October 14, 2025
Thursday October 16 will mark one year since the death of British singer-songwriter Liam Payne.
The former One Direction member, 31, was found dead after he fell from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, triggering an outpouring of grief from fans around the world.
One Direction were catapulted to global fame in the 2010s after appearing on the talent show X Factor and they went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
With their tousled hair and youthful charm, the band members became teen idols through hit singles like What Makes You Beautiful, Live While We're Young, Best Song Ever and Story of My Life.
Payne, who was still a teenager when One Direction found global success, struggled with the pressures of fame, and he later spoke about his problems with alcohol.
He launched a solo career after One Direction split in 2016 and he released a debut album in 2019.
Fans around the world left tributes to the singer after his death. Attendees at Payne's funeral included his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, his One Direction bandmates and Simon Cowell, the music mogul who created the band for the show.
Payne's former partner, fellow pop star Cheryl, with whom he had a son now aged seven, was photographed leaving the service.
In February, an Argentine court cleared three of the five people accused of their alleged involvement in Payne's death.
The court dismissed charges against businessman Rogelio Nores, a friend of Payne's who reportedly acted as his manager, and two employees of the hotel where Payne died.
Two other people remain detained awaiting trial over accusations they plied the 31-year-old Payne with cocaine during his stay in Buenos Aires.