Remembering Liam Payne: His One Direction career and domestic controversies | Image: Instagram/@onedirection/Associated Press

Before his untimely death, on Wednesday, Liam Payne’s 14-year musical career surely left a mark in the industry, a journey that began with his being a former member of the British boy group One Direction and continued with a successful solo run when he released his debut album in 2017.

Despite his success and fame, the 31-year-old singer reportedly lived a “troubled” life as he dealt with his share of controversies including domestic allegations from ex-girlfriends and his struggles with addiction and mental health.

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As his fans and loved ones mourn his tragic death, here’s a look back on Payne’s memorable life in One Direction and behind the camera.

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One Direction breakthrough

Despite falling short in his initial audition in 2008 on “X Factor UK,” Payne returned to the competition two years later, impressing the judges with his rendition of Ella Fitzgerald’s “Cry Me a River.” He made it through to the next round and was later grouped with Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson by judge Simon Cowell to form the mega band One Direction.

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After its creation, One Direction took the world by storm as it became one of the best-selling and most popular boy bands of all time. The group’s first single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” released in 2011, led them to global stardom. Over the years, they released songs that became hits and received various recognitions from different awarding bodies. The band’s popularity led to sold-out concerts and legacy milestones that solidified its title as a beloved boy band.

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However, in 2015, Malik left the group and the remaining four members continued to make music, releasing two more albums and going on tours before announcing their indefinite hiatus in 2016.

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A post shared by Liam Payne (@liampayne)

Solo career and personal life

After One Direction’s hiatus, all members went on to pursue solo careers. Payne released his debut album, LP1, in 2019, which featured the platinum-selling single “Strip That Down.” As a solo artist, Payne sold more than 23 million singles and 3 million albums.

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At the time, Payne also welcomed his son Bear Grey in 2017 with his then-partner, Girls Aloud’s Cheryl. After two years of dating, the pair announced their separation and were co-parenting their child until the singer’s death.

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A post shared by Liam Payne (@liampayne)

Domestic allegations and struggles with mental health

Payne shared in a past interview that he turned to “pills and booze” to cope with the pressure during the height of One Direction’s fame and had experienced “suicidal ideation.” In 2023, the “Teardrops” singer announced that he had just completed 100 days in a rehab center in Louisiana.

Payne’s on-and-off romance with former fiancée Maya Henry also made headlines in the past years after rumors of “infidelity and domestic abuse.”  In May 2024, Henry published a novel that portrayed a “very volatile boyfriend” that she said was inspired by her own experiences.

Days before Payne’s death, Henry was reported to have sent a cease-and-desist letter against the singer, accusing him of “abusively contacting” her and her family.

In a TikTok video, Henry revealed that ever since she and Payne broke up in 2022, he would constantly message her not only from his personal phone number but also from other numbers.

She also claimed that Payne was not only “harassing” her but her family as well and was “weaponizing” his fans to turn against her.

“This went on for two years and it was during times where he was in relationships, having babies. He was messaging me like two weeks after his baby was born; he messaged me to send explicit photos,” she shared at the time.

“He was harassing me for videos and photos and I was sending them and never leaked any but he didn’t because he didn’t want anyone to know and I’m pretty sure he has done this to other girls,” added Henry.

Meanwhile, Payne was in a relationship with influencer Kate Cassidy. At the time of Payne’s death, he and Cassidy were still together and were on the same trip in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he died after falling from the balcony of his hotel room.

Last month, the hashtag Free Liam trended online following a post made by the singer that made fans worry about his recent behavior. The netizens alleged at the time that Payne’s posts were PR stunts and Cassidy was “making” him do things that he did not want to do.

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A post shared by Liam Payne (@liampayne)

Issues with One Direction members

In 2022, Payne revealed that he got into a physical fight with his fellow member and noted “many reasons” why he didn’t like Malik. At the time, he also threw shades at the remaining members.

After more than a year, the late singer reflected on his statements and said that it was “wrong” to take his anger out on anybody.

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“I was so angry at what was going on around me and instead of taking a look inwards, I decided to look outwards at everybody else,” he explained in a YouTube video from July 2023. “And I just think, yeah, I just took it out on everybody else, which is just wrong, really.”

In June 2023, Payne left a comment on Malik’s new music, writing, “This sounds big already.” The latter replied, “Appreciate it, bro, thanks for the love.”

Before his death, Payne had also been spotted at several of his former bandmates’ concerts throughout 2024, including Tomlinson’s Buenos Aires show in April and Horan’s The Show tour in October.

Then again, Payne’s ex revealed that the singer often “talks s—t” about his former bandmates, despite “showing up at their concerts.” 

“He goes to their concerts and tries to take the attention away from everyonewjslot,” Henry said in a TikTok video. “Funny how he pops up at Louis’ concert the day my book comes out. He knows if he’s with the boys; he gets attention and can deflect [things]. It’s crazy the impact it has on social media.”

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