By Faith Hendrick
Today, Directioners were struck with the unforgettable, heartbreaking news that Liam Payne had passed away. Reports have said that Payne arrived in Argentina on September 30th and was staying at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel. The singer allegedly had fallen from his hotel room balcony located on the third floor of the building. The incident is under investigation now.
Liam Payne’s rise to fame escalated quickly from his audition for the X-Factor back in 2008. Payne had auditioned for the show and later had been eliminated. Then, in 2011, Liam auditioned again for his redemption. On the show, he had been paired with the group of boys, picked by Simone Cowell, that would soon become one of the world’s most beloved boy bands, One Direction.
One Direction quickly evolved into a huge sensation, releasing their first hit single, “What Makes You Beautiful”, in September of 2011. The song was the first to come from their debut album titled, “Up All Night.” To this day you can still hear these songs when walking through the mall or grocery stores. 5 albums and 4 world tours later, One Direction announced they were going on a small hiatus. Fans were sad and a little scared to hear their favorite band was taking a break, but held onto hope that they’d return. Unfortunately, that hope was taken in 2016, when the band announced they’d be splitting up indefinitely. With their last released album, “Made in the A.M.”, the band split and began their own musical careers.
Liam’s solo career was short-lived, but notable. His first hit single, “Strip That Down”, was released in 2015, during the band’s hiatus. The song had a very drastic departure from those heard on any of the One Direction albums, but some may say that’s what made it special. The single had a very sensual tone to it, shocking fans when they’d hear it on the radio for the first time.
After releasing his first single, Liam continued his writing for his debut album, “LP1.” The album was composed of 18 songs. Some people know him just from his music career, but there was much more to who he was. Liam Payne wasn’t just an artist, he was a kind person, a friend, a son, a father and much more. To the Directioners and the other artists in the boy band, Liam was known well for being the dad of the One Direction group, or in simpler terms, “Daddy Direction.” In the One Direction movie, you often see the boys making fools of themselves, having fun and laughing with each other. Liam was shown as the serious one, the glue of the group, however, he still was seen joking and having fun with the rest of them.
It is understandable why his passing has affected so many people. Liam Payne touched so many hearts, whether that be through his music, the kind things he has done as a celebrity or by the endearing things he has said or done during the short time he spent on this Earth.
Liam Payne will continue to live in our memories, his laugh will haunt our ears, his smile will be engraved in our heads, but most of all, his heart will continue to light a path for those he mesmerized.
May his family, friends and fans find peace through the days after this heartache.
