Liam Payne was born on August 29, 1993 in Wolverhampton, England. As a child, Liam was born with a dysfunctional kidney and spent much of his early years in and out of hospitals. He had to endure frequent medical check-ups and treatments, which shaped his resilience from a young age
Liam showed an early interest in performing by participating in school plays and local singing competitions. He reportedly also took up boxing to build confidence after he was bullied in school
At the age of 14, Liam auditioned for The X Factor UK in 2008 but was told by Simon Cowell to return when he was older
Liam returned to The X Factor in 2010, where he auditioned as a solo artist. Although he did not make it to the “Boys” category, Simon Cowell and the judges decided to form a boy band by combining Liam with four other contestants: Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik
The group finished third on The X Factor but quickly became a sensation, signing a record deal with Simon Cowell's label, Syco Music
With time, the band 'One Direction' became one of the best-selling boy bands of all times. They released five studio albums between 2011 and 2015, including hits like 'What Makes You Beautiful', 'Story of My Life', and 'Drag Me Down'. They earned legions of fans worldwide, known as 'Directioners'
After Zayn Malik left the band in 2015, One Direction continued as a foursome for a year before announcing an indefinite hiatus in 2016
Liam Payne's solo career-
Liam launched his solo career with the release of the single 'Strip That Down', featuring Quavo in 2017. He followed up with an EP in 2018 titled First Time, which included more pop and R&B influences
Liam’s debut solo album LP1 was released in December 2019, featuring singles like Stack It Up and Familiar. The album showcased his transition from teen pop star to a more mature artist, blending pop with hip-hop, R&B, and dance
In 2016, Liam began dating singer Cheryl Cole and they welcomed a son named Bear in 2017. The couple separated in 2018 but continued to cordially co-parent their son
Mental health struggles
Liam has been quite vocal about his struggles with mental health, particularly during his time in One Direction. The intense fame, hectic schedules, and pressure of being in the public eye led him to battle anxiety and depression. He also struggled with alcohol addiction during the peak of his fame but later sought help and has spoken publicly about working on his sobriety and well-being
Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, was found dead on Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, according to local officials. Police in Buenos Aires reported that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood, a popular area in Argentina's capital
Pablo Policicchio, the communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, told The Associated Press that Payne "jumped from his room's balcony." Police responded to an emergency call around 5 p.m. local time about an "aggressive man possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol," he said.
In a 911 call obtained by the AP, the hotel manager can be heard saying they had “a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol ... He’s destroying the entire room and, well, we need you to send someone, please." The manager's tone became more frantic, mentioning that the room had a balcony
After the news spread, dozens of One Direction fans from around Buenos Aires gathered at the Casa Sur Hotel, forming lines that extended into the blocked-off street where police were stationed
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