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Former One Direction star Liam Payne died on October 16, 2024, after reportedly falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. According to the preliminary autopsy report, the 31-year-old allegedly died due to 'polytrauma' and 'internal and external hemorrhage.' He was pronounced dead at the scene by medics.
The other members of One Direction, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles, posted a joint tribute to their deceased bandmate on the group's official Instagram account.
"We're 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," they wrote.
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The four ended the statement by paying their condolences to Payne's friends, family, and fans, explaining that Liam Payne's memory would be 'treasured forever.'
Payne and the other four were together as One Direction from 2010 to 2016 before they took an indefinite hiatus to pursue their solo careers. Here are some major events that transpired in Liam Payne's life after leaving the band.
Capitol Records reportedly dropped Liam Payne merely days before his death
According to a report by Daily Mail, Liam Payne was dropped by Universal Music Group days before his death. The Stack It Up singer signed a contract with the recording label in July 2016 - right after One Direction stopped group activities.
Liam Payne had originally signed with Sony during his early days when the singer was still a part of One Direction. However, he later moved to Capitol Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.
Under their management, Payne released a solo album called LP1 in 2019. However, it received mixed to negative reviews and failed to make an impact. Although it peaked at 17 on the UK album chart, the album left the top 50 in just seven days.
Payne was allegedly dropped by the music label before he could release his second album. The Daily Mail report also stated that Payne's advance was massive but the singer didn't recoup the sum.
Following his death, Universal Music Group paid tribute to the singer on social media, stating:
"We are devastated by the tragic passing of Liam Payne. His legacy will live on through his music and the countless fans he inspired and who adored him. We send our deepest condolences to Liam’s family and loved ones."
Furthermore, it has also been reported that the singer's publicist resigned just a month before his death.
Liam Payne's two biggest hits after leaving One Direction explored
One of the biggest highs in Liam Payne's solo career was working on the song For You with singer and television actress Rita Ora.
Released on January 5, 2018, by Universal Studios and Republic Records, the song became the lead single from the soundtrack of the film Fifty Shades Freed. It was also included in Ora's second studio album, Phoenix (2018), and Payne's debut album LP1 (2019).
For You became the first song by Payne and Ora to top the charts in Germany. It also broke into the list of top five singles in countries like Austria, Portugal, France, and Switzerland. The electro-pop hit also reached the top 10 in the UK, peaking at number eight.
According to the Daily Mirror, Rita Ora and Liam Payne were good friends. Just twelve hours after Payne's death, Rita Ora paid homage to him by singing For You at a concert in Osaka, Japan.
Ora found it difficult to power through the song, as she gazed up at the sky while singing and said:
"I can't even sing this right now."
She also wrote a letter on X, paying tribute to Payne.
"I'm devastated. He had the kindest soul I will never forget. I loved working with him so much - he was just such a joy to be around on and off stage. This tragic news breaks my heart. Sending all my love and prayers to his family and loved ones. Our song For You takes on a whole new meaning for me now. R.I.P," she wrote.
Another massive hit in Liam Payne's solo career was his debut single called Strip That Down. The song featured rapper Quavo and was released on May 19, 2017, via Capitol Records and Republic Records. Ed Sheeran co-wrote the song and also added uncredited background vocals to the track.
Strip That Down broke into the top five in countries like Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
A kidney infection forced Liam Payne to cancel an entire tour
In 2023, Liam Payne was forced to cancel his tour of South America after being hospitalized with a kidney infection. He shared the news with his followers in a now-deleted post on Instagram, stating that the doctors had advised him to take rest and recover.
"Over the past week I've been in hospital with a serious kidney infection, it's something I wouldn't wish on anyone, and doctors orders are that I now need to rest and recover. I was beyond excited to come play for you guys. To all of you who have bought tickets: I'm so sorry," he wrote.
In the video, the First Time singer revealed that his kidney infection prevented him from traveling on the road. He added:
"I've got the best people around me at home trying to help me recover as we speak, but yeah we're gonna have to reschedule the tour."
According to the Economic Times, the circumstances surrounding Liam Payne's death are being classified as 'dubious' by Argentina's National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office. The authorities have yet to reach a conclusive inference as of October 19 afternoon.
