Former One Direction star, Liam Payne, is found dead after falling from a third-floor hotel room in Argentina. The fan-favorite English singer was 31 years old. 

La Nacion, an Argentinan news source, reported that Police were called to the hotel before the incident after a report of "an aggressive man that couldn't been under the influence of drugs and alcohol" and according to Alberto Crecenti, head of the state emergency medical system, when first responders arrived at the incident, "there was no possibility of resuscitation" as Payne had experienced a "skull fracture, a very serious injury." 

Payne was born on August 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, England, Payne's journey to fame began when he auditioned for the British singing competition show The X Factor in 2008 at the age of 14. Although he didn’t make it through that year, Payne returned to the show in 2010, where judge Simon Cowell suggested he be placed in a group alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, forming One Direction.

One Direction went on to become one of the biggest boy bands in modern history, releasing five studio albums and embarking on several sold-out world tours before announcing a hiatus in 2016. Payne pursued a solo career after the group’s break, releasing several singles and his debut EP, First Time, in 2018. His first full-length solo album, LP1, was released in December 2019, featuring hits like "Strip That Down" and "Stack It Up" and his most recent album was released in March called "Teardrops." Beyond music, he has been involved in various philanthropic activities, including mental health advocacy and charity work with UNICEF. He has a son, Bear, with singer Cheryl Cole, whom he dated from 2016 to 2018.

This story is still developing but as we learn more details we are confident that Directioners will remember him fondly and grieve this tragic loss.