Content material warning: This text offers with claims of sexual assault and emotional abuse.
As soon as one of many world’s most adored pop stars, Liam Payne rocketed to fame as a part of One Direction. It was the boy band that captured hearts throughout the globe. Alongside his bandmates Harry Kinds, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, Payne loved a meteoric rise from the expertise present The X Issue to stadium excursions, chart-topping hits, and a faithful fanbase that seemingly had no limits. Nevertheless, because the highlight on One Path dimmed after their cut up in 2015, Payne’s private {and professional} life took a flip that few might have predicted.
Whereas his former bandmates easily transitioned into solo careers, Harry Kinds successful Grammy awards and Niall Horan promoting out worldwide excursions. Payne’s post-1D period has been marked by a sequence of questionable choices and scandals which have left followers and critics puzzled. It’s not his expertise that’s underneath scrutiny, however relatively the behaviours and controversies which have continued to plague his public picture.
From the notorious Logan Paul podcast interview to his problematic romantic relationships and cringeworthy moments on social media, it appears Payne has constantly been his personal worst enemy. Let’s strip all of it down.
@eyronwastaken_ #dance #liampayne #stripthatdown #fypシ #fyp #foryou #tiktok ♬ Strip That Down – Liam Payne
The Logan Paul Interview That Began It All
Liam Payne’s public picture took a big hit throughout his infamous look on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast in 2022. What ought to have been an informal chat rapidly turned uncomfortable as Payne made a number of eyebrow-raising remarks. Among the many extra memorable moments, Payne claimed that One Path was “constructed round him”, a press release that left each followers and critics confused. Much more stunning was his story a few bodily altercation with an unnamed bandmate, the place he alleged that somebody had thrown him in opposition to a wall. Payne’s tough-guy response? “In case you don’t take away these fingers, there’s a excessive probability you’ll by no means use them once more”.
@kiwitbsl liam babes… what is that this. you look a little bit of a foolish sausage. #liampayne #fy #ElectrifyTheMini #onedirection #4u #foryoupage #harrystyles #xyzbca ♬ thank you zayn – 🌠
This remark, together with the remainder of his unusual claims throughout the interview, sparked outrage on-line. Followers cringed at his makes an attempt to color himself because the band’s central determine and the thriller surrounding the wall altercation solely deepened as Payne refused to call names.
The Reunion at Niall Horan’s Live performance
After a quick reprieve from the highlight, Payne just lately re-emerged at former bandmate Niall Horan’s live performance in Argentina. What might have been a nostalgic and healthful One Path reunion rapidly turned awkward, as Payne’s behaviour left followers scratching their heads.
Seated in a non-public field on the live performance, Payne wasn’t precisely low-key. Earlier than Horan even hit the stage, movies circulated displaying Payne participating in weird antics, together with leaning over the balcony to sing to followers and even doing the Macarena — a spectacle that led to a safety guard asking him to cease. In fact, Payne didn’t pay attention.
Followers rapidly took to social media to name out his behaviour, branding him an attention-seeker. One consumer on X shared a clip of Payne dancing and wrote, “Oh Liam Payne, you’re by no means beating the eye seeker allegations”.
oh liam payne you’re by no means beating the eye seeker allegations pic.twitter.com/XEmOQ1Nzc1
— MAY 🎀 (@littIefreakmay) October 3, 2024
LIAM PAYNE DOING THE MACARENA WHILE SECURITY IS TRYING TO ASK HIM TO STOP RILING UP THE CROWD AT NIALL’S CONCERT HAS ME FUCKING CRYINGGGGG 😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Jvc6O893Zf
— kaily💋 | 40 (@wizardsofsel) October 6, 2024
The Zayn Wall Incident: Thriller Solved
Maybe one of the vital enduring mysteries surrounding Payne’s post-One Path life is the alleged altercation he talked about throughout the Impaulsive interview. For over a yr, followers speculated which band member had thrown Payne in opposition to the wall, with theories starting from Harry Kinds to Louis Tomlinson.
The thriller, nevertheless, was just lately solved by none aside from Payne’s ex-fiancée, Maya Henry. In a TikTok video, Henry revealed that Payne had informed her the assailant was Zayn Malik. Her informal tone — “I’ve heard his unbearable tales so many instances, and he informed me it was Zayn” — despatched followers right into a frenzy, lastly providing readability on a hearsay that had been swirling for years.
@mayahenry #duet with @bee! ♬ Succession Main Theme – L’Orchestra Nazionale di Mendoni
Nevertheless, Henry’s video didn’t come with out backlash. Some followers criticised her for nonetheless discussing Payne, lengthy after their breakup. In response, Henry posted a follow-up TikTok, doubling down and making extra damning accusations about Payne’s post-breakup behaviour.
Maya Henry’s Revelations: Allegations of Harassment
In her second TikTok, Henry didn’t maintain again. Addressing followers who labelled her “obsessed” with Payne, she detailed disturbing claims about his behaviour following their breakup. In line with Henry, Payne would ceaselessly message her from totally different cellphone numbers, making it unattainable for her to keep away from him. “He’ll blow up my mum’s cellphone. Is that standard behaviour to you?” she requested.
However maybe essentially the most stunning revelation got here when Henry alleged that Payne had overtly admitted to her that he “preys on One Path followers as a result of they are going to at all times be loyal to him, they usually received’t inform on him”. This accusation struck a nerve with followers, because it prompt a manipulative facet of Payne that had beforehand gone unstated.
@mayahenry Replying to @marie ♬ original sound – Maya Henry
Henry’s claims solely intensified public scrutiny, as followers who had lengthy supported Payne started to query his actions. As she identified, “While you continually allow somebody, they’re by no means going to grasp what they’ve performed is unhealthy. Or they do realise and know they’ll get away with it.”
Fan Allegations of Harassment: A Troubling Sample?
Henry’s accusations opened the floodgates for others to share their experiences with Payne. One fan, specifically, posted TikTok video claiming that Payne had harassed her for specific content material over the span of two years.
“I used to be a One Path fan. Liam was my favorite. He messaged me on Instagram, and at first, I used to be like, ‘Oh my god, that is so cool’,” the fan said in a now deleted video, describing the preliminary pleasure of being seen by a star. However what started as pleasant messaging rapidly turned inappropriate. “Then it changed into him asking me for specific movies, specific pictures, and I’d ship them as a result of I used to be like, ‘it’s Liam Payne, I’m going to ship them’.”
The fan went on to replicate on the scenario, recognising that Payne’s actions had been manipulative and inappropriate. “I took years to replicate on it, and it was harassment. He was harassing me for movies and pictures, and I used to be sending them.” She additionally famous that this occurred whereas Payne was in relationships with different girls.
As extra followers started to share their stories, it grew to become clear that this was not an remoted incident. Whereas Payne has but to reply to these allegations, the mounting claims have painted a troubling image of a once-beloved pop star.
If this text brings up any points for you or anybody , or when you simply really feel like it’s essential communicate to somebody, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) — the Nationwide Sexual Assault, home and Household Violence Counselling Service.
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