Local news outlet La Nacion reported that the 31-year-old was found dead after falling from the hotel’s third floor, citing emergency services in the region.

According to PA, Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel reported that Payne fell into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood of the region’s capital.

Local media stated that the star was in the city to attend a concert of his former bandmate Niall Horan.

Aged just 16 at the time, the singer rose to worldwide fame in 2008 alongside bandmates Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik in the group put together by Simon Cowell on The X Factor.

The band came third in the ITV show, going on to have hits including ‘Kiss You’, ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ and ‘Story of my Life’.

The group are one of the highest-selling boy bands in history, having sold more than 70 million records globally during their six years together.

In 2017, Payne debuted his solo career with his hit track ‘Strip That Down’ featuring Migos’ Quavo, going on to release his album LP1 two years later.

Earlier this year the singer released more new music in the form of his new single ‘Teardrops’.

According to Sky News, one of Payne’s social media accounts was active just an hour before his reported death, posting a selfie on Snapchat telling his fans about his plans for the day.

(Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

“Today, we ride. We’re going to ride some horses,” he wrote. “Think I’m going to play polo again, which is going to put me out of action for about six weeks.

“It’s so hard to do, number one, my back and my neck from swinging that hammer around… or mallet, I think it’s called if you’re in the know. It hurts a lot, it’s very tough to do.”

Crescenti has said that authorities are investigating the circumstances of his death and would be conducting an autopsy.