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Remembering Liam Payne: 10 Key Highlights Of One Direction Star’s Life Revisited Amid His Tragic Passing
In the wake of One Direction star Liam Payne's tragic and untimely death, let us go down the memory lane to revisit the 10 major highlights of his life over the years.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of death, substance abuse and suicide.
Liam Payne, British singer-songwriter and former member of One Direction, tragically passed away at the age of 31. He reportedly died after falling off the third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires.
According to Alberto Crescenti, director of Buenos Aires' public emergency medical service, the musician sustained "very serious injuries incompatible with life" and had "no possibility of resuscitation.”
As the world mourns the loss of a former pop star, who reached the heights of success at an early age, left his immortal legacy in the history of music and dealt with demons of his own before meeting a tragic end, let us take a moment to look back at 10 major highlights of Liam Payne’s life.
1) Liam Payne auditioned for The X Factor twice
Liam Payne first auditioned for The X Factor in 2008 when he was just 14 years old. He performed Frank Sinatra's Fly Me To The Moon during the first round and moved on to the next stage of the show.
Unfortunately, he failed to make it beyond the judges' houses round during the fifth season of the show. Judge Simon Cowell, however, asked the-then teen singer to “come back in two years.”
Liam went back to re-audition for The X Factor in 2010 during the seventh season of the show. He earned four yeses and a standing ovation from Cowell after performing Michael Buble’s version of Cry Me A River. He was eventually grouped with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik to form the five-piece boyband One Direction.
2) He skyrocketed to early fame with One Direction’s What Makes You Beautiful
Liam Payne along with his One Direction bandmates catapulted to fame after the group released their first single What Makes You Beautiful post their X Factor era.
The record-breaking track cemented 1D and its five members’ position as future music phenomenon and also served as the lead single of their first studio album, Up All Night.
The line distribution of the song sees Liam having the second-most vocal time on the track after Styles.
3) Liam Payne established himself as one of One Direction’s key songwriters
Over the years, Liam established his position as one of the principal songwriters for One Direction. He, alongside Louis, holds the credit of co-writing more than half of the tracks featured on the band’s third and fourth studio albums.
Story Of My Life, Night Changes, Steal My Girl and Perfect are among some of 1D’s most listened tracks that was co-written by Liam Payne.
4) He stayed with the band until their hiatus
Liam Payne stayed with One Direction until the band decided to go for a hiatus in 2016. He contributed to the band’s fifth and final studio album Made In The A.M. alongside his three bandmates Louis, Harry and Niall (Zayn Malik left the band in 2015).
During his time with the band, Liam was given the adorable nickname “Daddy Directioner” since he was always reported to have looked out for his bandmates.
Liam also joined the rest of three One Direction members on the X Factor finale in 2016 when they came together for their last performance before going on hiatus.
5) Liam Payne kicked off his solo career with the 2017 hit Strip That Down
Nearly a year after 1D went on hiatus, Liam kicked off his solo career with his debut solo single Strip That Down featuring Quavo. The track, co-written with Ed Sheeran and Steve Mac, was released on May 19, 2017.
Strip That Down became an instant commercial hit, peaking at Number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 list and Number 3 on the UK Singles chart.
6) He also embraced fatherhood and became proud dad to son Bear
In addition to kickstarting his solo career, Liam Payne also became a father in 2017. He welcomed son Bear with then-partner Cheryl Cole on March 22. He often opened up about the joys of fatherhood and proudly served as a co-parent to his son even after his split with Cheryl.
During a 2022 interview with People Magazine, Liam revealed he sees his son two to three times a week. The pop star said at the time, “I make sure when I see him, he has 100 percent of my time.”
He also reiterated how Bear “needs his dad in his life” and revealed that he is happy “he looks at me like a superhero.” Liam called his son a “mini-me” while celebrating his 31st birthday last year.
7) He showed continued support for UNICEF
Liam Payne showcased his humanitarian efforts through his continued support of UNICEF. He joined hands with Jack Whitehall, Andy Murray and Clare Balding to support UNICEF UK's Children in Danger Summer Disease Appeal in 2015.
The For You singer also participated in Soccer Aid, which raises funds for UNICEF, twice. He captained team England in 2022 and also returned to the event last year.
8) Liam Payne introduced The LP Show livestream to connect with fans
Liam also launched The LP Show livestream on his YouTube channel to better connect with his fans during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He hosted the YouTube show to engage, communicate and perform for his fans across the globe in a more intimate manner during a time when the world was dealing with the harsh impact of the coronavirus.
9) He took part in the Global Citizen “One World: Together at Home” concert
The One Direction alum also took part in the digital Global Citizen “One World: Together at Home” concert in 2020.
He joined his fellow artists and musicians for the global broadcast and performed to raise funds and awareness as well as support frontline healthcare workers and the WHO amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
10) Liam Payne opened up about mental and physical health issues before his tragic demise
Liam Payne also opened up about his mental health struggles and battle with addiction before his untimely death.
He appeared on the Diary of a CEO podcast in 2021 and revealed he struggled with substance abuse as well as suicidal ideation during peak One Direction days.
Back in July 2023, the singer-songwriter shared a video on his YouTube channel and revealed that he sought professional help and went to rehab to battle his alcoholism and addiction issues.
He also opened up about his hospitalisation for a kidney infection as well as his ADHD diagnosis as an adult.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.
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