Super-fans and global media gathered outside the CasaSur Hotel in Palermo Hollywood, an upscale neighborhood of Buenos Aires, shortly after the tragic death of One Direction star Liam Payne, 31. The area, known for its trendy bars and restaurants, was unusually somber as fans lit candles and placed flowers, eventually breaking into mournful renditions of the band's hits, including a poignant version of 'The Story of My Life.' The song's chorus faltered as fans, mostly young women in their twenties, cried and comforted each other. They gathered around a row of candles at a tree in front of the hotel, where Payne had fallen to his death from a balcony just hours earlier.
Despite any personal struggles or allegations Payne faced, super-fans traveled across the city to pay their respects. Brunella Pucci, 25, an Argentinian fan, made the journey to CasaSur because she wanted to be among others who had grown up with Payne and supported him through his recent difficulties. 'When he died, so many of my friends and family sent me a message – it was like someone from my family had passed away,' she said. 'One Direction has been a big part of my life for 14 years – I was 11 when I first listened to them. It’s crazy, it’s unbelievable what’s happened, just really shocking.'
Vanessa Alejandra, 20, was walking with her best friend nearby when she heard the news. 'My cousins were huge fans and they were messaging me saying ‘you have to go, you have to see what’s happened and tell us’,' she said. 'None of us can believe it really happened here – it’s so crazy.' Hali Wu, 22, who moved to Buenos Aires from New York City two weeks ago, lives a block away from the CasaSur Hotel. 'It felt like a fever dream,' he said. 'We were all standing around saying, there’s no way Liam Payne died, here, an hour ago. There was a lot of sadness and huge disbelief.'
Palermo Hollywood, usually bustling with digital nomads, tourists, and locals, saw an unprecedented influx of news crews from around the world. One Argentine news crew, hearing a British accent, interviewed a British-born journalist, reflecting the shock and disbelief that permeated the air. The neighborhood, known for its calm and lively atmosphere, was now the site of a tragic event that would be remembered for very different reasons.
