Liam Payne, a former member of the hit band, One Path, has died on the age 31 in an incident in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Payne is known to have fallen from his third-storey balcony of CasaSur Resort within the Palermo neighbourhood of the town. In line with authorities, it’s as but unknown whether or not Payne’s loss of life was unintended, right down to foul play or suicide.
Native emergency companies confirmed his loss of life, which has left followers and fellow artists in shock.
One Path, which disbanded in 2015, had 29 hits on Billboard’s Scorching 100 and, as of 2020, had bought greater than 70 million data worldwide, making it one of many best-selling “boy bands” in historical past.
Who have been Liam Payne and One Path?
Payne, the youngest of three siblings, was born in Wolverhampton within the West Midlands space of the UK. He studied music expertise on the Metropolis of Wolverhampton School, laying the inspiration for his future profession within the music trade.
On the age of 14, Payne made his debut on the fact music competitors TV present, The X Issue, within the UK in 2008 however didn’t make it previous the preliminary phases. Undeterred, he returned two years later, delivering a strong rendition of “Cry Me A River” that gained the judges over.
One Path was shaped on that X Issue present in July 2010, introduced collectively by one of many judges, Simon Cowell, later well-known for being a ruthlessly essential choose on the TV actuality present, American Idol.
All of the group members had initially auditioned for The X Issue as solo artists, with the group consisting of Harry Kinds, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.
Their achievements solidified their place as some of the commercially profitable boy bands in music historical past, recognized for hits like “What Makes You Lovely” and “Story of My Life”.
The band’s debut album, Up All Night time, launched in 2011, made historical past by turning into the primary album by a UK-based group to debut at primary on the US Billboard 200. First-week gross sales hit 500,000 digital copies.
In 2013, they launched their third album, Midnight Reminiscences, which turned considered one of their most profitable albums, promoting 4 million copies in lower than two months. Their “The place We Are” tour in 2014 was one of many highest-grossing excursions for a vocal group, incomes revenues of $290m.
Following the announcement of an indefinite hiatus in 2015, the members of One Path have since primarily centered on growing particular person solo careers.
Payne launched his debut solo single “Strip That Down” that includes US rapper Quavo in 2017. His solo debut album, LPI, launched in December 2019, peaked at quantity 17 on the UK Albums Chart.
Payne has a seven-year-old son named Bear Gray Payne together with his former British girlfriend, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, who goes by the musician title Cheryl. Fernandez-Versini, 41, first met Payne in 2008 when he auditioned on The X Issue. Cheryl was a choose on the time alongside Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh.
Fernandez-Versini was additionally an X Issue choose at One Path’s look on the present in 2010.
After her break up from ex-husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, Cheryl reconnected with Payne in 2016. In 2017, they’d their son, Bear Gray Payne, however break up the next 12 months.
Payne had brazenly addressed his wrestle with alcohol habit. In a July 2023 video, he shared his progress, stating that he had maintained sobriety for six months following a interval of rehabilitation.
In March 2024, Payne launched his final single, Tearsdrop, on which he collaborated with Jamie Scott and JC Chasez of N*SYNC. He shared footage of some emotional moments through the improvement of Tearsdrop on TikTok.
Hours earlier than his loss of life, Payne posted a Snapchat video during which he will be seen having breakfast together with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. He begins the video saying: “Morning everyone, beautiful day right here in Argentina.” He continues with mild banter with Cassidy, smiling at occasions, as he talks about driving horses, taking part in polo and returning residence to see his canine, Stan. He closes the video with: “So, it’s going to be a pleasant day.”
Liam Payne had posted on Snapchat within the hours earlier than his loss of life, sharing images of himself together with his associate Kate Cassidy in addition to movies during which he mentioned it was a “beautiful day right here in Argentina”.
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Final month, Netflix introduced it had signed up Payne to be a choose for its new actuality TV competitors, Constructing the Band. Different judges embrace Future’s Baby alum Kelly Rowland, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, and Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean because the host.
Payne is survived by his mother and father, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
Why did he go to Argentina?
Payne travelled to Buenos Aires on the finish of September to help his former One Path bandmate, Niall Horan, at a live performance that shaped a part of his tour, The Present Stay On Tour, and featured his third studio album, The Present, which was launched in June 2023.
This go to got here after Payne’s look at Horan’s present on the Movistar Enviornment in Buenos Aires on October 2, the place he watched the efficiency with followers in attendance.
How did Payne die?
In line with native authorities, Payne fell from the third-storey balcony of CasaSur Resort in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In line with the recording of a 911 name to police obtained by The Related Press information company, the supervisor of CasaSur Resort informed police that there was “a visitor who’s overwhelmed with medicine and alcohol”.
Referring to Payne’s resort room, the supervisor mentioned: “He’s destroying your complete room and, effectively, we’d like you to ship somebody, please.”
On Wednesday, Buenos Aires emergency medical companies (SAME) chief Alberto Crescenti informed Argentinian information station Todo Noticias: “At 17:04 we have been alerted via 911 about an individual who was within the interior courtyard of the CasaSur Resort. At 17:11, a staff arrived and confirmed the person’s loss of life.”
Payne was pronounced lifeless on the scene by paramedics.
“There was no risk of resuscitation,” with the singer struggling “very critical accidents incompatible with life because of his fall”, Crescenti informed Todo Noticias information.
Officers are set to conduct an post-mortem and launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Payne’s loss of life. It’s nonetheless unclear whether or not this was an accident or suicide.
What has been the general response?
Celebrities and musicians from world wide have been paying tribute to the previous One Path member.
Tv community MTV issued a press release on its X account: “We’re deeply saddened to be taught of Liam Payne’s tragic passing at the moment. Throughout this tough time, our hearts stay together with his household, family members, and followers.”
The mom of Harry Kinds, his former One Path bandmate who has since developed his personal singing and film profession, took to Instagram to put up a picture of a damaged coronary heart after listening to the information of Payne’s loss of life.
Ant Middleton, a former ex-Particular Forces soldier who made a documentary with Payne in 2019 titled Ant Middleton & Liam Payne: Straight Speaking during which the pair journeyed collectively throughout Namibia, expressed shock on the information.
Middleton informed Australia’s The Morning Present: “After we filmed Straight Speaking with Middleton, he was my first celeb visitor and we shaped the brotherhood now. He was like a youthful brother to me.”
Taste Flav from the US rap group, Public Enemy, shared his condolences on his X account, posting: “RIP to Liam Payne… a lot too younger.”
Celebrities together with Paris Hilton, the US society heiress, additionally expressed unhappiness. Media teams together with Spotify and IHeartRadio have additionally posted reactions on their X accounts, expressing help for Payne’s household and mates.
Bridget Phillipson, UK schooling secretary and minister for girls and equalities, informed Sky Information on Thursday morning: “It’s very unhappy information, it’s no age for somebody to lose their life, and my ideas are together with his family and friends, this have to be a complete shock for them and really, very upsetting.”
Followers gathered outdoors the CasaSur Resort in Buenos Aires to mourn Payne’s loss of life, lighting candles and singing One Path songs.
