On Oct. 16, English singer, songwriter and One Direction member Liam Payne died at 31 after falling off a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is survived by his parents, two older sisters and a seven-year-old son, Bear.
Payne was born Aug. 20, 1993, in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. Due to being premature, he was frequently ill as a toddler, encountering kidney issues, which required him to spend a lot of time in the hospital. With proper medical care, Payne was able to participate in sports when he started school. He found a passion for cross-country running and was ranked in England’s top three 1500m runners for his age group. At 12, after being bullied by older peers, Payne took boxing lessons. While skilled in many of his hobbies, he had a particular talent for singing. In 2008, at age 14, Payne auditioned for the fifth series of “The X Factor” in front of judges Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole, who would later be the mother of his son. He made it far into the selection process but was ultimately sent home. Cowell encouraged him to return in two years, which he did, kickstarting his career. This time, while successful, the judges felt his talents would shine more in a band than as a solo performer.
Footage released in 2022 revealed that guest judge Nicole Scherzinger is responsible for forming One Direction. Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were chosen first. Cowell originally suggested that Payne be placed in a different group, but Scherzinger disagreed and said that he could “definitely shine and could actually maybe be the leader.” Cowell added that he “thinks he’s better than anyone else on that list,” and Walsh pointed out that he is confident and consistent. Zayn Malik was the final addition to the group, and One Direction came to be on July 23, 2010.
Anna Saggese, a graduate student at the University, shares her thoughts on Payne: “Liam meant so much to so many people, but above all, his music shaped so many people into who they are today, including myself. I will forever be impacted by One Direction’s music and will forever cherish the memories I have of coming home from school and listening to their music or watching funny moments compilations on YouTube.” She stated, “My heart feels partially empty knowing that Liam is gone, and One Direction will never be the same without him.”
One Direction released their first song, “What Makes You Beautiful,” in Aug. 2011, which topped the U.K. Singles Chart. The band quickly gained popularity in America, climbing to number four on the Billboard Hot 100. They also became the first British band to reach number one on the Billboard 200 with their debut album, “Up All Night.” Demands for tours were worldwide, and from there, the band’s popularity grew. In March 2015, Zayn left the band to pursue a solo career, and in December, the band announced an indefinite hiatus. Payne later admitted that this took a toll on his mental health.
Sara Piecyk, a junior at the University, spoke about how the British boy band shaped her, “One Direction had a huge impact on my life when I was a kid and even now as an adult. So, when I first heard the news about Liam’s unfortunate passing, I was devastated.” She added, “The grieving process has definitely not been easy, given the impact that One Direction had on me. Liam’s impact on people will never be forgotten, and he will be remembered by many, including myself.”
Payne created and became the director of a publishing company in Aug. 2014, Hampton Music Limited, which he later used to debut his solo single, “Strip That Down,” in May 2017. The song reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and three on the U.K. Singles chart. His debut and only solo studio album, “LP1,” was released in Dec. 2019 through Hampton Music Limited and received mixed reviews, some finding that the mature theme he took felt forced and unnatural.
A week after his death, all five of One Direction’s albums reached the top 40 of the U.K. Charts, with his solo album reaching number 62 and his debut single reaching number 41 on the Singles Chart. All his bandmates, friends and family paid tribute to the fallen star, and fans held vigils in his memory worldwide.
