Liam Payne, former member of One Direction, has died at the age of 31

Former One Direction member Liam Payne was found dead tonight (between Wednesday and Thursday) outside a hotel in Buenos Aires, according to reports in Argentina. The British singer and actor was found dead after apparently falling from the third floor of the hotel.The head of the emergency medicine system in Argentina told the AP news agency that it is not clear whether it was an accident and that the authorities are now investigating the circumstances of the death. Reports in local media describe that the police were called to the scene following complaints about “an aggressive person who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, UK, got his start in the music industry when he competed on The X Factor in 2008, but was kicked off the show. Two years later he returned to the competition with four other friends, Harry Styles, Niall Horne and Louis Tomlinson as the band One Direction and together they reached the third place in the competition. They were then signed to the record label of Simon Cowell, the show’s judge.

At the beginning of the month, Payne’s name was linked to a media storm on entertainment sites overseas when his ex-fiancée, Maya Henry, a 23-year-old model, accused him of obsessive and incessant harassment of her and her relatives.

One Direction is considered one of the most successful and well-known boy bands of all time. In 2016, the quintet announced an indefinite hiatus, a split that led its members to pursue solo careers. In 2017, he released his first solo single, Strip That Down, together with the rapper Quavo. The song reached the top 10 charts in the United States and in his native Britain. His debut album, LP1 was released in 2019.

Payne spoke openly about his struggle with alcoholism and his struggles with suicidal tendencies. Last year he stated in an interview that he managed to complete three months without consuming alcohol. Payne left behind a 7-year-old son he fathered with singer Cheryl, who was his partner for two years from 2016. Until his death he was in a relationship with Kate Cassidy.