Payne rose to prominence as a boy band One Direction member after his appearance on the British television competition The X Factor.
Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan went on to become one of the most successful boy bands in history.
Some of their hit songs include ‘What Makes You Beautiful,’ ‘Best Song Ever,’ and ‘One Thing.’
Following One Direction’s sabbatical, Payne signed with Republic Records and released his first song, ‘Strip That Down’, in 2017.
The tune, which appeared on his first album, peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and number ten on the Billboard Hot 100.
However, it was unfortunately confirmed yesterday that Payne died at the age of 31.
In the wake of his death, tributes are pouring in to remember the late singer.
Paris Hilton shared her grief on X (formerly Twitter), saying: “So upsetting to hear the news of Liam Payne’s passing…Sending love and condolences to his family and loved ones. RIP my friend.”
Jedward, an X-Factor alumnus, wrote: “RIP Liam Payne. My condolences to friends and family.”
Rapper Juicy J, who worked with Payne and Wiz Khalifa on the 2016 song “You,” said, “RIP Liam Payne. Wow, I can’t believe it; prayers for the family.”
Fans have also been flooding social media with loving messages.
“He was instrumental in shaping a generation of music and played a key role in one of the most iconic bands of all time. His impact is felt worldwide,” one fan shared. “Rest in peace to a true legend.”
Another expressed, “I’m devastated by the news of Liam Payne’s untimely death. He was such a talented artist, taken far too soon – his music will be greatly missed.”
A third person commented, “Liam’s loss is immense. He touched countless lives, and my thoughts are with everyone grieving today. May his legacy bring comfort.”
One more fan wrote, “So many young lives have been lost recently, but this one really hit me hard. Watching someone grow and succeed from such a young age makes it even more shocking. It’s a reminder of how fragile life can be.”
According to Buenos Aires officials, Payne tragically fell from a city hotel balcony just after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, as reported by TMZ.
Fans have started to assemble at the area, where local officials have established a security perimeter.
Payne was apparently in Buenos Aires to see his former bandmate Niall Horan perform, according to Argentine media.
According to Sky News, Payne posted on Snapchat only an hour before the sad occurrence, explaining his plans for the day, which included playing polo.
TMZ also alleged that Payne’s girlfriend, Texan model Kate Cassidy, departed Argentina on October 14.
Cassidy then tweeted a heartbreaking note with one of Payne’s final images before his death, showing him riding horses in the countryside, captioned: “I am very grateful for the simple things in life.”
Payne’s last Snapchat image, uploaded only minutes before his terrible death, showed him posing joyfully in front of a mirror with his girlfriend, Texan model Kate Cassidy, according to MailOnline.
Within an hour of local news announcing his death, The Sun announced that a fresh video of Payne eating breakfast with Cassidy had emerged.
In the video, Payne is heard saying: “This is the breakfast table, just enjoying breakfast and coffee even though it’s 1 p.m.”
Cassidy makes fun comments in the background, calling them ‘losers’ for sleeping in so late.
Payne continues: “Today, we ride. I think I’m going to be playing polo again, which is going to put me out of action for about six weeks.”
“Honestly, polo, out of everything I’ve ever done sports-wise, not that I’m taking up polo professionally, by the way, I’m just like, I had a go for some fun.”
“It’s so hard to do, number one. Number two, my back and my neck from swinging that hammer around, or mallet, I think it’s called, if you’re in the know, it’s polo language.”
More footage shows Payne photographing Cassidy and their dog as they watch Jimmy Carr on television, prompting his fans to come up with a caption.
Despite the video postings, it seems that Payne was not uploading in real time, since Cassidy flew back to Florida on October 14.
In a video, she stated being ‘ so ready to go’ and wanting to sleep in her own bed again.
Page Six also alleged that after Payne’s death was announced, the videos were pulled from his main Snap stories and preserved in the ‘Spotlight’ area of his account.
The authorities have now issued another update.
According to PA, Alberto Crescenti, the chief of the state emergency medical system, informed Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV program that Payne fell into the hotel’s courtyard.
Police verified this morning that a 911 call was made from the hotel.
When police arrived at the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo area, they reported hearing a loud boom from the inner courtyard.
Crescenti subsequently confirmed that Payne fell roughly 40 meters and sustained severe injuries which were incompatible with life.’
He explained: “The alarm was raised at 5:04 p.m. local time, saying a person was lying in an internal patio at CasaSur. At 5:11 p.m., an ambulance arrived, and the man was certified dead. Afterward, we found out he had been a famous singer.”
“Unfortunately, the injuries he had suffered as a result of the fall proved to be fatal. There was no possibility of resuscitating him.”
Crescenti also noted that Payne’s death was caused by repeated injuries and severe internal and external bleeding, as revealed by early autopsy findings, according to the Mirror.
Police were called to the hotel after receiving allegations of an ‘aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.’
Payne is survived by his seven-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, from his previous relationship with Girls Aloud actress and former X Factor judge Cheryl Tweedy.
He is also survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two elder sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
