Liam Payne (left) with former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson in London in 2023. Photography: Getty Images

LIAM PAYNE, who rose to fame in the British boy band One Direction as a singer and songwriter, has died tragically after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.

The news was confirmed by Alberto Crescenti, head of the Buenos Aires public emergency medical services. Crescenti says Payne fell around 14 metres, suffering “very serious injuries incompatible with life.”

The manager of the hotel Payne was staying in, the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, said in a statement that he heard a loud noise at the back of the hotel. It was only until police arrived that they found a man had fallen over the balcony above.

Payne was in Argentina to attend a solo concert by former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan, who has been touring Latin America. His death has been felt far and wide, with a stream of heartbreaking tributes flowing in from celebrity friends, and those in the music and entertainment industry. But it’s the impact of his time with One Direction, the astronomically popular global boy band phenomenon, that’s brought an entire generation of fans to a standstill.

Overnight, Payne’s former One Direction band members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson released a joint statement reacting to the tragic news. “We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly,” it reads.

Below, see the band’s full tribute, as well as more messages from those Payne touched.

Celebrity tributes to Liam Payne

One Direction

via @onedirection

Harry Styles

Louis Tomlinson

Zayn Malik

The X-Factor

Edward Enninful

Anne Twist (Harry Styles’ mother)

Charlie Puth

Paris Hilton

Zedd

Jonas Blue

We will update this story as more information comes available.

Related:

The Esquire guide to SXSW Sydney 2024

The best TV series, movies and documentaries to stream in October