ELLIE SKJERSAA / ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

LARA DOMINIQUE SOLANTE / COPY EDITOR

On Oct. 16, the world learned the shocking news of the passing of One Direction star Liam Payne. As a childhood icon and a key member of the popular British boy band One Direction, many students feel the weight of his death. 

“I genuinely had a pain in my chest,” USD senior Julianna Escamilla said. “It felt so unreal, and it felt so hard to grasp. This hurts so much because I grew up listening to One Direction, and there was a part of me hoping for a reunion and now it’s just not going to happen.”

Payne passed away at age 31 after falling from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires. Payne had been in the Argentine capital for a few days to visit his former bandmate, Niall Horan. Payne  attended Horan’s concert and was seen dancing and singing with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, who had left Argentina two days before his death. 

Minutes before Payne’s fall, Argentine authorities received a call from Casa Sur’s hotel staff with concerns of a guest whom they said was overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol. In the call the hotel manager also noted that the guest’s room had a balcony and was worried that the guest would do something dangerous. As of Oct.21, it is  unclear whether Payne accidentally fell or intentionally jumped from the hotel balcony. Upon entering  his room, Buenos Aires police came across various substances, including alcohol, over-the-counter drugs and supplements. Payne suffered internal and external bleeding from the fall, with a fatal fracture at the base of his skull. 

For many USD students, receiving the news of Payne’s death was incredibly shocking. Some students took solace in One Direction’s music and Liam’s solo music. Others found comfort in seeing the vigils set up outside of Casa Sur. One of these students was USD junior Hailey Wood.

“Seeing people setting up vigils for him at the hotel, I think he’ll honestly be remembered for the rest of people’s lives,” Wood said. “It reminds me of when the Beatles members died and how big of an impact that had on generations before us. I feel like it’s kind of happening again.”

Payne first found fame on “The X-Factor” and gained popularity in one of the world’s most popular boy bands, One Direction. The five young band members— Liam, Harry, Niall, Zayn and Louis— went on to produce five studio albums and sold over 70 million records, making them one of the most successful boy bands in history. With four No. 1 albums on the Billboard Hot 200, most students are bound to know a song or two. 

In 2016, six years after the start of their rise to stardom, the group announced that they would be taking space away from the band. From here, each of the members went on their own paths as solo artists. 

Payne produced many memorable tracks. His single, “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo, earned a spot in Britain’s Top 10 hits in 2017. In 2019, he released his first solo album, “LP1.” The album did not perform as well as expected as it missed the Billboard Top 100 chart. After this, he made the choice to take a step away from the music world. He finally returned in March of 2024 with a fresh single, “Teardrops.”

“My most recent memory is me and my roommates screaming ‘Teardrops’  in the car because it’s a really good song,” USD junior Sophia Skubic said. “That was the only song we listened to for several weeks because we were like, ‘Wow, he did it, this is the song.’”

For Skubic, One Direction was an integral part of her youth. Their presence in her childhood cultivated her love for music.

“I just feel like they kind of shaped me as a kid,” Skubic said. “They were my main source of music, [and they were] my first musical band or artist that I was into. They were my introduction to music, so they were a big part of my childhood and still are now.”

USD first-year student Meher Jhooty shared a similar sentiment. Her love for the band was evident in her early years, and she hoped for a reunion.

“They meant everything to me,” Jhooty said. “Growing up, I had a phase where all I listened to was One Direction. This is so sad. Now there isn’t going to be a reunion, so all hope is lost.”

Fame and success do not come without their challenges. His death has prompted discussions about the harmful effect stardom can have on still developing teens. Although Payne had hardships, students commend him for the amazing work he did and the mark he left on society. 

Payne’s father mourns the death of his son at a memorial in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo courtesy of @liampayne/Instagram

“He is a good person and he definitely had his  demons and had been going through some stuff,  but I feel  like  he contributed to the band a lot when they were together,” Skubic said. “I hope people remember him for the good music and contributions he made.”

In all the good he contributed, there was a dark side to Payne’s life. The One Direction alum faced  legal  issues from ex-fiancée, influencer and model, Maya Henry. Payne and Henry began dating in 2019 and were engaged a year later, only to separate in 2021. That same year, they got back together and then broke off their engagement again in 2022. 

According to Henry’s lawyer, a week prior to Payne’s death it was reported that Henry had issued a cease and desist order to Payne after new abuse allegations.

USD junior Veronica Gomez weighed in on this, voicing her support of Henry but also acknowledging the tragedy of Payne’s passing.

“I definitely think that toward the end — whatever came out about him, I was on her side,” Gomez said. “Her story was awful to hear. That that was the truth of what was going on and that he was capable of that, that was shocking, and I sided with her immediately. This doesn’t excuse his behavior, but I think that both [Payne’s influence on fans and Henry’s experiences] can exist at once. It’s still sad.”

Despite the recent allegations against Payne, his legacy in the band and in his solo career proved influential to many people’s lives, especially throughout childhood. As the world mourns the loss of this influential pop star, many students will remember him for the time he devoted to his fans and the joy he brought to many through his music. 

Liam Payne was a major and nostalgic part of many Toreros’ childhoods, making this a tough goodbye and a tragic loss. Today, Payne is survived by his seven-year-old son, Bear Grey. From creating songs to scream in the car to raising a son, Payne will certainly not be forgotten. Payne’s complicated legacy will continue to live on.

Liam Payne was a core member of British Boy Band One Direction. Photo Courtesy of @liampayne/Instagram