Liam Payne just got brutally honest about the darker side of One Direction fame. During a revealing chat, the Strip That Down singer shared that life in the band wasn’t all screaming fans and sold-out tours. For Liam, it also meant battling addiction, isolation, and even suicidal thoughts
Locked in hotel rooms for “security reasons,” Liam described how the isolation became suffocating. “What’s in the room? Mini bar,” he said, recounting how he started having “parties for one” that carried on for years. His lifestyle spiraled, leaving him with what he bluntly called a “pills-and-booze face.” Reflecting on the lowest point, Liam admitted, “There’s some stuff I’ve never spoken about, but it was severe. It was a problem.”
What is the reality behind the pop star’s life? Far from glamorous. Liam explained, “It would be a car, hotel room, stage, sing, locked.” The band’s meteoric rise left its members with little freedom or control. “They don’t give you a guidebook saying, ‘Here, you’re a pop star!’” he joked. But beneath the humor, the pressure of fame and lack of autonomy weighed on him, turning frustration into anger.
Trending
Liam joined The X Factor at 14 and skyrocketed to global fame with One Direction at 16. But while the world saw a group of teenagers living the dream, Liam revealed the toll it took. “Eventually, that becomes an angry person. And I was.”
In therapy now and happier than he’s been in years, Liam reflected on the sacrifices of stardom. “They don’t give you a choice because you want the dream. But you have to realize there is a sacrifice for that.” Despite everything, he emphasized, “Don’t get me wrong, we had the best time ever.”
Liam’s struggles didn’t end with the band’s hiatus. During the pandemic, he fell back into alcohol abuse but has since turned things around, celebrating one month of sobriety. And while he’s not shy about the challenges of One Direction, he’s open to the idea of a reunion. “None of us talk about it. It’s like a taboo subject. What do you mean? Are we in the same room? What the f— is that about?”
Still, Liam shares a solid bond with most of his bandmates. He specifically mentioned Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, calling Harry “a lovely boy. I love him to pieces.”
Liam’s candidness illuminates the intense pressures of life at the top. Fame may glitter, but as his story shows, it often comes with a heavy price.
