前「一世代」成員Liam Payne過世享年31歲 震驚全球樂迷
前「一世代」成員Liam Payne過世享年31歲 震驚全球樂迷
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Source:VOA | Arts & Culture
Death of ex-One Direction member Liam Payne at 31 shocks fans around the world
October 17, 2024 10:16 AM
Associated Press
前「一世代」 (One Direction) 成員連恩・佩恩 (Liam Payne) 於10月16日在阿根廷布宜諾斯艾利斯一家酒店墜樓身亡，年僅31歲。警方表示連恩・佩恩 (Liam Payne) 從酒店房間的陽台墜落，事發前酒店人員曾報警稱他情緒激動，可能受到藥物或酒精影響。 連恩生前曾公開談論他的心理健康問題及應對壓力的挑戰，這起悲劇發生後粉絲及音樂界人士紛紛表示深切的哀悼。
Buenos Aires, Argentina — The death of Liam Payne, who shot to stardom as a member of British boy band One Direction and grappled with intense global fame while still in his teens, sent shockwaves across the world Thursday as Argentine investigators continued their investigation at the scene.
Fans, music-industry figures and fellow musicians paid tribute to Payne, 31, who died after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
As fans and media bombarded the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina's capital, the forensics unit worked inside on Thursday collecting evidence.
The Buenos Aires police said they found Payne's hotel room "in complete disarray," with packs of clonazepam, a central nervous system depressant, as well as energy supplements and other over-the-counter drugs strewn about and "various items broken." They added that a whiskey bottle, lighter and cellphone were retrieved from the internal hotel courtyard where Payne's body was found.
The day before, police said that Payne "had jumped from the balcony of his room," without elaborating on how they came to that conclusion. The Associated Press could not confirm details of the incident, as the investigation is ongoing. The medical examiner's office said it was conducting an autopsy.
Police said they had rushed to the hotel Wednesday in response to an emergency call just after 5 p.m. local time that had warned of an "aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol."
A hotel manager can be heard on a 911 call recording obtained by The Associated Press saying the hotel has "a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol ... He's destroying the entire room and, well, we need you to send someone, please." The manager's voice becomes more anxious as the call goes on, noting the room has a balcony.
Payne was known as the tousle-headed, sensible one of the quintet that went from a TV talent show to a pop phenomenon with a huge international following of swooning fans. In recent years he had acknowledged struggling with alcoholism, saying in a YouTube video posted in July 2023 that he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment. Representatives for Payne did not immediately return emails and calls.
Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, who performed with One Direction in 2014, said he was "shocked and saddened."
"God bless Liam, thinking of all his loved ones. He will be dearly missed," Wood wrote on X.
Paris Hilton also sent condolences on X, saying the news was "so upsetting." The Backstreet Boys said in a social media post that their hearts go out to "Directioners around the world."
Dozens of One Direction fans flocked to the Casa Sur Hotel after the news broke, forming lines that spilled into the cordoned-off street outside, where police stood sentinel. Forensic investigators were seen leaving the building, from where Payne's body was removed around three hours after the fall. Young women filming with their cellphones expressed shock and heartbreak as a makeshift memorial with rows of candles and bouquets quickly grew.
"I didn't think he was going to die so young," 21-year-old Isabella Milesi told the AP.
Payne was one of five members of One Direction, which formed after each auditioned for the British singing competition "The X Factor" in 2010, two years after Payne's first attempt to get on the show. Aged 16 the second time around, Payne sang Michael Bublé's version of "Cry Me a River," appearing nervous at the start but warming up with the audience's cheers and applause.
After each singer failed to make it through the competition as a solo act, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges combined Payne, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson into what would become one of the most successful boy bands ever — even though they lost the competition.
Each member had his own persona, with Payne — who hailed from Wolverhampton in England's West Midlands region — known as the responsible one. The band became known for their pop sound and romantic hits including "What Makes You Beautiful," "Night Changes" and "Story of My Life."
Payne had prominent solos on songs including "Stole My Heart" and "Change Your Ticket," co-writing several of the band's hits. One Direction had six Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts by the time they disbanded in 2016 and a highly loyal fan base, known as "Directioners," many of them teen girls.
"I've always loved One Direction since I was little," said 18-year-old Juana Relh, another fan outside Payne's hotel. "To see that he died and that there will never be another reunion of the boys is unbelievable, it kills me."
With his meteoric rise to fame, Payne had said that it took some time to adjust to life in the public eye.
"I don't think you can ever deal with that. It's all a bit crazy for us to see that people get in that sort of state of mind about us and what we do," he said in a 2013 interview with the AP after recounting an experience where a fan was in a state of shock upon meeting him.
One Direction announced an indefinite "hiatus" in 2016, and Payne — like each of his erstwhile bandmates — pursued a solo career, shifting toward EDM and hip-hop.
While Styles became a huge solo star, the others had more modest success. Payne's 2017 single "Strip That Down," featuring Quavo, reached the Billboard Top 10, and stayed on the charts for several months. He put out an album "LP1" in 2019, and his last release — a single called "Teardrops" — was released in March.
In 2020, to mark the 10th anniversary of One Direction, Payne shared a screenshot of a text message he sent to his father on the day he joined the group, which read: "I'm in a boyband."
"What a journey … I had no idea what we were in for when I sent this text to my dad years ago at this exact time the band was formed," he wrote.
Payne had a 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl, who was known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud. She was an "X Factor" judge during One Direction's season, although their relationship began years later.
Payne was previously engaged to Maya Henry, from August 2020 to early 2022. Henry released a novel earlier this year that she said was based on their relationship.
In addition to his son, he is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
Language Notes
- grapple：扭打，搏鬥。 ⬆
- tribute：頌詞，禮物；讚揚，稱讚。 ⬆
- strew：撒，散佈；（在…上）布滿，撒滿。⬆
- quintet：五重奏（樂隊）；五重唱（組合）。 ⬆
- erstwhile：以前的，先前的；過去的。 ⬆
Check your comprehension!
Choose the BEST answer to each of the questions below. After you finish, highlight the parentheses to reveal the hidden answers.1. ( C ) What was the global reaction to Liam Payne's death?
(A) The former members of the band didn't pay tribute online.
(B) Concerts were held in his honor.
(C) Fans were shocked worldwide.
(D) Celebrities did not comment on his death.
2. ( A ) What does the report suggest about celebrity deaths?
(A) They highlight the personal struggles behind fame.
(B) They are primarily covered for entertainment purposes.
(C) They often lead to increased album sales.
(D) They are quickly forgotten by the public.
3. ( C ) How does media coverage of celebrity deaths shape public views on mental health?
(A) By highlighting their financial struggles
(B) By romanticizing their lifestyle
(C) By raising awareness of the mental health challenges they face
(D) By overlooking the role of mental health
