Death
One Direction has spoken out about the loss of former bandmate Liam Payne, who died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday (Oct. 16).
In a joint statement shared to Instagram one day after the tragedy, surviving members Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson wrote that they are collectively “completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing.”
“In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” their message continues. “But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.”
Trending on Billboard
“For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us,” the band added. “We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
Payne died around 5:07 p.m. local time after sustaining multiple traumas and hemorrhages from his fall, a recent preliminary autopsy confirmed. Local authorities believe he was not sober at the time and found substances that appeared to be narcotics and alcoholic drinks in his room after they arrived at the scene. In the moments leading up to the star’s death, a hotel manager called 911 to report that a guest was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol” and “destroying [their] entire room”; by the time police got there, Payne had already fallen from the balcony of his room and died due to his injuries.
Payne, Styles, Horan, Malik and Tomlinson first met in 2010 on The X Factor, when judges Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger placed them together in a boy band. One Direction continued on for six years after that, scoring four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and six Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits in addition to embarking on numerous sold-out global tours before disbanding in 2016.
Afterward, all five members pursued solo careers. Relations between them were sometimes tense following their split, but in recent years, the quintet appeared to be supporting one another more than ever. Just two weeks before he died in Argentina, Payne had attended Horan’s concert in the country.
In addition to the band’s statement, Tomlinson also shared his own personal tribute to Payne on Instagram on Thursday. “Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction,” he wrote, sharing a throwback photo with his late bandmate. “His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam.”
Liam Payne is being remembered by his former secondary school after the 31-year-old singer’s shocking death Wednesday (Oct. 16).
The morning after Payne suffered a fatal fall from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires — where the star appeared to have been staying on a trip with his girlfriend, influencer Kate Cassidy — St Peter’s Collegiate Academy posted a statement on Facebook mourning the loss in its community.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of our former student, Liam Payne,” the message reads. “During his time at St Peter’s Collegiate Academy, Liam was not only well-liked by his peers and teachers, but also recognized for his talents. He made a positive impact on our school community, and his contributions will be remembered.”
“Our thoughts are with Liam’s family and friends during this difficult time,” the school added. “We extend our sincere condolences to all those affected by his passing.”
St Peter’s is located in Wolverhampton, England, where Payne grew up. He found fame in 2010 when an audition on The X Factor led to a six-year pop-music takeover as part of One Direction, after which the musician embarked on his own solo career.
The statement from Payne’s school is just one of countless messages of grief that have taken over social media since Argentinian police confirmed his passing, with Zedd, Paris Hilton, Ty Dolla $ign, Rita Ora and more musicians joining hordes of fans in remembering the boy band star online. His family also spoke out Thursday morning (Oct. 17), telling the BBC: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
A recent preliminary autopsy affirms that Payne died from the multiple hemorrhages he sustained as a result of his fall, which occurred around 5:07 p.m. Wednesday. Examiners are still waiting for further toxicology reports to determine the extent to which drugs or alcohol played a part in the sequence of events; however, investigators did find substances in his hotel room that at first glance appeared to be narcotics and alcoholic drinks.
In the moments leading up to Payne’s death, a hotel manager also placed a frantic 911 call to report that a guest was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol” and “destroying [their] entire room.” By the time police arrived, the musician had already fallen and died at the scene due to his injuries.
Payne is survived by a 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with ex-partner Cheryl Cole.
News of Liam Payne‘s death has left the world stunned, with fans and music industry peers alike quickly flooding the internet with posts mourning the 31-year-old former One Direction star after news of his passing came to light Wednesday (Oct. 16).
First reported by TMZ and confirmed by CNN, Payne died Wednesday evening after suffering a fatal fall from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, according to Argentinian police. Based on Snapchats Payne posted as recent as an hour before his death was first reported, the musician was there on a trip with his girlfriend, influencer Kate Cassidy.
In the first moments after the news broke, the overall feeling experienced by people online was shock. “I can’t believe Liam Payne is really dead like what the f–k,” one fan wrote on X. “I know celebrities die all the time but it just hits so much harder bc that’s like the first major celeb of our generation who we grew up with.”
Trending on Billboard
“why does it feel like we entered into another alternate universe…like wdym liam payne is dead,” tweeted another fan.
Meanwhile, Payne’s peers in the entertainment industry also spoke out. “So upsetting to hear the news of @LiamPayne passing😢 Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. 🙏 RIP my friend🥺,” tweeted Paris Hilton, while the former boy bander’s “Get Low” collaborator, Zedd, posted: “RIP Liam… I can’t believe this is real… absolutely heartbreaking …”
“damn this liam payne news got me speechless… looked up to 1D so much during the wdw days,” wrote singer Corbyn Besson.
Payne leaves behind a 7-year-old child, Bear, whom he shared with British singer Cheryl. His music career extended beyond One Direction, with the singer dropping solo music — including Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “Strip That Down” with Quavo — after the band dissolved in 2016.
See reactions to Liam Payne’s death below.
So upsetting to hear the news of @LiamPayne passing😢 Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. 🙏 RIP my friend🥺— Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton) October 16, 2024
RIP Liam… I can’t believe this is real…absolutely heartbreaking … 💔— Zedd (@Zedd) October 16, 2024
if this Liam Payne news is true that shit is honestly so gut wrenching… was such a nice guy the few times me and G ran into him, fuck the Internet for being so ruthless over the past few months… forreal such a toxic environment on here mannnn that’s so sad
— J (@JVCKJ) October 16, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
R.I.P. Liam Payne wow I can’t believe it prayers up for the family 🙏🏿— juicy j (@therealjuicyj) October 16, 2024
damn this liam payne news got me speechless… looked up to 1D so much during the wdw days. you really never know when it’s your time to go. remind your friends/family that you love them today and every day— corbyn (@corbynbesson) October 16, 2024
Sending strength to Cheryl and his son Bear ❤️ and all the One direction Family RIP @LiamPayne— JEDWARD (@planetjedward) October 16, 2024
Liam Payne’s death is sad very very sad. He played a roll in all our childhoods. Just doesn’t seem real… I’m speechless.Rest Easy— Taylor Caniff (@taylorcaniff) October 16, 2024
why does it feel like we entered into another alternate universe…like wdym liam payne is dead— cay (@koralinadean) October 16, 2024
I can’t believe Liam Payne is really dead like what the fuck. I know celebrities die all the time but it just hits so much harder bc that’s like the first major celeb of our generation who we grew up with— PRINCEOFPOPSTAN | parody (@PRlNCEOFPOPSTAN) October 16, 2024
the way my entire childhood of being an insane diehard 1d fan just played in my head like a film reel— lina (@evermoresivy) October 16, 2024
if the news is true – even though i was not a fan of him anymore, one direction changed and shaped my life so much and he was a part of that band. these feelings are so complicated and hard to navigate. i am literally at loss for words.— floor ◟̽◞̽ (@Tomlinbucks) October 16, 2024
i don’t know why but hearing liam payne just died doesn’t even feel real ??? like that doesn’t feel like something that could’ve happened— tay (@envystheleaves) October 16, 2024
Tommy Cash, a country singer and the younger brother of Johnny Cash, has died. He was 84.
The news of Tommy’s passing was confirmed on Saturday (Sept. 14) in a social media post by the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville.
“We are saddened to announce that the world lost a bright light last evening with the passing of Tommy Cash,” reads a statement on Instagram from Icon Entertainment CEO Bill Miller, who founded the museum.
A cause of death was not provided at press time.
Tommy died on Friday, just one day after the 21st anniversary of late country music icon Jonny Cash, who passed away on Sept. 12, 2003, from complications of diabetes.
“Tommy Cash was a loyal supporter of the Johnny Cash Museum and a very beloved member of our extended family as well as a highly respected member of the music industry,” Miller added. “This great man will be deeply missed by his friends and many loyal fans around the world. Please keep Tommy’s beloved wife, Marcy and his family in your prayers.”
Tommy was born in Dyess, Ark., on April 5, 1940. Following the artistic path of his older brother, Tommy enlisted in the U.S. Army and worked as a radio DJ for the Armed Forces, and later performed as a musician with Hank Williams Jr.‘s band.
Tommy’s solo music career began to take off after scoring his first record deal in 1965. Three years later, he released his debut album, Here’s Tommy Cash, and scored his first top 10 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs in 1970 with “Six White Horses,” a tribute to John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. The track, which reached No. 4, was later covered by country great Waylon Jennings.
Tommy scored two more top 10 hits on Hot Country Songs in 1970 with “Rise and Shine” and “One Song Away.” He went on to perform as a musician over the decades, teaming up with his big brother Johnny on “Guess Things Happen That Way” in 1990.
“He performed around the world throughout his career, carrying on the Cash legacy long after his brother, Johnny Cash, passed in 2003,” Miller concluded in his statement.
See the Johnny Cash Museum’s announcement about Tommy Cash’s death on Instagram here.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: YouTube / Nervous Records
Hip-Hop has lost yet another MC this month. Broadway of Strickly Roots and of Boogie Down Productions fame has passed away.
As spotted on HipHopDX, one half of the Bronx duo is no longer with us. On Saturday, September 7 DJ Premier broke the bad news via his Instagram Story when he shared a video that featured the MC. Media personality Desus also acknowledged the performer on X, formerly known as Twitter. “rip broadway from strickly roots. bx mc, valley legend” he wrote.
Born Dion Barnes, Strickly Roots gained a buzz with their single “Beg No Friends” featuring Grand Puba and Fat Joe. The song would be played on local radio and the very influential Video Music Box show. Later in 1996, Broadway would go solo and release his single “Must Stay Paid” which was produced by KRS-ONE. Broadway was the son of Reggae singer Sugar Minott. At this time Broadway’s cause of death is unknown.
You can view the video for “Beg No Friends” below.
Mariah Carey is suffering through not one, but two unimaginable losses. As first reported by People and confirmed by Billboard on Monday (Aug. 26), the vocalist’s mother, Patricia, and sister, Alison, have both died, passing away within hours of one another on the same day over the weekend.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In a statement shared with Billboard, Carey wrote, “My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend.”
“Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day,” she continued. “I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed.”
Trending on Billboard
The five-time Grammy winner added, “I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.”
No further details about the nature of Patricia and Alison’s deaths have been made public.
Patricia was a Juilliard-trained opera singer and vocal coach. She was married to Alfred Roy Carey, with whom she welcomed Alison, Mariah and a third child — a son named Morgan — before the couple divorced when the “Obsessed” singer was 3, according to People. Alfred died of cancer in 2002.
Carey — who herself is a mom to two kids, twins Moroccan and Monroe — has been open about her complicated relationship with her family. In her 2020 memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey, the superstar recalled how her therapist once encouraged her to “literally rename and reframe my family” for her own “sanity and peace of mind”: “My mother became Pat to me, Morgan my ex-brother and Alison my ex-sister … I had to stop expecting them to one day miraculously become the mommy, big brother and big sister I fantasized about,” she wrote.
“Ours is a story of betrayal and beauty,” Mimi added of Patricia in the book. “I’ve emancipated myself from bondage several times, but there is a cloud of sadness that I suspect will always hang over me, not simply because of my mother but because of our complicated journey together … Our relationship is a prickly rope of pride, pain, shame, gratitude, jealousy, admiration and disappointment. A complicated love tethers my heart to my mother’s.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
Hip-Hop has lost another contributor to the culture. M.O.P. affiliate Foxx has passed, and her peers are honoring her legacy.
As reported by HipHopDX the Bronx, New York, native has transitioned. Known for her work as the group’s road manager and her contributions to records like “It’s Hard To Tell,” she became synonymous with with the M.O.P. brand. Last weekend, DJ Kid Capri announced her passing on social media via a very touching Instagram post. “I went to the hospital to see you last night, what I saw had me walking out the room crying, a week ago or so you requested that people come see you before aug 2, that’s when you wanted to be taking off of the respirator, yesterday was aug 2nd, I would have had so much regret if I didn’t make it there,” he wrote.
He went on to also reveal the two grew up together and she was a member of a rap girl group he formed. “I had fun making you, Kim, Georgia and @qtpepsi rehearse the routines I was writing, after that, you was influenced by music for real, then years after that, you linked up with @famem.o.p @billydanzem.o.p the great hip hop group M.O.P.” Soon news of her passing spread, prompting her peers to celebrate her life.
Longtime collaborator DJ Premier also shared sorrow as well. “I’m hurt in more ways than one but your pain is gone now. Even tho I saw you in the hospital Tuesday, it sucks to get that call. We all are gonna miss you so much but the fun times are documented in our souls. You were HardCore and Sweet at the same time,” his caption read with accompanying behind-the-scenes footage of M.O.P. and Gangstarr on tour in 1997.
The likes of Fat Joe, Chuck D, Alchemist, Royce Da 5’9″ and Cam’ron also shared their condolences online. Foxx had been battling scleroderma, an autoimmune disease for the last 15 years. She was 55. You can see Foxx get busy during an M.O.P. performance with Busta Rhymes in 2004 below.
Mandisa died of complications from class III obesity, according to an autopsy report obtained by People on Tuesday (June 4). The Grammy-winning American Idol finalist was 47 years old when she was found dead on April 18. According to the autopsy report, when she was found in her Tennessee home by friends, she “was last […]
Duane Eddy has died at age 86. The Grammy-winning guitarist was known for his influential style as well as hits such as “Rebel-‘Rouser” and “Peter Gunn.” Eddy died Tuesday (April 30) of cancer in Franklin, Tenn., according to his wife, Deed Abbate. He is survived by his four children and wife. Explore Explore See latest […]
The Voice contestant Lauren Duski is mourning the death of her mother, Janis Duski, in a touching tribute posted to Instagram. According to TMZ, which first reported the news, the Tuscarora Township Police in Indiana River, Michigan, said Janis was found dead in an apparent suicide.
In her Instagram post, Lauren Duski says she was hesitant to share the news publicly but thought she might be able to help others through her mother’s story.
“I wasn’t planning on sharing this but these last few days I’ve been feeling the most violent pull in my heart to remind you to please talk to one another,” Duski wrote. “If you’re struggling, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed of and neither is talking about it. We are all trying to navigate this beautiful, messy life. I’ve learned that even the strongest humans have a breaking point. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Minute by minute. Please do not lose hope. Trust in God. There is always another chance…and there will never be another you.”
Duski competed on season 12 of The Voice in 2017 and chose to join Blake Shelton’s team among the three coaches who turned their chairs for her audition. The country singer finished as the season’s runner-up.
Lauren’s late mom can be seen, alongside her dad, celebrating her daughter’s success backstage in her blind audition video, in which she covered Jewel’s “You Were Meant for Me.”
[embedded content]
Three of Duski’s covers on The Voice hit the Billboard Hot 100 following her season: “Deja Vu” (No. 43), “The Dance” (No. 92) and “Ghost in This House” (No. 98).
Read Lauren’s full message about her mom below:
Said goodbye to my best friend and hero this past Friday. My mom was the greatest human I’ve ever known. There was no one who loved harder. She offered her entire being — heart and soul to everyone she encountered and always held up the mirror to remind you of how wonderful and special you were. She set the bar above the moon. She adored her family and her grandchildren. She was an endless dreamer. brilliant. an absolute powerhouse. Top of her class AND president in dental school. Served as a captain in the United States Air Force. She pioneered the Wolverine Patriot Project alongside the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and made it her mission to provide oral health care to disabled and homeless Michigan military veterans. We called her “Yoda” for her endless wisdom, energy, wit, and humor. She was selfless in every way. She never quit. Especially with a fishing pole in her hand. She loved to spend time exploring and road tripping across country with just a road map.
She saw God in everyone and everything.
Mom, you are infinitely loved. I will miss you every second of every day. I still don’t know how the hell I’m supposed to do this without you. I will thank God every day for our 32 years together and see you every time I look in that mirror.
I wasn’t planning on sharing this but these last few days I’ve been feeling the most violent pull in my heart to remind you to please talk to one another. If you’re struggling, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed of and neither is talking about it. We are all trying to navigate this beautiful, messy life. I’ve learned that even the strongest humans have a breaking point. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Minute by minute. Please do not lose hope. Trust in God. There is always another chance…and there will never be another you.
We have the opportunity to save a generation and beyond. Say “I love you” every chance you get. Don’t wait. You never know the true impact you have on those around you.
I love you, mom. Forever. May you rest in glorious peace.
Janis Patricia Duski – 1964-2024
If you’re thinking about suicide, or are worried about a friend or loved one, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours, at 1-800-273-8255.