In his final weeks and days, Liam Payne appeared happy and full of life, but his more somber demeanor was noticed long before. A journalist and One Direction fan observed how being in the entertainment industry had taken a toll on the musician.
Liam Payne with fans in Argentina in a post uploaded on October 1, 2024 | Sorce: TikTok/juliii.morinigo
Weeks before his death, Payne appeared in a short TikTok video, interacting with excited fans in Argentina. Those who watched the clip were heartbroken, with some pointing out specific details about his appearance before his sudden passing.
Liam Payne with fans in Argentina in a post uploaded on October 1, 2024 | Sorce: TikTok/juliii.morinigo
In the footage, posted by a One Direction fan on October 1, 2024, Payne looked cheerful as he posed for photos. Yet, other TikTok users saw something deeper, believing there was an undeniable sign of his inevitable fate.
Liam Payne with fans in Argentina in a post uploaded on October 1, 2024 | Sorce: TikTok/juliii.morinigo
One viewer commented, saying, “His eyes… He was done with this world 🥺,” while another concurred, writing, “Man, you can see the pain in his eyes 🥺.” A third person added, “wow his eyes you can literally tell he was not okay 🥲💔.”
Liam Payne with fans in Argentina in a post uploaded on October 1, 2024 | Sorce: TikTok/juliii.morinigo
The consensus among viewers was clear with many pointing out, “the eyes, they never lie,” “his eyes were so sad,” and “You can see it in his eyes.” One TikToker, agreeing with others, noted, “bruh the signs were there.”
Liam Payne with fans in Argentina in a post uploaded on October 1, 2024 | Sorce: TikTok/juliii.morinigo
In the video, several fans captured images of the singer outside a building. At one point, the fan who shared the clip had her special moment with him, hugging and taking pictures together.
Liam Payne with fans in Argentina in a post uploaded on October 1, 2024 | Sorce: TikTok/juliii.morinigo
She embraced him with both hands and even complimented his perfume while posing for photos. Cleverly, the fan also got him to sign an autograph.
Liam Payne with fans in Argentina in a post uploaded on October 1, 2024 | Sorce: TikTok/juliii.morinigo
She asked if he had listened to any Spanish music since arriving in Argentina, and Payne responded by singing a song in the language, though the fan didn’t recognize it.
Liam Payne with fans in Argentina in a post uploaded on October 1, 2024 | Sorce: TikTok/juliii.morinigo
The singer, who passed away at 31 in the fan’s home country, then sang a more familiar song, delighting the people gathered around him. However, this wasn’t the only post of the former One Direction star before his death.
He also shared a cheerful, but now-deleted, Snapchat post days before his October 16, 2024, passing. In a similar vein to the TikTok clip, netizens quickly noticed his unusual expression in the post. The content included a video and several images, with Payne describing his day as “lovely” while spending “quality time” with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy.
Liam Payne’s Snapchat post, as shared by ExtraTV on October 16, 2024 | Source: Instagram.com/extratv
But, social media users expressed concern, with one viewer commenting, “He looked so sad in all of those pictures.” Another person echoed the sentiment, writing, “His eyes show sorrow and trouble. So sad and tragic loss 😢.”
Liam Payne’s Snapchat post, as shared by ExtraTV on October 16, 2024 | Source: Instagram.com/extratv
Continuing the discussion, someone else remarked, “He doesn’t look happy to me, he looks a bit down in the eyes, so sad [sic].” The pictures showed the couple enjoying their vacation in Argentina, with Payne sharing that he didn’t have to wake up early during the break.
Liam Payne’s Snapchat post, as shared by ExtraTV on October 16, 2024 | Source: Instagram.com/extratv
Despite the recent post, a fan noticed the images and video weren’t that new. The observant viewer pointed out, “These are from a few days ago, even if he posted them today because she flew back to the United States a few days ago.”
It was later confirmed that Cassidy had returned to Florida alone two days before Payne’s death. In a TikTok video, she explained her decision to leave Argentina and discussed her travel experience.
She shared how much she enjoyed South America, but admitted, “I was so ready to leave.” Cassidy explained that she dislikes staying in one place for too long, and although they had planned to stay in Argentina for five days, the visit was extended to two weeks.
Kate Cassidy’s video of her return to Florida | Source: TikTok.com/@kateecass
Cassidy, who arrived in Florida at 6 a.m., was relieved to be back, writing, “soooo happpiii to b back in sunshine state [sic].”
Reports later revealed that Payne died after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires. Ali Daher, a journalist and long-time fan of One Direction, can attest to having seen the sadness Payne carried in his later years.
Having followed the singer’s career from the start and even meeting him several times, Daher always noted how generous and kind the star was. But, the journalist also observed the darker side of Payne’s life in the entertainment industry.
He recalled meeting Payne one evening at a popular Japanese restaurant, Sokyo at The Bar. While the artist smiled and posed for photos, despite having been drinking, the journalist sensed something was off.
Liam Payne meets Japanese fans to promote “The 1Derland: THIS IS US” on November 3, 2013, in Chiba, Japan | Source: Getty Images
Daher echoed what netizens had observed in Payne’s recent posts: “His eyes carried a weight I hadn’t seen before, a sadness that ran deep.” He recalled watching as people took pictures of the singer without engaging with him, treating him like an object rather than a person.
Liam Payne seen on March 1, 2024, in Paris, France | Source: Getty Images
It saddened the journalist to see this, as Payne was someone who always gave so much of himself. Despite having millions of adoring fans, he appeared incredibly lonely in that moment. For Daher, it was a stark reminder of how fame could turn someone into “something to be consumed rather than someone to be cherished.”
Although he had his struggles, Payne remained dedicated to his fans. Daher recalled the musician spending nearly 45 minutes signing autographs, taking selfies, and chatting with fans after his performance in Sydney in 2018.