:00 p.m. local time after the hotel manager made an emergency call to 911 complaining about a guest who was “under the influence of drugs and alcohol” and “some items in the room “destroyed.”

    According to the BBC, the manager also expressed concerns that the guest “has a balcony and we are concerned that it could endanger his life.”

    Local officials said they had launched an investigation into the death, and the BBC reported that the British Foreign Office was in contact with Argentine authorities on the matter.

    Payne's family released a statement to British media on Thursday: “Liam will live forever in our hearts and we will remember him for his kind, funny and brave 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 death and would “take some time to come to terms with the loss of our brother, whom we loved very much.” , to mourn and to process.”

    How did other One Direction bandmates react to Payne's death?

    Payne's former bandmates all made individual statements on Instagram between Thursday and Friday. Niall Horan, whose concert Payne attended just two weeks before his death, called Payne “the smartest person in any room” and said he felt “so lucky I got to see him recently.” Zayn Malik said that even though he and Payne had “clashed,” he felt like he had “lost a brother.” Louis Tomlinson praised Payne as “the most important member of One Direction” and Harry Styles called his time with Payne “one of the most precious years of my life.”

    One Direction's music returns to the streaming charts

    After Payne's death, One Direction's music rose sharply on the Spotify charts. The band was the most streamed artist in their home country of the UK on Thursday and ranked No. 2 on Spotify's global artist chart. The band's song “Night Changes,” one of their biggest hits with a sentimental message about aging and the fleeting nature of life, was the sixth most streamed song worldwide on Spotify the day after Payne's death. “Night Changes” also sits at No. 6 on TikTok’s weekly trending songs chart as fans use it in videos to pay tribute to Payne.

    Important background

    Payne, along with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson, was a member of One Direction – a band put together by the judges of the British show “The X Factor” in 2010. They didn't win the season, but the group enjoyed astronomical success after the show and went on to have stadium tours and a string 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, despite Malik having already left the band earlier in the year. Payne then pursued a solo career, releasing his first solo album, LP1, in 2019, before continuing to make pop, hip hop, Latin and electronic music. Payne spoke about his battle with addiction in recent years, saying that he suffered from suicidal thoughts as a member of One Direction. In a 2023 YouTube video, Payne said he had spent 100 days in rehabilitation and that he had a “better handle on life and everything that has eluded me” now that he was sober. Payne has had four chart-topping songs and one Billboard Top 10 hit, 2017's “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo, in his solo career. He released his latest song “Teardrops” earlier this year. Payne also had a child with Cheryl Cole in 2017.

    Mary Whitfill Roeloffs contributed reporting.

    Further reading

    CNNFormer One Direction member Liam Payne dies at 31 | CNNABC NewsEx-One Direction star Liam Payne dies after falling from hotel in Argentina: police

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    Kathleen William
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