A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
A member of the pop boy band One Direction has died. Liam Payne was 31 years old. The Associated Press obtained a statement from police in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and it says that Payne fell from a third-story window of a hotel. An investigation about what led to his fall is underway. NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento has this appreciation.
ISABELLA GOMEZ SARMIENTO, BYLINE: Liam Payne auditioned for the "X Factor" U.K., not once, but twice. That first time, he was sent home by judge Simon Cowell, but he didn't let it stop him.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
LIAM PAYNE: I was really young, and I wasn't ready. Now I'm 16, I'm back and I'm ready to give it another shot.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: That's Payne onstage in front of the judges in 2010. This time, he made it until he was almost eliminated and was given a choice - go home or join four other boys to compete in the group category. You know how the rest goes.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL")
ONE DIRECTION: (Singing) You're insecure. Don't know what for. You're turning heads when you walk through the door.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: One Direction, which also included Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, made an immediate splash on the pop scene. Boy bands were officially back.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BEST SONG EVER")
ONE DIRECTION: (Singing) And we danced all night to the best song ever.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: One Direction made history as the first group to have its first four albums go straight to the top of the Billboard 200 chart. They sold out tours to screaming fans around the world. Then, in 2015, Directioners were shocked when Zayn Malik announced his departure from the band. The next year, they went on hiatus. Payne released one solo album called "LP1" in 2019, featuring popular songs like "Strip That Down."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "STRIP THAT DOWN")
PAYNE: (Singing) You know I love it when the music's loud, but come on, strip that down for me, baby.
GOMEZ SARMIENTO: In 2023, Payne told Rolling Stone he was working on a new project. He also posted a video on YouTube, opening up about his struggle with alcoholism and his sobriety journey. He is survived by his son, his parents and his sisters.
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MOMENTS")
ONE DIRECTION: (Singing) Heartbeats harder. Time escapes me. Trembling... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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