Former member of One Direction, Liam Payne, has passed away after falling out of the third-story window of CasaSur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The cause of death has yet to be determined. Here’s an overview of his life and what is known so far.
Payne was born on Aug. 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, England. According to Payne, his childhood was a happy one, but there wasn’t much money. He began singing with the encouragement of his father, Geoff Payne. At age 14, he auditioned for The X Factor in 2008, performing as a solo artist with a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To the Moon.” He was later paired with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik to form a group for the show’s 2010 season.
The group went on to become one of the most successful boy bands throughout the 2010s, racking up an incredible 29 hits on the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Such hits include “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” “Live While We’re Young,” “Drag Me Down,” and “Best Song Ever.”
Mass fan hysteria followed the band as they circled the globe on four world tours, breaking numerous records in the process. Their Where We Are Tour was the highest-grossing concert tour of 2014 at $290.2 million. One Direction has sold 70 million records and won four MTV Music Awards, seven Brit Awards, six Billboard Music Awards, 28 Teen Choice Awards, and seven American Music Awards.
In January 2016, the band decided to take an indefinite hiatus to pursue solo ventures.
With the breakup of One Direction, Payne began his solo career when he signed with Republic Records in October 2016. The first song he released, “Strip That Down,” debuted on May 19, 2017, and was a hit, climbing to No. 3 on the Official UK Charts and No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It marked his first major independent mainstream success in the industry, proving he was a force to be reckoned with.
Not only did his newfound fame as a soloist contribute to this joyous chapter in his life, but his relationship with Cheryl Cole and the birth of his first child, Bear Payne, less than two months prior marked what was supposed to be the start of a new life for the family. Instead, it was marred with heartbreaks and scandals.
On July 2, 2018, the couple announced on social media that they’d be going their separate ways. On top of that, Payne was never able to attain the fame he experienced in One Direction in the couple of years that followed.
When Payne went on the podcast The Diary Of A CEO on June 7, 2021, he said, “I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be. 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.”
He opened up to fans once again about his struggles in 2023 when he wrote the following on an Instagram Story: “First thing I did every day was check-in, and it’s important you don’t bottle up how you feel. Feeling is one of the amazing gifts we have, and I blocked things up so long it made me sick and lash out… notice it, allow it to happen, and let it pass through.”
With the hardships Payne faced during the last few years and the recent controversies from this past month, people are speculating how his life came to such a tragic end and what the exact cause was. While nothing has officially been released, what should be addressed is the well-being of young stars in the industry and increasing mental health issues to prevent situations like this from happening in the future.
Without a doubt, the legacy left by Liam Payne and One Direction will leave an indelible mark on its worldwide fan base for years to come.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for mental health concerns, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website or call 1-800-950-NAMI(6264). For confidential treatment referrals, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357). In an emergency, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or call 911.
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