Liam Payne Through the Years: Revisiting the One Direction Alum’s Life in Photos

Liam Payne navigated a series of ups and downs throughout his career in the spotlight ahead of his tragic death at 31.

Payne rose to fame as a member of British boy band One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik. The group was put together and mentored by Simon Cowell on The X Factor UK in 2010.

While the band finished in third place behind Matt Cardle and Rebecca Ferguson , respectively, 1D went on to become one of the most popular bands in history. The group released five albums before going on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.

Payne died eight years later after he fell off a hotel balcony in October 2024. He is survived by his parents, two older sisters and son Bear, whom he shared with ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole .

Keep scrolling to revisit Payne’s life in photos: