By Eliana Raszewski and Agustin Marcarian
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Liam Payne, who shot to global fame with boy band One Direction, was found dead after he fell from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, triggering an outpouring of tributes from fans.
As news emerged of the 31-year-old English singer’s death, fans of one of the world’s biggest-selling boy bands gathered outside the hotel in the Argentinian capital’s leafy Palermo neighbourhood to sing his songs and celebrate his life.
Police said in a statement they had been called to the CasaSur hotel after being notified of an “aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol”.
When they arrived, the hotel manager reported he had heard a loud noise from the inner courtyard and the police found that a man had fallen from the balcony of his room, the statement said.
In audio obtained from the Buenos Aires security ministry, a worker can be heard asking for police help.
“When he is conscious he is destroying the entire room and we need you to send someone,” the worker said, adding that the guest’s life was at risk because the room had a balcony.
One Direction found global success after Simon Cowell brought together Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson on Britain’s X Factor talent show in 2010.
They went on to sell 70 million records, with six top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100, including “What Makes You Beautiful”, “Story of My Life” and “Live While We’re Young”. Payne’s co-writing credits included “Story of My Life” and “Night Changes”.
The band announced an “indefinite hiatus” in 2016, leaving its members to pursue solo careers. Payne’s last single was “Teardrop”, released in March this year.
Payne’s family said they were “heartbroken”.
“Liam will live forever in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” they said in a statement.
While details surrounding his death remained unclear, Payne had spoken publicly about his struggles with mental health and using alcohol to cope with the pressures of fame.
“Doing a show to however many thousands of people, then being stuck by yourself in a country where you can’t go out anywhere – what else are you going to do? The minibar is always there,” he told the Guardian newspaper in 2019.
VERY COMPLICATED
Fans who held a vigil in Argentina said they were shocked.
“I feel like it’s like a dream, like I’m going to sleep now and tomorrow it’s all going to be a lie…I think it’s going to take me a while to accept all this, it’s very complicated,” Micaela Ibertis told Reuters.
Violeta Antier said she had seen Payne recently at a Niall Horan concert: “He was there, I saw him. He was ok.”
Payne first auditioned for the X Factor in 2008 when he was 14, and was told by music mogul Cowell to return when he was older.
“I always knew that with confidence he would be a valuable member of this band, so I had no hesitation in bringing him back,” he said.
American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, one of many pop stars Payne collaborated with during his career, said on Instagram: “I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me.”
Payne teamed up with Rita Ora on the 2018 song “For You” and released his first studio album LP1 in 2019.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Payne’s One Direction and solo career helped garner a fortune of some $70 million.
He had a son named Bear with Girls Aloud singer and British TV personality Cheryl, seven years after she helped bestow fame on him when she was a judging panel member on The X Factor.
Last year, Payne published a video to fans on his YouTube channel in which he spoke about his family, making new art and performing again after having given up alcohol. He thanked supporters for sticking with him through difficult times.
Earlier on Wednesday, Payne posted on Snapchat about his trip in Argentina, talking about riding horses, playing polo, and looking forward to returning home.
“It’s a lovely day here in Argentina,” he said in the video.
(Reporting by Sarah Morland, Brendan O’Boyle and Anthony Esposito in Mexico City, Eliana Raszewski, Agustin Marcarian and Adam Jourdan in Buenos Aires, William James in London and Rocky Swift in Tokyo; Writing by Kate Holton; Editing by David Alire Garcia, Chris Reese, Sonali Paul, Edwina Gibbs, Peter Graff)
