On Oct. 16, former One Direction member and pop singer Liam Payne passed away at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor of Hotel CasaSur Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. An autopsy revealed that he was under the influence, with evidence of heavy alcohol and cocaine use at the time of his death.
Investigators of the incident determined he was unconscious before and as he was falling due to intoxication. After reviewing over 800 hours of surveillance footage and interviewing those present near the incident, Argentinian police accused three people of assisting Payne’s overdose: a hotel staff member suspected of supplying narcotics and two unnamed individuals who were around Liam during his stay in Buenos Aires.
Liam was 16 when he first stepped onto the “X Factor” stage to perform before judge Simon Cowell. Although initially told he “wasn’t quite ready yet,” two years later, he was paired with four other young men and competed with them in “X Factor 2010,” launching his career as a One Direction band member.
Despite placing third on “The X Factor,” Liam, Louis, Harry, Zayn and Niall quickly rose to fame. They released their debut single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” in 2011 and their first album, “Up All Night,” a year later.
One Direction was more than a boy band that stole the hearts of many teens; it was a cultural awakening that spread positive messages on love, relationships and respect for young women.
Some of their most iconic lyrics, such as “Baby, you light up my world like nobody else” and “Don’t need makeup to cover up,” challenged many societal standards for women. These songs launched the band into popularity for their respectfulness, kindness and thoughtfulness.. As their popularity grew, they went on to become the Global Recording Artist of the Year in 2013 and one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, selling over 70 million records worldwide.
After Zayn’s departure from the group, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016, marking the beginning of each member’s solo career.
On his time off, Payne released his first solo album, “LP1,” but failed to chart in the Billboard Top 100. In 2017, he welcomed his first son, Bear, with singer and former “X Factor” judge Cheryl Tweedy.
In the years leading up to his death, Payne was open about his mental health problems, including anxiety and the pressures of fame. He was placed in rehab for alcohol abuse and hospitalized due to kidney problems. During recovery, his single, “Strip That Down,” featuring rapper Quavo, became his most streamed track on all platforms, receiving significant radio play.
The title of Payne’s final single, “Teardrops,” released months before his death, seems especially poignant as fans worldwide mourned his loss. In Hyde Park, London, three days after his death, fans gathered in mourning, placing handmade cards and signs next to flower bouquets, balloons, other trinkets and photographs.
Ramsey-Rose, a mother who attended the vigil with her daughter, noted that One Direction “was such an important part of [her] life growing up.” For many, this gathering and many other similar vigils around the world were not only events to mourn the death of a beloved artist but also ways for the fandom to cope with the loss of a significant figure from their childhood, as Payne’s death marked the end of hopes for a full-band reunion.