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On the day of the incident, Buenos Aires police responded to a 911 call about a man exhibiting aggressive behavior, possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While the statement did not specifically name Payne as the individual involved, he had been seen in the city recently, attending an October 2 concert by Niall Horan, his former bandmate.
Payne, originally from Wolverhampton in the UK, had recently marked his 31st birthday with celebrations in his home country, sharing snippets on Snapchat. Born in the West Midlands, Payne studied music technology at City of Wolverhampton College before rising to fame with One Direction. The group, which included Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, was formed during the 2010 season of The X Factor.
In a 2015 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Payne shared his love for performing and songwriting, particularly proud of co-writing the song "What a Feeling" with bandmate Louis Tomlinson, inspired by Fleetwood Mac's sound. The band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2015, and Payne pursued a solo career, releasing his debut album LP1 in 2019. Earlier in 2023, he announced he was working on a new album and gearing up for a tour.
Over the years, Payne has been open about his struggles with substance abuse and shared his journey to sobriety, marking six months sober in mid-2023. He was slated to begin a tour in South America in September but postponed after suffering a kidney infection. In March 2023, he released a new song titled "Teardrops."
Payne also leaves behind his son, Bear, whom he welcomed with singer Cheryl Cole in 2017. In a YouTube video from 2023, Payne expressed his deep affection for his son, sharing that Bear was growing up quickly and often amazed him with his intelligence.
Payne's former bandmates and representatives have yet to comment on the tragic news.
