Liam Payne is one of the members of the English band, One Direction, the group that had a great boom from 2010 to 2016. One Direction came out of the X Factor contest, where Nicole Scherzinger, one of the judges, had the idea of joining Payne with the other four guys, who apparently had more or less the same goal.
Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson formed the band in 2010. Simon Cowell was the one who first trusted them and gave them the tools to start a new musical trajectory. 1D has been part of three record companies; Syco, Columbia, and Sony. The quintet’s first single was “What Makes You Beautiful” in 2011, for which they reached the top of the charts around the world, as well as many recognitions.
The Rise of Liam Payne and One Direction
Liam Payne was born on August 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, and being part of One Direction was one of the best/worst things that could have happened to him in his life. Payne was born with kidney complications, but doctors managed to save his life.
As a teenager, Liam’s dream was to become an Olympic runner, as he practiced the sport every day at 5 a.m. before going to school. Shortly after, at the age of 12, the singer realized the ability he had a talent for music, and it was then that he decided to devote a little more time to his voice; thankfully it paid off.
In 2008, Liam Payne participated in the X Factor talent show where he was asked to come back later as the artist was too young, but they did see potential in him. Payne took it very seriously and returned in 2010, two years later. “Cry Me a River,” was the melody he presented in front of the judges and went to the second round, where he performed “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” by the British band Oasis, but did not make it to the next phase.
It was after his “failure” that he was invited to participate in the already-formed band One Direction, all the rest is history; we already know about this musical phenomenon. The band, in addition to their catchy and quite popular songs, became an icon among youngsters.
Each of the members had/has their own personality and that made the audience choose their favorite. Almost always, among a group of fans, they had a preference for a different one. Liam was always classified as a young man who liked to take care of himself and look impeccable all the time; so, naturally, he was one of the favorites.
Liam Payne’s Harsh Journey
Just at the time when One Direction started to get more and more fame, Liam commented on a TV show that his self-esteem and energy started to decline. The singer confessed in an interview that it was right at the height of his fame that he considered suicide.
For Payne, and many artists who find themselves in a “crisis”, alcohol became his greatest ally, and it was difficult for him to live without it. In an interview with The Guardian, Liam revealed: “Playing to I don’t know how many thousands of people and then being left alone in the hotel in a country where you can’t even go out anywhere. What are you going to do? The minibar was always there.” In addition, the singer had been carrying an epilepsy-like illness, where he is severely affected by the lights in his eyes – wow, that must have been a challenge for an artist who fills stages with that many people!
When One Direction decided to break up, Liam Payne took 6 months of complete rest and two years of psychological therapy to combat all his fears and insecurities. Apparently, the artist is in perfect condition and has put his heart and soul into his solo career. In 2017, Payne released his first single called “Strip That Down,” which was the one that managed to hit the most, as he later released other things that did not do so well.
Right now, Liam Payne has a daughter that he shares with his ex-wife, Cheryl Cole, and it is something that keeps him happy and motivated. Let’s hope he gets the success he deserves and Liam Payne gets back to his old self.
This story was originally published in Spanish in Cultura Colectiva
