“It’s hard to put into words. I can’t believe it to be honest,” Davis said. “I always thought they would come back together. It’s just sad”
On Oct. 18, Payne, 31, a former One Direction singer whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said. Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina’s capital, resulting in “extremely serious injuries.” Medics confirmed his death on the spot, the statement said.
His death prompted an outpouring of shock and sadness from friends, collaborators and fellow musicians. Payne’s sister Ruth Gibbins was the latest to share her thoughts in an Instagram tribute.
“I don’t believe this is happening. Many times have I poured my heart out publicly with pride about Liam but never much about life as his sister,” she wrote.
One Direction was the internet’s first boy band with a level of fame comparable to Beatlemania. Band members in their teens had to cope with their sudden fame and then navigate a breakup while trying to build solo careers.
The exact circumstances of Payne’s death remain unclear although Argentine authorities said there were suspicious elements and drugs were possibly involved. The results of toxicology tests are expected in the coming weeks. Payne 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.
At Boston Common, many of the people gathered at the tree and wrote notes, adding them to the growing shrine. Strangers hugged and comforted each other as a tissue box weaved its way through the crowd.
Alex Hanson, 20, handed out flyers which pictured Payne with his child with the phrase “Rest in peace” written on it. On the back of the flyers was contact information for numerous mental health resources. She spoke fondly of the band as they helped her with her own mental health journey.
“They kind of brought me into the world of music and introduced me to a bunch of new artists,” she said. “They showed me I wasn’t alone in my struggle with mental health.”
She also described what Payne, in particular, had meant to her.
“He had a big brother impact. He was one of the bigger ones that were outspoken about mental health and that meant a lot to me,” Hanson said.
Desiree Lyons, 22, traveled from Roxbury to pay her respects. She emphasized how One Direction inspired her through her girlhood.
“It felt like I grew up with them,” Lyons said. “They were a big part of my childhood, I still have their posters in my bedroom.”
A large poster filled with pictures of Payne hugged the tree. A smaller poster near the stump written by a fan read, “You gave me so much to remember. I’ll always remember you.”
Payne was one of five members of One Direction, which formed when they each auditioned for the British singing competition series “The X Factor” in 2010, two years after Payne’s first attempt to get on the show. At 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 solo acts, 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 — even though they lost the competition.
Each member had their own persona, with Payne — who hailed from Wolverhampton, a city in the West Midlands region of England — being known as the responsible one. The band became known for their pop sound and romantic hits like “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. They 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 whom were teen girls.
Materials from the Associated Press were used in this report.
Steph Ware can be reached at steph.ware@globe.com.