The pop world is mourning the loss of Liam Payne, 31, who gained fame as a member of the British boy band One Direction. Payne passed away on Wednesday after falling from the balcony of a hotel in Argentina.
Fans have gathered outside the hotel in Buenos Aires where Payne was staying, expressing their grief by singing One Direction songs. Social media has been flooded with tributes and memories from fans and fellow artists alike.
Charlie Puth, a prominent pop singer and songwriter, expressed his shock on Instagram, stating that Payne was “one of the first major artists I got to work with.” He added that he could not believe Payne was gone.
The Backstreet Boys shared their condolences on social media, stating, “Words cannot express the emotions we are collectively feeling right now,” and extended their thoughts to Payne’s family, friends, and fans around the world.
German DJ Zedd, who collaborated with Payne on the song “Get Low” in 2017, also expressed his disbelief and sorrow, writing, “Life is short and fragile. RIP Liam … I can’t believe this is real …”
The reaction to Payne's death has been particularly strong in Britain, where he developed his career. His childhood school and his supported soccer team, West Bromwich Albion, were among those expressing condolences on social media.
Payne first auditioned on the British talent show “The X Factor” as a solo artist in 2008 but found success when he returned in 2010. Despite the group finishing third in the competition, Simon Cowell formed One Direction by bringing together Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson.
The band's debut single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in 2011. One Direction released five albums and became one of the defining boy bands of the early 2010s. They announced a break from performing in 2015 and officially split up a year later.
As of Thursday morning, none of Payne’s former bandmates had publicly commented on his death, and their representatives did not respond to requests for comment. Simon Cowell's representative also did not provide immediate comments.
However, Anne Twist, the mother of Styles, posted a picture of a broken heart emoji on Instagram, captioned “Just a boy …”