Liam Payne

Liam Payne in April 2023

Liam Payne

Liam Payne (born 29 August 1993) is an English singer and songwriter. He rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction. Payne made his debut as a singer in 2008 when he auditioned for the British television series The X Factor. After being eliminated as a solo performer, he was brought back to join One Direction, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.

Early Life

Liam James Payne was born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. He is the son of Karen, a nurse, and Geoff Payne, a fitter. He has two older sisters, Nicola and Ruth. Payne was born three weeks early, and as a result, he had frequent health problems. Until the age of four, he had regular tests done in hospital as doctors noticed one of his kidneys was scarred and dysfunctional.

Career

2008–2010: The X Factor and One Direction

In 2008, Payne auditioned for the fifth series of The X Factor. He made it to the judges' houses, but Simon Cowell thought he was not ready for the competition and asked him to come back in two years. Payne returned in 2010 for the seventh series of the show, where he was put together with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik to form One Direction. The group finished in third place and subsequently signed with Syco Music.

2011–2015: One Direction's Success

One Direction's debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful", was released in September 2011 and was a commercial success. Their debut album, Up All Night, followed in November 2011. The band released four more albums: Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013), Four (2014), and Made in the A.M. (2015). The group went on hiatus in January 2016.

2016–present: Solo Career

After One Direction's hiatus, Payne signed a recording deal with Republic Records in North America. His debut solo single, "Strip That Down", featuring Quavo, was released in May 2017. The song was a commercial success, reaching the top 10 in several countries. Payne's debut EP, First Time, was released in August 2018, and his debut album, LP1, was released in December 2019.

Personal Life

Payne began dating Cheryl in 2016, and they have a son, Bear, born in March 2017. The couple split in 2018. Payne has been open about his struggles with mental health and has used his platform to raise awareness about the importance of mental well-being.

Discography

• LP1 (2019)

Filmography

• One Direction: This Is Us (2013)
• One Direction: Where We Are – The Concert Film (2014)

Awards and Nominations

Payne has received several awards and nominations as a member of One Direction and as a solo artist, including Brit Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and American Music Awards.

See Also

• One Direction
• Harry Styles
• Niall Horan
• Louis Tomlinson
• Zayn Malik