Liam Payne: Former One Direction star, dies at 31, reports say

Former One Direction star Liam Payne has reportedly died.

TMZ and Reuters report the singer died on Wednesday, October 16. TMZ reports Payne fell from his hotel balcony in Argentina.

The Associated Press reports Payne had "thrown himself from the balcony of his room." AP received a statement from officials in Argentina that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, with paramedics pronouncing the singer dead at the scene.

Prior to discovering Payne's body, police received a call from the hotel regarding an "aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol," AP reports.

About two weeks before reports of the singer's death, Payne had visited fellow One Direction member Niall Horan for the latter's show in Argentina. In a video temporarily shared on social media, Payne admitted he hadn't spoken to Horan "for a while," but cryptically said he wanted to visit Horan "to talk."

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 16: Liam Payne arrives at the "All Of Those Voices" UK Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on March 16, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images )

"No bad vibes or anything," Payne said in an Instagram story video. "But just… we need to talk."

Days before the news of Payne's death, the Daily Mail reported the singer's ex-fiancé Maya Henry started legal proceedings against Payne over allegations of "obsessively contacting" her. The news of the legal proceedings came as Henry took to TikTok to accuse the singer of harassing her and her family.

Payne's most recent post on social media was at the end of May 2024 a throwback picture of him with the One Direction members Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Horan. The post was a tribute to late director Morgan Spurlock, who put together a "One Direction: This Is Us" documentary back in 2013.  

Several years before Payne's reported death, the singer had opened up about his battles with mental health and addiction during the height of his teen stardom.

Payne, who was 27 at the time of his 2021 interview with podcast host Steven Bartlett, admitted to "moments of suicidal ideation."

Payne was a member of One Direction from 2010 to 2015.

If you or someone you know is in mental health crisis, help is available. The 988 suicide and crisis lifeline is available 24/7. Those looking to learn more about the hotline can click here for more information. The previous hotline (1-800-273-8255) is still available for those who still remember the old number.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.