Liam Payne‘s tragic death has left music fans around the world heartbroken.
The former One Direction member died on Wednesday, October 16, after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina at the age of 31.
According to Policía Federal Argentina, the star died after falling from numerous levels at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires.
In addition to paying respect to the late singer on social media, fans have been watching retro recordings of Payne’s rise to musical prominence, such as his tryouts for The X Factor, which marked the beginning of One Direction as a band.
Payne originally auditioned for the British singing competition when she was 14 years old, in 2008.
“When I’m at school, in general, I think about singing all the time,” he admitted backstage prior to his audition. “I should be concentrating on my work, but I’m distracted by thoughts of singing. It’s a dream, and I’d want to pursue it.”
The then-schoolgirl then sang Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon”.
Although Judge Simon Cowell felt there was “20%” lacking, Payne received three yeses after impressing judges Cheryl (with whom he would subsequently welcome his only child, son Bear in 2017) and Louis Walsh.
However, Payne’s initial X Factor adventure came to an end during the Judges’ Houses, when judge Cowell, 65, felt the young star was not prepared.
Putting that setback behind him, the “Polaroid” artist auditioned for the show again in 2010, this time at the age of 16, singing Michael Bublé‘s “Cry Me A River”.
After impressing all four judges that time, Payne received four yeses, including a standing ovation from Cowell and singer Natalie Imbruglia.
However, after failing to pass the boot camp stage in the “Boys category,” Payne was summoned back along with Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, resulting in the formation of the boy band One Direction by Cowell and guest judge Nicole Scherzinger.
Former One Direction Member Liam Payne Dies At 31, Tragic End In Argentina
The boy band performed well in the live events, eventually finishing third in the series.
Payne and his colleagues achieved great success as members of one of the world’s largest pop groups.
Before separating in 2016, One Direction had published five studio albums and completed four world tours.
Payne also has a successful solo career, having released songs including “Strip That Down” in 2017, “Sunshine” in 2021, and “Teardrops” in 2024.