He was 16 years old when, during one of the stages of X Factor, the judges created a vocal group from five soloists. The boys finished in third place, after which they signed a contract with Syco Music and released their debut single on August 11, 2011. What Makes You Beautiful became a huge hit, the fastest-selling single of the year, and One Direction's popularity exploded worldwide. Although Zayn Malik left the group in 2015 and they went on hiatus in 2016 to pursue solo careers, fans still hoped they would reunite on stage. Unfortunately, Argentine police announced that Liam Payne died on October 16, 2024.
The Argentine news outlet La Nacion reported on Wednesday that police received a call from a hotel employee about an "aggressive" guest, "who may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol," at the CasaSur Palermo hotel. According to witnesses, Payne reportedly smashed a laptop and was escorted back to his hotel room. "He’s destroying the entire room. Please, send someone," the police allegedly heard. Payne died after falling from the third floor.
Liam Payne Spoke About Addiction: "It's a Problem in the Industry"
The former One Direction singer had often admitted that he drank alcohol to cope with One Direction's massive success. In an interview with Men's Health Australia, he said that "it's difficult when you have the level of fame we had in the band." He added, "Many people struggling with mental health issues don't actually get the help they need, and I think that's a problem in our industry," he said in 2019. "The same stuff happens to everyone; it's been going on since the '70s. You know the pitfalls, but not everyone is as lucky as I am to be able to come out of it and return to a sense of normalcy," he explained.
"I was drunk most of the time because there was no other way to handle what was happening," he recalled about the time when he was recording and touring with One Direction. "I mean, it was fun. We had a great time, but in certain situations, it became a little toxic," he said. "The problem was that the best way to keep us safe, because of the enormous popularity, was to lock us in a room. And of course, what's in the room? A minibar," he said in one of the interviews. "At some point, I thought, 'Well, I’ll throw a one-man party,' and that continued for many years of my life," he explained.
"As a teenager, all you really need is the freedom to make choices and do things," Liam continued. "Even though we could do what we wanted, at night, we were always locked in our rooms. And then it was car, hotel room, stage, singing, locked away. It was like they dusted us off, let us out for a minute to say 'Woohoo,' and then it was 'Get back in there!'" he recounted.
Payne also publicly shared that he abused alcohol during the pandemic, as the work stoppages significantly affected his well-being. "If you’re on Zoom, it’s quite easy to hide that you’re a little drunk when you shouldn’t be," he admitted, adding that he "gained a lot of weight" during the lockdown and even came up with a special excuse. "I wasn't eating well, and I described it as a 'bulking phase.' 'I’m doing it for a film role! It’s fine!' That’s the best excuse if someone asks if you’ve gained weight. Just say, 'It’s for a role.' Premiere in 2022," he recalled.
"I Became Someone I No Longer Recognized. And I'm Sure You Didn’t Either"
In 2021, he admitted on The Diary of a CEO podcast: "I was worried about how far down my bottom would go." During this time, he could count on the support of his One Direction bandmates. "One day, I got a lovely call from Harry [Styles], checking in on me. It’s almost like some people have a sixth sense when you’re going through something and want to check in," he shared. It wasn’t easy for him. He also mentioned seeing unflattering photos of himself on a boat. "I was all swollen... I call it pill and booze face. My face was about 10 times bigger than it is now," he said, adding that in January 2023, at a Hans Zimmer concert, he had a kind of epiphany—he handed his drink to someone else and decided to get sober.
In February of last year, he reported celebrating six months of sobriety after spending 100 days in a rehabilitation facility. "I needed some time for myself because I had sort of become someone I no longer recognized. And I’m sure you didn’t either," he noted, concluding, "I don’t need [alcohol] anymore. The party is over."
