After a 14-year career in music that began with the formation of One Direction in 2010 and continued with a successful solo run, Liam Payne has died at age 31. The pop singer/songwriter died after falling from a third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina, local police confirmed to CNN.
Before his untimely death, the star made a name for himself in pop music, beginning as one-fifth of the wildly popular British boy band One Direction, which was pieced together in 2010 from the five individual members auditioning for the U.K. version of The X Factor singing competition. In fact, Payne had previously auditioned for the show in 2008, when he was just 14 years old. The judges passed on him, but Simon Cowell encouraged him to return to the show in two years, setting up his eventual 1D future.
One Direction would become one of the most successful pop vocal groups of all time, scoring four sold-out world tours, four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and six Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits.
Payne came out of the gate swinging for his solo debut, enlisting Migos rapper Quavo for his lone solo Hot 100 top 10 “Strip That Down,” which peaked at No. 10 in September 2017. It was one of four Hot 100-charting solo songs for Payne.
Following the news of Payne’s death, celebrities including his “Get Low” collaborator Zedd and Paris Hilton mourned the loss of their friend. “RIP Liam… I can’t believe this is real… absolutely heartbreaking …,” Zedd wrote on X alongside a broken-heart emoji, while Hilton tweeted, “So upsetting to hear the news of @LiamPayne passing … Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. RIP my friend.”
To relive happier times for Payne, find photos from his life and career below, from his days in One Direction to his time as an adult pop star.
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2016
Image Credit: Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage Liam Payne attends the World Premiere of “I Am Bolt” at Odeon Leicester Square on November 28, 2016 in London, England.
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2011
Image Credit: Dave Hogan/Getty Images Liam Payne of One Direction shows a cake while visiting Glasgow, Manchester and London on September 11, 2011. The tour was taken in a luxury helicopter to launch their first single ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ released on the 12th September.
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2017
Image Credit: Andrew Chin/Getty Images Liam Payne performs on stage during day 1 of iHeartRadio Beach Ball at PNE Amphitheatre on September 3, 2017 in Vancouver, Canada.
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2011
Image Credit: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan of one Direction sign their new book ‘One Direction: Forever Young: Our Official X-Factor Story’ at HMV on March 7, 2011 in Manchester, England.
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2014
Image Credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction speak onstage at the 2014 American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 23, 2014 in Los Angeles.
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2011
Image Credit: Danny Martindale/WireImage Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne of One Direction attend Heart Radio’s annual Have A Heart Appeal fundraising day, this year its in aid of Children’s Hospices UK at Global Radio Studios on March 4, 2011 in London, England.
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2015
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/BMA2015/WireImage Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne of One Direction pose backstage with rapper Wiz Khalifa (seated) at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015 in Las Vegas.
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2017
Image Credit: Neil Mockford/GC Images Liam Payne seen shooting his music video for new single ‘Get Low’ at Tower Bridge on Aug. 15, 2017 in London.
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2018
Image Credit: Paul Grover – Pool/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II meets British singer Liam Payne after the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 12, 2018 in London, England.
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2018
Image Credit: Paula Lobo/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Liam Payne and J Balvin perform live from Central Park to kick off the Summer Concert Series on “Good Morning America,” Tuesday, May 15, 2018.
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2017
Image Credit: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic Liam Payne performs during the 2017 Z100 Jingle Ball on Dec. 11, 2017 in Washington, DC.
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Cheryl Cole & Liam Payne
Image Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne attend The BRIT Awards 2018 held at The O2 Arena on Feb. 21, 2018 in London.
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2017
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia Liam Payne performs onstage during 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2017 presented by Capital One at The Forum on December 1, 2017 in Inglewood, Calif.
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2017
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for iHeartMedia Liam Payne and Camila Cabello are seen backstage at 106.1 KISS FM’s Jingle Ball 2017 Presented by Capital One at American Airlines Center on November 28, 2017 in Dallas, Texas.
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2017
Image Credit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett /Getty Images for Giorgio Armani Ellie Goulding and Liam Payne attend the Emporio Armani Show on September 17, 2017 in London, England.
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2015
Image Credit: Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and LouisTomlinson of One Direction perform on “Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series” at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park on Aug. 4, 2015 in New York City.
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2023
Image Credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Annabel’s Liam Payne attends Annabel’s 60th Anniversary Party on June 8, 2023 in London.
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2019
Image Credit: Neil Mockford/GC Images Liam Payne arriving at Capital Breakfast radio studios on September 03, 2019 in London.
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2023
Image Credit: Justin E Palmer/GC Images Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne seen leaving the “All Of Those Voices” UK Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on March 16, 2023 in London.
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2015
Image Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction perform on ABC’s “Good Morning America” at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park on August 4, 2015 in New York City.
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2012
Image Credit: Joseph Okpako/FilmMagic Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik of One Direction perform at HMV Hammersmith Apollo on January 22, 2012 in London.
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2022
Image Credit: Mike Marsland/WireImage Liam Payne during Soccer Aid for Unicef 2022 Training Session at Champneys Tring on June 10, 2022 in Tring, England.
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2018
Image Credit: Hanna Lassen/Getty Images for The ATC Liam Payne performs during the TAB Everest Race Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse on October 13, 2018 in Sydney, Australia.
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2018
Image Credit: Andrew Toth/Getty Images Rita Ora and Liam Payne visit SiriusXM at SiriusXM Studios on Jan. 31, 2018 in New York City.
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2014
Image Credit: Douglas Gorenstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images One Direction members Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on December 23, 2014.
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2013
Image Credit: Mark Sullivan/WireImage Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Harry Styles of One Direction attend the Backstage Creations Celebrity Retreat At Teen Choice 2013 at Gibson Amphitheatre on Aug. 11, 2013 in Universal City, Calif.
