One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, has died in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Reuters reports local police were called to a hotel in the city over “an aggressive man,” presumably Payne, “who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol.” Authorities later said Payne jumped from a third-floor window.
The emergency call placed by the hotel desk manager has now been released, with Sky News posting the following translated transcript:
911 operator: “What is happening sir?”
Hotel manager: “We have a guest drunk with drugs and alcohol. When he [them, gender not clear in conversation] is conscious, he is breaking everything in the room.”
911 operator: “You said alcohol and drugs…”
Hotel manager: “This is correct.”
911 operator: “You said Costa Rica intersecting where?”
Hotel manager: “Costa Rica 6032.”
911 operator: “Repeat.”
Hotel manager: “Costa Rica 6032.”
911 operator: “What is the hotel called?”
Hotel manager: “Caza Azul Palermo. We need to send someone with urgency because I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger because he is in a room with balcony, and we are afraid he could do something that threatens life.”
Payne got his start on the British reality competition X Factor, but is most well-known as a singer in the chart-topping British boy band One Direction, along with Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and international superstar Harry Styles.
One Direction formed in 2010 but broke up in 2016 after selling 70 million records, and each member pursued a solo career. Payne’s only solo album, LP1, came out in 2019. At this writing, Payne’s former bandmates had not yet commented on his death.
Payne’s legal issues
Just two days before Payne died, the Daily Mail reported that his ex-fiancée, model Maya Henry, took legal action against Payne, alleging he stalked and harassed her friends and family and tried to turn her fans against her. In an Oct. TikTok post, Henry said, “Ever since we broke up, he messages me, will blow up my phone, not only from his phone, it’s always from different phone numbers too, so I never know where it’s gonna come from.” Payne and Henry’s relationship ended in 2022. Henry has not so far commented on Payne’s death.
In that TikTok post, Henry also said Payne told her that his former bandmate, Zayn Malik, threw him against a wall, indicating tension within the band. In 2022, Payne told Logan Paul on Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, “In the band, we hated each other. Like, come to blows hate each other, it was close.”
Payne’s final Snapchat post
The same day Payne died, fans shared a Snapchat post from the star, mentioning he was in Argentina, but it’s unclear if it was a scheduled post or if it was recorded the same day Payne fell. “Lovely day in Argentina,” Payne said on Snapchat. The BBC says Payne attended a Niall Horan concert in Buenos Aires on Oct. 2. The woman’s voice in the post could be Payne’s current girlfriend, influencer Kate Cassidy. Cassidy left Payne in Argentina two days before he died, according to a Cassidy TikTok post.
News of Payne’s death received an outpouring of grief from fans and celebrities who knew him. Fans reportedly gathered outside the Buenos Aires hotel as the word spread. Paris Hilton posted, “So upsetting to hear the news of @LiamPayne passing😢 Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. 🙏 RIP my friend🥺.” Meanwhile, the official Brit Awards account shared a tribute.
Payne had one son with his ex, Cheryl, from the British pop group Girls Aloud. On his swift and rocky rise to stardom, Payne said in 2019, “I wouldn’t change it. I know it’s where I’m supposed to be in the world now. I was very confused about fame when it all happened; and learning to be a person outside of your job was difficult. But now I feel like I get it. I’m a lucky boy.”
