RIP

Liam Payne's sister Nicola is hoping the singer has "finally found peace" after he fell to his death in Argentina last week.

The One Direction alum's older sister posted on Instagram in the aftermath of Liam's death ... paying tribute to the late pop star and revealing her initial reaction to the tragic news.

As Nicola put it ... she learned of Liam's passing through a news notification on her phone, which left her hoping the update was "untrue."

She added ... "I have spent days hoping that it was a mistake and somebody got it wrong. You were truly too good for this earth, you are an angel who just lived for making people smile and happy. You have always shown kindness to everyone you met and it shows with just how many people have confirmed what we always knew!"

As Nicola continued, she declared herself and the rest of the Payne family Liam's "biggest fans always and forever" ... praising her little brother for his "brilliant" talent and dedication.

Before signing off her note, Nicola promised to keep Liam's legacy alive, especially for the singer's son, Bear ... who he welcomed with Cheryl Cole in 2017.

She noted ... "We will make sure Bear knows about his daddy and how much you loved him, we promise this."

Nicola's tribute comes shortly after Liam's other big sister, Ruth Gibbins, posted to social media, in which she apologized for not being able to "save" the singer.

Countless others have honored Liam in the wake of his passing, too ... including Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Simon Cowell, Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora.

As TMZ previously reported, Liam fell to his death from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires last Wednesday. The singer had been in Argentina to support his former 1D bandmate Niall's concert at the Movistar Arena earlier in the month ... ultimately choosing to extend his visit.

Police have said Liam jumped from his hotel balcony ... and that a possibly hallucinogenic drug, called "cristal," may be to blame. However, police are waiting for final test results for substances found in Liam's hotel room before confirming. The investigation is ongoing.

Madonna attended a packed show at Madison Square Garden this week ... no, it wasn't her own -- it was Billie Eilish's instead!

The legendary pop star stopped by the legendary New York City venue with her boyfriend Akeem Morris to watch Billie and her brother Finneas put on their show.

No special VIP tickets for the Queen of Pop BTW ... looks like she's in the crowd like everyone else -- jamming out and chattin' in her man's ear.

Zayn Malik's still reeling from Liam Payne's death ... announcing moments ago he's postponing his "Stairway to the Sky" tour after the "heartbreaking loss" this week.

The singer-songwriter posted a short message to his Instagram story ... telling fans he needs to push off the U.S. leg of his tour -- and, he's rescheduling for January.

ZM says he plans to post the updated dates in the coming days ... and, he's thanking fans for their compassion and understanding during this time.

Liam Payne stayed in one other hotel before checking into the one where he died, and did party pretty hard while there -- but, despite reports, it wasn't enough to get him kicked out of the fancy spot.

Liam and his girlfriend Kate Cassidy were staying at the Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt in Buenos Aires during the week prior to his death, and a staffer there tells TMZ ... the couple was definitely in celebratory vacay mode.

We're told Liam did get "pretty drunk" on some nights, but he was never belligerent. In fact, he was, at least, trying to be entertaining ... as he would sometimes sing in the lobby.

Shawn Mendes was so overcome with emotion over the death of Liam Payne ... the singer paused his NYC concert Friday night to pay tribute to his pal.

Shawn was performing at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre when he took a moment to tell the crowd that the One Direction star was a "beautiful soul" ... and the shocking news of his death was "devastating."

SM emotionally lamented ... “Liam, we love you. The world is crying for you, brother. And we’re all praying for your son and your family, and I miss you, man. So this one’s for you tonight, Liam, from all of us.”

Liam Payne's sister has broken her silence after the tragic death of the One Direction star ... and her message is absolutely devastating.

Ruth Gibbins posted a lengthy statement to her Instagram page along with several sweet photos of the siblings -- all to express how much she loved her brother and her unbearable pain, which included, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

She began with, "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 ... Liam is my best friend."

7:40 PM PT -- Although police say Liam's behavior sounds consistent with that of "cristal" users, they still don't know if that drug was present in the room. We're told they're still waiting for test results on the narcotics and medications they recovered.

Liam Payne was potentially under the influence of a potent drug, known to cause psychotic attacks and hallucinations, when he died ... according to police in Argentina.

Cops in Buenos Aires tell TMZ ... their operating theory is Liam was high on a substance called "cristal," which police say causes users to experience extreme highs and extreme lows, often making them aggressive.

Photos from inside Liam's hotel room show the place trashed ... his TV was smashed and there was drug paraphernalia in the room, which was littered with broken objects.

Liam Payne's father is sharing his grief with his son's fans in Argentina ... standing with them in an incredibly poignant moment right outside the hotel where Liam died.

The heartbreaking scene played out Friday evening in Buenos Aires ... Geoff Payne solemnly walked around the makeshift memorial fans have created on the sidewalk in front of the CasaSur Palermo hotel.

As Liam's dad looked at all the flowers, letters and candles ... fans observed a moment of silence in honor of the singer.

Liam Payne was seemingly in a good place with his sobriety months before his tragic death in Buenos Aires ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the One Direction alum was very vocal about being sober in the late spring/early summer of 2024 ... telling people in his inner circle working with him that he was on the wagon.

We're told those around him saw no warning signs of either drug or alcohol abuse at the time.

Francis Ngannou will carry his son's name with him forever ... the MMA superstar just revealed a tattoo tribute to Kobe months after his death.

The new ink was spotted on Friday at Ngannou's weigh-in for his PFL Super Fight against Renan Ferreira ... which goes down this weekend in Saudi Arabia.

The two bumped heads during the event ... but after the tension between the fighters calmed down, Ngannou flexed for the camera with his arms raised, displaying the tattoo on his left bicep.

Cheryl Cole is heartbroken in the aftermath of ex Liam Payne's death ... calling the tragic update an "indescribably painful time" for herself and their son, Bear.

The British singer posted on Instagram Friday, 2 days after the One Direction alum fatally fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina ... confessing she is grappling with her grief after "this earth shattering event."

She called on fans to be respectful in the wake of Liam ... reminding her followers that the late pop star was more than a celebrity.

Liam Payne's girlfriend Kate Cassidy is speaking out for the first time following the death of the One Direction alum ... thanking fans for their support during this trying time.

The influencer posted on her Instagram Stories 2 days after the singer fell to his death from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In her statement, Kate said she's "been at a complete loss" amid the tragedy, confessing the last several days have not "felt real."

She continued ... "I ask and pray that you'll give me the grace and space to navigate this in private."

Simon Cowell is speaking out for the first time since former protégé Liam Payne died ... issuing a poignant statement on social media.

"The X Factor" creator posted on Instagram, revealing he is "truly devastated" following the news about the singer -- who Simon tapped to join One Direction back in 2010.

Simon wrote to Liam directly in his statement, expressing ... "Heartbroken. And I feel empty. And I want you to know how much love and respect I have for you. Every tear I have shed is a memory of you."

Liam Payne's heartbroken dad made his first public appearance since his son's tragic death, after making the trip from the UK to Argentina.

Geoff Payne was spotted leaving his hotel Friday morning, on his way to the Buenos Aires Judicial Office.

Geoff, wearing a navy suit, had a crowd of people around him ... no doubt there to support him during this tough time.

Niall Horan is still struggling to accept the death of his friend and former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne ... opening up about his grief in a new statement.

The Irish singer posted to Instagram Friday morning, 2 days after Liam died in Buenos Aires, Argentina after falling from his hotel balcony. In the note to fans, Niall reiterated how "absolutely devastated" he's feeling after the passing of his longtime friend ... a sentiment previously expressed in One Direction's joint message Thursday.

Niall remembered Liam for his "energy for life and a passion for work," adding LP was "the brightest" in every room they were in.

More superstars from the UK are showing their love for Liam Payne online ... with both Sharon Osbourne and Robbie Williams sending out messages to the late One Direction star.

Osbourne -- who was a judge on "The X Factor," though not when One Direction formed on the show -- posted to Instagram Thursday ... saying her heart goes out to Liam, and claiming the whole industry let him down.

She says LP was just a kid when he came up in the music world ... and, she doesn't think there was enough protection for him -- asking "Who was in your corner?"