Liam Payne journey from one direction to going solo till his tragic death.
- lnjweipi27
- Dec 20, 2024
- 9 min read
Just two weeks or so ago, the world woke up to the tragic news of the death of former One Direction boy band member Liam Payne, he fell to his death from the 3rd floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires Argentina. It was a tragic death which shocked the whole world and to honor his memory, this article takes a look at his life back to his early days and through his rise to stardom as a member of British-Irish boyband one direction, till he became solo.
Liam Payne was a member of the British-Irish boy band pop group called One Direction which came to the limelight in 2020 and was active until 2016 when most of its acts went solo. The group comprised of 4 artist: Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik until his departure in 2015 and Liam Payne until his death in 2024. Together they became one of the best-selling boy groups of all time until their indefinite hiatus in 2016.
The five members of the group auditioned as solo candidates for the 2010 series of the British singing competition The X-Factor. They all failed to progress in the boys category at the boot camp stage of the competition, and were instead put together to form a five-piece boy band hence qualifying for the groups category. . American singer Nicole Scherzinger, a guest judge and long-time judge Simon Cowell both claimed to have come up with the idea of forming the band. In 2013, Cowell said that it "took him 10 minutes to put them together as a group." The band got together for two weeks to get to know each other and rehearse. Styles came up with the band's name. For their qualifying song at "judges' houses", and their first song as a group, One Direction sang an acoustic version of "Torn". Cowell later commented that their performance convinced him that they "were confident, fun, like a gang of friends, and kind of fearless as well". Within the first four weeks of their live shows, they were his final act in the competition. The group quickly gained popularity in the UK.
One Direction was the last contestant eliminated in the competition and immediately after the final, their song "Forever Young", which would have been released if they had won The X Factor, was leaked onto the internet. Shortly afterwards it was confirmed that One Direction had been signed by Cowell to a reported £2 million Syco Records record contract. Recording for their debut album began in January 2011, as they flew to Los Angeles to work with RedOne, a record producer. A book licensed by One Direction, One Direction: Forever Young (Our Official X Factor Story), was published by HarperCollins in February 2011, subsequently topping The Sunday Times Best Seller list. The same month, the boy band and other contestants from the series participated in the X Factor Live Tour. During the tour, the group performed for 500,000 people throughout the UK. After the tour concluded in April 2011, the group continued working on their debut album. Recording took place in Stockholm, London and Los Angeles, as One Direction worked with producers Carl Falk, Savan Kotecha, Steve Mac, and Rami Yacoub, among others.
The split of one direction.
On 8 September 2014, One Direction announced their fourth studio album to be titled Four, set to be released on 17 November 2014. As part of the announcement, one of the songs from the album, "Fireproof" was released for free download for 24 hours on their official website. "Steal My Girl", the album's lead single, was released on 29 September 2014, receiving critical acclaim for its classic rock sound. The second single from the album, "Night Changes", was released on 14 November, three days before the album's release. It also achieved platinum status, selling over one million units in the United States. Four was released on 17 November 2014, topping the Billboard 200 and the UK Album Chart. In total, it debuted at number one in 18 countries, selling 3.2 million copies. It became the top charted album on iTunes in 67 countries. One Direction became the only group in the 58-year history of the Billboard 200 albums chart to have their first four albums debut at number one. In February 2015, the group embarked on their fourth world tour and second all-stadium tour, the On the Road Again Tour.
On 25 March 2015, amid the Asia leg of their tour, the band announced Malik's departure with an official statement. "I'd like to apologize to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart", Malik said in the statement. "I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world." In a subsequent interview, Malik denied rumors of a rift between the members and said, "My band has been really supportive". (In later interviews, Malik would say he left the group because he was unhappy with its musical direction and his inability to "put any input in".) On 14 May, the group made their first official public appearance as a four-piece on The Late Late Show with James Corden, where they confirmed that they would continue working without a new fifth member.
In August 2015, the group said that it would go on hiatus in 2016 to work on individual projects but that "they will remain together and plan to work together in the future". Styles would say in a 2017 interview that he was the first member of the group to bring up the idea of the hiatus in late 2014, saying he "didn't want to exhaust our fan base" and that all members later eventually agreed. Tomlinson would say in a 2020 interview that he was "fuming" and not ready when the idea was brought up and that "even though I don't fully understand everyone's individual reasons, I respect them". The On the Road Again tour concluded on 31 October 2015 after playing eighty shows in stadiums across Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. The tour sold more than 2.3 million tickets and grossed $208 million, making it the second highest-grossing tour of 2015. On 13 January 2016, Us Weekly wrote that the group's hiatus would become a permanent split, citing unnamed sources who said the four remaining group members did not renew their contracts after the On the Road Again Tour ended in October 2015. Representatives for the group denied the report in a statement to Billboard, saying that "nothing has changed regarding hiatus plans for the group, and all will be revealed in due time from the band members' own mouths."
Liam Payne’s solo career.
In 2015, Payne began working on solo material. In early 2016, Payne featured on a track titled "You" by Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J; the track was a leak from an unreleased mixtape. In October 2016, it was announced that Payne had signed a recording contract with Republic Records. His debut solo single "Strip That Down", featuring Quavo and co-written with Ed Sheeran and Steve Mac, was released on 19 May 2017, and sent to U.S. contemporary hit radio on 23 May. The song was a commercial success, reaching number ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the UK Singles Chart. "Strip That Down" was certified double platinum in the United Kingdom and 3x platinum in the United States. Payne followed up this release with two top 30 singles: "Get Low", a collaboration with Zedd which was certified silver, and "Bedroom Floor", which was certified gold.
In January 2018, Payne collaborated with Rita Ora on "For You", released as a single from the soundtrack of the film Fifty Shades Freed. The song was a commercial success worldwide, peaking within the top ten of several countries. "For You" was certified diamond in Brazil, platinum in the United Kingdom, and received gold or platinum certifications in thirteen further countries. In April 2018, Payne released "Familiar" with J Balvin, which peaked at number 14 in the United Kingdom and was certified platinum. On 30 March 2018, Payne performed in front of more than 100,000 people during a free concert at Global Village 2018 in Dubai. Payne initially announced that his debut album would be released on 14 September 2018, but he delayed the release to continue work on it. Instead, he released his first extended play, First Time, on 24 August 2018. The EP's sole single was "First Time", a collaboration with French Montana. He collaborated with Jonas Blue and Lennon Stella on the single "Polaroid", released on 5 October 2018. The single peaked at number 12 in the United Kingdom and was certified platinum.
Payne released the song "Stack It Up", featuring American rapper A Boogie wit da Hoodie, on 18 September 2019. In October 2019, Payne announced that his debut album, LP1, would be released on 6 December 2019. Several of Payne's previous single releases were included on the album's track list, and Payne released "All I Want (For Christmas)" on 25 October as the sixth single from the album. LP1 debuted at number 17 on the UK Albums Chart and number 111 on the Billboard 200. The album was certified gold in the United Kingdom and platinum in Canada. In April 2020, Payne collaborated with Alesso and released the song "Midnight". The same month, Payne began a weekly YouTube series. In July, he announced he would be launching The LP Show, a livestream series, with "Act 1" being a livestreamed concert. On 30 October 2020, Payne released "Naughty List", a Christmas single featuring Dixie D'Amelio. In August 2021, Payne released the single "Sunshine", which was featured in the film Ron's Gone Wrong.[94]
In May 2023, Payne announced that he was working on his second album. He planned his first solo tour, with dates for Latin America scheduled to take place in September 2023, but the tour was postponed after Payne was hospitalised in August 2023 with a kidney infection. Payne returned to music with the single "Teardrops", which was released on 1 March 2024. The single was co-written with NSYNC member JC Chasez. "Teardrops" peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.
Liam Payne’s Legacy through his music.
From chart-topping hits to award-winning performances, we revisit the tracks that marked Liam’s rise as a solo artiste. Liam leaves behind many years worth of music for his fans and followers
Liam Payne, former member of One Direction, tragically passed away at the age of 31. From being the cute boy next door to an attractive solo singer, the UK singer grew up in front of the world. The untimely death of the musician has left behind a legacy marked by creativity and a whole lot of tunes.
Here, we explore five songs that not only defined his career, but also earned him accolades, global performances, and artistic recognition.
‘For You’ (2018) feat. Rita Ora.
Liam’s collaboration with Rita Ora for the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack was a career milestone. For You became a major hit, highlighting Liam's versatility in producing cinematic and romantic soundscapes. The song was performed at various award shows and earned a nomination for Best British Single at the BRIT Awards, showcasing his ability to merge mainstream pop with a powerful performance style.
‘Polaroid’ (2018) with Jonas Blue and Lennon Stella.
A shift towards a more electronic pop vibe, Polaroid was a collaboration that displayed Liam’s adaptability as an artiste. The song earned millions of streams worldwide and was performed live on multiple global stages, highlighting his skill in connecting with diverse audiences. The upbeat summer track solidified his place in the contemporary pop scene.
‘Strip That Down’ (2017).
The debut single that launched Liam’s solo career, Strip That Down featured Quavo and was co-written by Ed Sheeran. The track peaked at No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 3 in the UK, becoming a commercial success. It earned him two BRIT Award nominations for British Single and British Artist Video of the Year. With its blend of pop and rap influences, Strip That Down set the tone for Liam’s solo style.
‘What Makes You Beautiful; (2011) - One Direction.
This was the song that started it all. As the debut single of One Direction, What Makes You Beautiful became a worldwide sensation, reaching No. 1 in several countries. The song’s massive success catapulted the band to stardom, and its infectious energy became iconic. It won the BRIT Award for Best British Single — an early sign of Liam’s future success.
‘Night Changes’ (2014) - One Direction.
A standout track from album Four, Night Changes showcased One Direction’s shift towards a mature, acoustic sound. Co-written by Liam Payne with bandmates and collaborators Julian Bunetta and John Ryan, the song tells a nostalgic story about the passage of time and change. It reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart and performed well internationally, earning Platinum certifications across multiple regions. Liam’s vocal delivery highlighted his emotional depth, making the track a fan favorite. It was a staple in the On the Road Again tour in 2015, where audiences joined in passionately.
The Police in Buenos Aires Argentina announced recently that they have arrested 3 persons in connection with his tragic death. While it still remains to be seen what comes out from the investigation, fans across the world will continue to remember him through his music and artistry. So we would love to hear from you: What are your memories of Liam Payne, what impact did his musical journey have on you, and most importantly, how will you remember Liam Payne? As condolences continue to pour from across the globe from fellow artists, fans, his bandmates and family members, the world will continue to remember and mourn this bright talent who went too soon.
Share your favorite Liam Payne song in the comments and let’s keep his legacy alive. 🎵✨"
What’s your most cherished memory of Liam Payne? Drop it below and let’s celebrate his life together. 💔🎤
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