One Direction star and a man with his demons. Who was Liam Payne?

The news of Liam Payne's death has sent shockwaves globally. The musician was found dead in the inner courtyard of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after falling from the third floor. Alberto Crescenti, the head of emergency services, reported that the musician had sustained severe injuries, rendering efforts to save his life futile. Authorities are currently investigating the incident.

Payne's path to fame was anything but smooth, starting in 2008 when he auditioned for "X Factor" at just 14 years old. Although initially eliminated during the boot camp stage, Simon Cowell later reconsidered and brought him back, only to eliminate him again. Cowell advised him to "come back in two years." At that time, his future partner, Cheryl Cole, was on the judging panel, a connection we'll revisit later.

In 2010, during the 7th edition of the show, Liam returned, eager to impress the judges once more. While he didn't win the competition, he did achieve fame when Nicole Scherzinger suggested forming a five-member boy band featuring Liam alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. The group finished in third place and quickly became known worldwide as One Direction.

Simon Cowell saw potential in the group and signed them to Syco Entertainment. The rest, as they say, is history. Their single "What Makes You Beautiful" topped the charts, and their debut album "Up All Night" achieved massive sales. Soon, they were performing hundreds of concerts globally and tracks like "Live While We're Young," "Best Song Ever," and "Story of My Life" helped create a devoted fanbase, fondly known as Directioners, who remain loyal despite the band's long hiatus.

In 2016, to the dismay of their fans, One Direction took a break. Venturing into a solo career seemed a natural step, with members occasionally pursuing individual projects previously. Liam released the single "Strip That Down" and was featured on the soundtrack for "Fifty Shades Darker." Despite several hurdles, his debut solo album "LP1" came out in December 2019, but to the surprise of the label and Payne, it wasn't highly anticipated.

In the U.S., the album debuted at a lowly 111th on the Billboard rankings and received largely unfavorable reviews. Nevertheless, Payne had plans for another album. However, just days before his death, "The Sun" reported that his personal life was in turmoil, and his music career was "on ice." Fans had previously shown concern over reports suggesting tough times for Liam.

In March 2023, Liam attended the premiere of "All Of Those Voices," sparking online speculation about his changed appearance. Rumors suggested he had changed his appearance, with experts speculating on possible procedures. A few months later, it emerged that Liam had been hospitalized with serious health issues. In 2021, he openly discussed his battle with addiction and depression on the podcast "The Diary of a CEO."

I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be. Where's rock bottom for me? And you would never have seen it. I'm very good at hiding it. No one would ever have seen it... There is some stuff that I have definitely never, never spoken about. It was really, really, really severe. And it was a problem. And it was only until I saw myself after that, I was like, 'Right, I need to fix myself.

Reports indicated he coped with his sorrows through alcohol, often drinking alone. He claimed it calmed his nerves, but over time, it became a mechanism for dealing with a harsh reality. Concerns about his alcohol consumption were not new, dating back to his One Direction days. On the podcast "Table Manners with Jessie Ware," he divulged:

Our schedule time was just a mess, I used to get off stage, high off the endorphins and get horrendously drunk, get up at 5 in the afternoon and do it all again. We'd write the album in two weeks, it was crazy, they used to sell the tour before we'd written the albums, they'd be like, 'We've sold the stadiums...

Fans of the band had long speculated that, under Simon Cowell, the group members were overworked and turned into a money-making machine, which affected their health and privacy. Recently, Simon Cowell confessed on Stephen Bartlett's podcast "The Diary of a CEO" that his biggest regret is not having the rights to the group’s name, owned by the band members.

That’s the problem. I could have made an animation. Whatever. But when you give an artist the name, it’s not yours. And that’s my only regret.

Internet users also highlighted strange interviews with Payne, such as at the 2022 Oscars, where he seemed absent and unnervingly agitated. In mid-2023, Liam shared a YouTube video revealing he'd spent 100 days in rehab and stated the "party" had ended for him six months prior. Yet, media reports following his death suggest facing another crisis might have unfortunately led him back to old habits.

Over the years, much conversation has surrounded his personal life. In 2010, he met Danielle Peazer, a dancer from the "X Factor" program. Following their 2012 split, he dated Sophia Smith, a childhood friend, yet their hectic schedules hindered a stable relationship. His relationship with Cheryl Cole, with whom he had a son named Bear in March 2017, gained plenty of public attention.

In a "People" interview, Payne mentioned he had always wanted to be a young dad and loved spending time with his son. However, their relationship didn't last, prompting Cheryl to state she tends to choose the wrong men, while Bear remains the main man in her life without intentions for further relationships. Liam reflected on how life changes fueled their relationship's challenges.

And, you know, to be honest with you, it ruined a relationship for me at that point but for all the right reasons, he shared with the Manchester Evening News.

In later years, models Naomi Campbell and Maya Henry entered his life. He became engaged to Maya in August 2020, though they split by June the following year. They reconciled and became engaged again, but by May 2022, they had broken up for good. In October 2024, Henry made serious allegations against Liam in a high-profile TikTok video.

Ever since we broke up, he messages me, blows up my phone ... always from different phone numbers, she claimed. Everything gets swept under the rug, everything gets hidden for him. I don't know who the hell's behind all of this but nothing ever comes out about him.

Maya authored "Looking Forward," a book about a girl's relationship with a famous musician. The book featured allegations of violence, threats, and betrayals that challenged her life. Speculation arose that it drew from her own experiences. Neither Liam nor his then-partner Kate Cassidy commented though he had been dating her since October 2022.

Cassidy was Liam's last known girlfriend and recently accompanied him to Argentina. This would be their final trip together. Notably, two days before his death, Kate flew back to the United States alone. She explained in a TikTok post that their trip was extended and that she wished to return home sooner. She did not clarify why Liam chose not to return with her.

I honestly loved South America but I hate staying in one place for too long. We were supposed to stay for five days but it turned into two weeks and I was just like ‘I need to go home.