Liam Payne Beyond One Direction: A Look At Late Pop Star’s Top 5 Solo Songs In Wake Of His Demise
The late singer Liam Payne, who was just 31 years old, made notable contributions to the music industry both as a member of One Direction and as a solo artist. He passed away on October 16 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. Payne underwent numerous transformations in his life and career, evolving from a teen boy considered the “ringleader” of One Direction to a soloist who faced mental health challenges after the band announced an indefinite hiatus.
With the meteoric rise to fame and success of One Direction, Payne contributed to the band in ways beyond just singing. He became one of the core songwriters of the group, alongside Louis Tomlinson. This is particularly evident in the band’s later albums, such as Four (2014) and Made in the A.M. (2015), where Payne and Tomlinson were credited with writing some of the band’s most popular songs.
Here’s a look back at Liam Payne’s top 5 solo songs
After starting his solo career in 2017, he became more and more vocal about his mental health struggles. He spoke about suffering from anxiety, stress, and substance abuse. However, he continued his passion for songwriting with various solo works including collaborations with artists like Rita Ora, J Balvin, Zedd, Dixie D’Amelio, and more. Let’s revisit his top 5 solo songs below:
1. Strip That Down
Payne’s solo career took off with the success of Strip That Down after One Direction went on hiatus. The song featured a collaboration with Migos’ Quavo and was co-written by Ed Sheeran. It marked a significant departure from One Direction’s pop image, showcasing Payne’s transformation into a solo artist with more mature, adult themes.
In the song, he famously sings:
“You know I used to be in 1D (Now I’m out, free)
People want me for one thing (That’s not me)
I’m not changing the way that I (Used to be)
I just wanna have fun and (Get rowdy).”
Strip That Down was a commercial success, becoming Payne’s first and only Top 40 song in the USA. It reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
2. For You featuring Rita Ora
For Payne, perhaps the best moment of his time as a solo artist was his work with Rita Ora on For You. The song featured in the soundtrack for Fifty Shades Freed. For You was later included in his first album LP1 (2019) and it did demonstrate Payne’s gift of singing.
For You became Payne’s first U.K. top 10 hit as a solo artist after the 1D split.
3. Familiar with J Balvin
In 2018, Payne collaborated with popular Latin singer J Balvin on the lively song called Familiar. In this song, Payne introduced Latin elements into his pop music, creating an amazing hit made for the dance floor.
Familiar was widely accepted and charted within the Top 20 in the U.K. Payne’s range was on full display as he very easily transitioned into other sounds. The song further demonstrated Payne’s potential to appeal to a more global, varied fanbase.
4. Get Low with Zedd
Get Low featuring German EDM artist Zedd arrived in 2017. It’s an upbeat track by Liam and Zedd that juxtaposes his sultry voice with the dance-pop genre. The single peaked no 26 on the UK pop chart.
Get Low also reached the top 20 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart making it a commercial success.
5. Teardrops
In March 2024, Payne released one of the last songs he would ever produce, titled, Teardrops just 7 months before his death. The singer announced the release of the song on his Instagram, stating that it touches upon heartbroken people and their emotional experiences.
He wrote about the song on Instagram, “This song is born from many tears, not all mine. I hope you love it like I do and not too many of you can relate.”
Both as a member of One Direction and as a solo artist, Liam Payne’s career greatly affected the pop scene in the 2010s. His impeccable voice, exceptional songwriting ability, and his honesty about his fight with personal demons allowed him to resonate with fans everywhere.
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