Last Wednesday, Oct. 16th, brought tragic news to One Direction fans all over the world. Liam Payne, the 31 year old One Direction singer reportedly fell out of the 3rd floor balcony in a hotel in Bueno Aires, Argentina. Payne first gained recognition as a singer at 14 years old when he sang Frank Sinatra’s “Fly me to the moon” on X Factor. Although he left the show to focus on his studies, he returned two years later where he met Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zane Malik, and Niall Horan. The group formed the band One Direction and sold more than 70 million records worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, before breaking up in 2016 to pursue solo careers.
Payne has been openly speaking about the effect of fame on his mental health and his struggles with substance abuse for a few years. He admitted that he would often turn to alcohol to help him deal with the stress of being under the public eye. The night Payne died, he was reportedly intoxicated and photos of his hotel room show a smashed television and substances spread around the room. Payne is survived by his parents, his two older sisters, and his 7 year old son, Bear Grey.
“I was in total shock when I heard, I couldn’t believe it was real,” junior Laila Naqvi said. “It was awful to hear that someone whose voice I grew up listening to wasn’t with us anymore.”
