At age 31, Liam Payne, a former member of the band One Direction was found dead on the night of Wednesday, October 16. Payne fell from the third-floor balcony of his hotel in the Casa Sur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires, which he was at to support his former bandmate Niall Horan on his tour: “The Show: Live On Tour.”
Local police have investigated and found that Payne had drugs, such as “pink cocaine,” in his system at the time of his death. Recently released images of Payne’s hotel room show a smashed TV, a half-empty glass of champagne, wax, and burned foil in the bathtub as well as a white powder scattered across the floor of his room. After review, authorities decided to test the powder to see if it was cocaine as well as a Dove soap box filled with drugs.
Officials in Argentina received a 911 call around 5 pm. There was a report of an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
When officials arrived they found a body on the floor with a bottle of whiskey, a lighter and a cellphone in hand. There were also packs of medication like Clonazepam (an anxiety drug), energy drinks, and other over-the-counter drugs found in his hotel room as well.
It was later confirmed the man was Liam Payne who had fallen from the third-floor balcony of his room.
When officials took Payne’s body to the morgue for the preliminary autopsy and revealed that there was internal bleeding due to the fall as well as drugs and alcohol in Payne’s system.
Friday, October 18, local officials released that Payne was under the influence of a potentially lethal drug called “cristal” which can cause hallucinations and psychotic attacks.
Payne is remembered by his seven-year-old son, Bear, who Payne recently said was his mini-me. Payne and his ex, Cheryl Cole have decided not to publicly share photos of Bear throughout his life, but Payne is well-known for giving frequent updates on Bear’s life so as not to completely shut out the media from their life.
The Road To Success
One Direction also known as 1D is loved and adored by many. The English-Irish pop boy band was formed in England in 2010. When One Direction appeared on the show X-Factor and signed with Simon Cowell. Before this audition Payne had appeared on the show twice to audition as a soloist. Along with these successes, he was also one of the main songwriters in 1D. The band made five albums in total until they went on an indefinite hiatus after Zayn Malik left the group.
Overall 1D has won 242 awards and been nominated for over 300. Being Nationally recognized is a great indicator of success. Everybody wants to be famous but when does it start to take a toll? When does stardom start to become too much for these young adults?
Ever since his One Direction days, Payne has openly talked about his struggles with drug addictions and alcohol abuse. In early 2023, Payne went to rehab for 100 days to better himself. When he returned he uploaded a video to YouTube, informing his fans how he was better, he does not partake in those activities anymore and the road ahead will be much clearer.
Although he informed his fans he was on a journey to a healthier lifestyle, there had been many times shortly before his passing when he had been seen partaking in self-destructing behaviors.
The Outcomes
One Direction has always had a very loyal fanbase, that to this day still stays strong. Through all the trials and tribulations that the boy band has had, the one consistency has been the fans and their love for the boys and the music they create.
Fans who loyal, also known as fangirls or fanboys, date all the way back to the Beatles. We have all seen the images where crowds of people are crying and screaming. The Beatles started this craze, but it died out for a while until One Direction came fifty years later. By using the internet and social media as a tool to communicate, the fan base of One Direction has only richened since then.
The event of Payne’s passing is only one example of how the fanbase will continue to thrive and grow through the tough times. Vigils and monuments all across the world have opened up with fans from all over coming together to grieve the loss of someone they all love dearly.
One of the biggest tributes to Payne right now is in Paris. Fans come from all around the world to leave flowers, balloons, pictures, and even handwritten letters. For many fans, On Direction was not just a band but also a safe space to grow and be themselves.
Although this is a very unfortunate event, fans band together in this tough time and create meaningful memories to remember Payne. Payne is not only a musician, father, and son but a legend who is loved by many.
