'I met Liam Payne shortly before his tragic death – one moment gave me goosebumps'

A fan who met Liam Payne shortly before he died has taken to TikTok to speak candidly about the encounter.

Before his sudden passing, Liam had posted a carefree photo of himself and was actively chatting with his supporters through Snapchat. He was even interacting with fans in real life – as well as stopping to pose for a smiley selfie.

One of these pictures was shared by Carola Guana, who met the 31-year-old 1D singer in Argentina. The pair chatted – and she even got to hear a song.

Sharing a moment that gave her chills, Carola told TikTok viewers: "He smiled at me and sang. I got goosebumps’... I'm one of the last people he spoke to. I'm one of the last people he sang to. I went from having the happiest day of my life to one of the saddest."

Struggling to come to terms with the loss, Carola asked for some space. She added: "Don't write to me, don't call me. Have some decency."

Then in a follow-up video, she added: "Do you understand that I still have his perfume on me? I think it's crazy. I know he was a celebrity and he didn't even care about me, but today I had a nice moment with him. How unfair!"

Chloe's first video has amassed 2.8 million views – and many took the time to share their words of support too. One responder wrote: "Omg I am so sorry."

Another said: "Imagine meeting your idol and then knowing that you were one of the people who heard him sing. Oh my heart, sending strength." And a third added: "This is so devastating."

The popstar died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. He fell from the third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood, police have confirmed.

The news has sent shockwaves around the world, with devastated fans and showbiz stars paying tribute. TV presenter Dermot O’Leary recalled Liam auditioning for The X Factor as a 14-year-old boy, as he paid tribute to the singer following his death.

O’Leary, who hosted The X Factor during both of Liam's appearances, shared a photograph of the pair on stage, captioning the Instagram post: “The worst news”.

“I remember him as a 14-year-old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing,” he wrote. "He was always a joy, had time for everyone, polite, grateful, and was always humble.”

Harry Styles' mother Anne Twist posted a broken-hearted emoji on Instagram, captioning it: “Just a boy.”

Meanwhile, singer Olly Murs, who starred on The X Factor a year before One Direction, said he was “lost for words”, describing Liam's death as “devastating” on Instagram.