As the music industry and fans worldwide grieve the death of former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne in Argentina, his final social media posts revealed he was ready for the next chapter in his storied life.

He’d posted videos recording his new album, Teardrops, lamented the death of US documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock with a group photo of his beloved 1D and was ready to “go ride some horses … play some polo” in Buenos Aires.

Instead, Payne, 31 – who was in town for the concert of his former bandmate Niall Horan – died after falling from the third floor of a hotel balcony on October 16.

Preliminary autopsy results released on Friday (AEDT) reveal the troubled star suffered 25 injuries compatible with a fall from a height, including fatal head injuries and internal and external bleeding.

However what is not yet known is whether Payne was under the influence of substances, with toxicology results pending.

Buenos Aires police found his hotel room in “complete disarray”, with pictures published in Argentinian media showing a smashed television, white powder and tin foil.

“City police who surveyed the scene found substances inside the room that at first glance — and pending confirmation from the experts — would be narcotics and alcoholic beverages, as well as several destroyed objects and furniture,” said the prosecutor’s office.

A smashed TV and white powder in Liam Payne’s hotel room in Buenos Aires. Photo: Supplied

There were packs of benzodiazepine clonazepam, energy supplements and other over-the-counter drugs in the room, and a whisky bottle, lighter and mobile phone were in the courtyard where Payne’s body was found.

A number of media outlets are reporting that Payne had “jumped” to his death.

A police statement to The Associated Press said Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room”.

The prosecutor’s office said there were no signs of a third party having any involvement.

“Everything indicates that the musician was alone when the fall occurred, and was going through some kind of episode due to substance abuse.”

Payne, Tomlinson, Malik, Styles and Horan as X-Factor contestants in July 2010. Photo: Getty 

Standout

Payne’s former X Factor UK judge, Simon Cowell, who selected Payne, Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik from hundreds of potentials in 2010 to form what was to become the biggest boy band of the modern era, wrote on his official Facebook page that Payne’s tragic death was “absolutely shocking news”.

Cowell and fellow judge Nicole Scherzinger assembled the group almost 15 years ago, saying Payne “would shine” and that he was the “standout audition”.

“I think that he could actually be the leader,” she said.

“He’s the standout.”

In their first live performance as a band, singing Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, a confident Payne led the boys onto the X-Factor stage.

“That was a perfect pop band performance,” said Australian singer Dannii Minogue, one of the judges on that X-Factor panel.

Cowell said that towards the end of the song when one of the group “screwed up”, it was Payne who stepped in and “brought it all back”.

“That’s what bands do”.

What Payne and his new best friends did next is history.

One Direction in 2012 in New York. Photo: Getty

Fame and fortune

Born premature in Wolverhampton, England, to parents Geoff and Karen in 1993, he had one functional kidney as a child and would later reveal the damaged kidney had repaired itself in his teens.

With two older sisters, Nicola and Ruth, Payne’s dream of becoming an Olympic runner ended when he was 14 after he narrowly missed a spot in England’s schools team.

Even as a kid he was always singing, and months after that disappointment, he auditioned for X Factor. He reached the judging stage but was sent home.

He returned in 2010 for another crack and with a bunch of 17-year-old boys One Direction was born.

One Direction (with Payne second from left) with Lady Gaga at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. Photo: Getty

Once the band became official, their first album, Up All Night, entered the Billboard 200 pop album chart at No.1 in 2012, making history for a British band’s debut release.

They went on to make Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013), Four (2014), and Made in the A.M. (2015).

The teen idols’ hit singles What Makes You Beautiful, Live While We’re Young, Best Song Ever, Story of My Life and Drag Me Down generated fan hysteria not seen – many say – since The Beatles.

The global media blitz and social media campaign was in full force, and by December that year they were playing at Wembley Stadium.

Four world tours followed across Britain, throughout Europe, Africa, the US and Australia.

‘Power’

Hollywood royalty got involved in making music videos, with actor Danny DeVito in charge of the classic Steal My Girl featurette for 1D’s fourth album.

“You,” he says, pointing to Payne, “are Power” (the others were Love, Light, Mystery and Danger).

However, cracks started to appear behind the scenes in 2015. While on tour in Asia, Malik announced just before a concert in Hong Kong that he was quitting to pursue a solo career.

After selling 20 million albums, 1D’s last tour was in late 2015, when they played to sold-out stadiums in Manchester, Birmingham, London and Glasgow.

Their final gig was in Dublin on October 17.

By December 2015, they knew their days were numbered. Photo: Getty

Going solo

Since 2016, with Styles and Malik’s solo careers taking off, Payne pivoted to songwriting, collaborating with other artists and producing records.

He released his debut solo album LP1 in 2019, which included the singles Polaroid and Familiar. 

Last year, Payne posted an eight-minute YouTube video talking about his time in One Direction, his love of the boys, even Malik, who he reportedly came to blows with during the band’s final year.

Payne explained how this, among other issues, led him to begin a sobriety treatment program in Louisiana.

He also revealed he was six months sober after spending 100 days at the facility.

“I have had a lot of time to recollect over those moments,” he said.

“I kinda had to go away to kinda get better. The whole thing up to that point was just a scramble to stay relevant.”

Liam Payne in Paris in March. Photo: Getty

Payne’s net worth is $109 million (about £56 million), according to realestate.com.au, having amassed a property portfolio that included homes in Malibu and Surrey in the UK.

He leaves behind a son, Bear, born in 2017, from a relationship with former Girls Aloud star and X-Factor judge, Cheryl.

“My favourite memory I have so far,” he wrote on Instagram.