‘Kind, funny and brave soul’: Liam Payne’s family pay tribute after his death

The family of former One Direction star Liam Payne have said they are “heartbroken” adding: “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”

The singer died after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Argentina.

Local police said the 31-year-old fell into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, before medics confirmed his death.

A statement from his family, issued via a spokeswoman to the PA news agency said: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”

Tributes have been paid to the singer, with pictures showing shocked fans gathering outside the hotel after police cordoned off the area, with forensic investigators in white protective suits and blue gloves seen entering and leaving.

Fans were photographed lighting candles and leaving flowers at the side of the road in an impromptu vigil as they paid tribute to the music star.

Payne formed boy band One Direction in 2010, alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles, after they individually auditioned for The X Factor.

After becoming one of the biggest pop groups in the world, with five albums and four world tours, they went on indefinite hiatus in 2016.

Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, released his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the songs Polaroid, Familiar and Strip That Down featuring Quavo.

The singer rose to fame alongside Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles in the boy band One Direction (Yui Mok/PA). PA Media

The song was one of two tracks that reached the top 10 in the UK official charts, alongside For You with Rita Ora from the film Fifty Shades Freed – which the duo performed at the Brit Awards in 2018.

Payne was in a high-profile relationship with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl between 2016 and 2018 and the couple had a son, Bear, in 2017.

The singer previously said he struggled with alcoholism at the peak of his success with One Direction, describing hitting “rock bottom” to The Diary Of A CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett.

He admitted his addiction to alcohol continued during the Covid pandemic, but in 2023 he posted a YouTube video confirming he was almost six months sober after nearly 100 days in a US rehab facility.

The local Buenos Aires prosecution office, led by prosecutor Andres Esteban and secretary Maria Florencia Lavaggi, confirmed to the PA news agency it is leading the investigation into Payne’s death.