Nairobi, Kenya, October 17- Liam Payne, the singer who rose to global fame as a member of One Direction, has passed away at the age of 31.
According to police in Buenos Aires, the musician was found dead after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in the Argentine capital. The AFP news agency reported that local authorities were called to Costa Rica Street in Palermo shortly after 5:00 PM local time [8:00 PM GMT].
“Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, and former member of the band One Direction, died today after a fall from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo,” officials said in a statement.
“He sustained severe injuries, including a skull base fracture, which led to his death,” said Crescenti, adding that an investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing.
Payne had traveled to South America earlier this month to attend a concert by former bandmate Niall Horan. He mentioned wanting to “resolve a few things” with Horan, and his behavior at the Movistar Arena concert later drew criticism from fans.
Liam Payne was born in Wolverhampton on August 29, 1993. His first audition for The X Factor came in 2008 at the age of 14. Despite making it through several stages, judge Simon Cowell advised him to return in two years.
In 2010, Payne auditioned again for The X Factor as a solo contestant. He was eventually grouped with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, forming the boy band One Direction on the recommendation of guest judge Nicole Scherzinger.
Although One Direction finished third on The X Factor, they quickly became a global sensation. Their debut single “What Makes You Beautiful,” released in September 2011, topped charts worldwide and earned the 2012 Brit Award for British Single of the Year.
