Three years before he tragically passed away, Liam Payne opened up about his fear of being ‘locked up’ in hotel rooms after performing with his One Direction bandmates

Liam Payne expressed his fear of being locked in a hotel room in a heartbreaking clip that resurfaced after his tragic death.

The former One Direction star, who died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16, had previously opened up about his struggles with fame and said touring with his bandmates when he was just a teenager “really f****d him up.” He also said the worst part was getting “locked up” in hotel rooms for security reasons after performing.

Speaking on The Diary of a CEO podcast in 2021, three years before he passed away, Liam said: “My dad said it from day one – lonely hotel rooms, man – getting locked in that room is not fun when you’ve been exposed.” He also told podcast host Steven Barltett that he had a few “rock bottom moments” during his career, which he admitted he was “very good at hiding.”

Liam Payne admitted his fear of being locked up in hotel rooms
The late singer said: “I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be. Where is rock bottom for me? You would have never seen it. I’m very good at hiding it. No one would have ever seen it.” He added: “Rock bottom… I mean, I don’t even know if I’ve hit it yet… I can make that choice now and quick my last moment as my rock bottom or I can make a new one.”

It comes after new details of the moments leading up to Liam’s death emerged. According to reports, the singer was trying to escape his hotel room before his tragic death and was wearing a bag. It has been claimed by witnesses and a filed police report that the hotel allegedly knew Liam was threatening to use the balcony as a means to flee but left him by himself. According to TMZ, sources have said Liam had a repeated aversion to being confined in hotel rooms, a reaction that traces back to his years in One Direction.

On the day of his death, Liam was captured on hotel surveillance video visibly intoxicated and causing a disturbance in the lobby before staff at the CasaSur Hotel staff intervened. Witnesses reported that the X Factor star resisted, telling staff he did not want to stay in the room and even warned them he would use the balcony to escape if confined.

He also opened up about the moments he hit ‘rock bottom’ ( 
Image:
The Diary Of A CEO)

Hotel employees reportedly used a master key to place Liam in his room, subsequently removing a mirror outside his door, apparently out of concern he might damage it. Just minutes later, a hotel employee called 911, noting the singer was in a room with a balcony and expressing fear that he might attempt to escape.

“I don’t know whether his life may be in danger. He is in a room with a balcony, and, well, we’re a little afraid,” the hotel employee stated during the call, according to the transcript. After the hotel staff left Liam alone in the room, he apparently attempted an escape route involving the balcony, leading to a tragic fall.

Liam said he was ‘very good’ at hiding his negative moments ( 
Image:
The Diary Of A CEO)

His body was found with a bag strapped over his shoulder – indicating he may have been preparing to leave the room. The bag was not present when he was carried from the lobby to his room on the third floor. A second-floor hotel guest discovered a leather bag containing pills, a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, and a note labelled “for Liam” on their balcony.

Investigators believe the bag, which was identified as the singer’s and not the one found next to his body, was lowered to the second-floor balcony as part of his attempted escape. Police have ruled out suicide, believing the singer was likely in a state of “semi or total unconsciousness” at the time of his fall.