LONDON, UK: Reflecting on a past interview, Liam Payne admitted that his words came from "the wrong place" of anger and frustration, recognizing that he had wrongly directed his frustrations toward others instead of looking inward. Payne also expressed remorse for his remarks and apologized for taking shots at everyone else in his controversial interview about being a part of One Direction, acknowledging that his answers were driven by self-protection at that moment.
The 'Strip That Down' singer described his presence on Logan Paul's 'Impaulsive' podcast as a big loss for him, admitting that during the conversation, he did come across as egotistical. Furthermore, Payne stated that he found it difficult to rewatch the interview, leading to the realization that his words could have a significant impact on others, which he hadn't fully considered at that time.
What did Liam Payne say about One Direction?
In his contentious interview with Paul, Payne started the conversation about his former band, One Direction, by stating that he had a "lot of stories to tell." Among some of his remarks that received a lot of backlash were the ones he made about Louis Tomlinson, claiming that they never got along. He called Tomlinson "wild" and said that they hated each other when the band was together. At the same time, he did appreciate his former bandmate, saying, "He made all the right choices that I wouldn't have made."
Furthermore, Payne claimed that the members had times when they were on the brink of fights, claiming, "There was one moment where there was an argument backstage, and one member, in particular, threw me up a wall. So, I said to him, if you don't remove those hands, there's a high likelihood you'll never use them again." The singer went on to make some comments about what he disliked about Zayn Malik, saying in the end, "I don’t agree with any of his actions, I can’t commend some of the things that he's done. I can't be on his side for that. What I can say is I understand, and your only hope is that at some point in their life, the person on the other end of the phone wants to receive the help you're willing to give them. That's all I'll say."
'The rest of the boys have really stuck by me'
After realizing his mistake, Payne expressed gratitude for the support he received from the rest of the One Direction boys, highlighting that they stood by him when he needed them the most. He mentioned that even Zayn, despite their past differences, came to his rescue, which led him to publicly thank the 'Pillowtalk' singer online. "Tc. And when I needed them most they kind of came to the rescue," Payne said to Zyan. Additionally, the 'Polaroid' vocalist publicly apologized to one of his other bandmates, acknowledging that he felt ashamed of his past behavior toward them.
Even though his talk with Paul is regarded as extremely controversial, Payne reflected on it as a life-changing moment that ultimately had a positive impact and even saved his life in some ways, saying, "It's probably one of those life-changing moments that saved my life in a way, and without it, I wouldn't have gone through a lot." However, he did acknowledge that the backlash faced after the controversial interview was difficult to navigate, especially when it came from fans, noting that negative comments still hurt even when he tried to ignore them. Payne also recognized that some of the criticism was warranted, with fans simply trying to protect their favorite artists.
'I didn't connect with the outside world at all'
As a result of the overwhelming backlash, Payne decided to take a break from the industry to spend time on self-discovery, away from the scramble of the public eye. He opened up about the break, stating, "I didn't have my phone for nearly 100 days. I didn't connect with the outside world at all, and it was kind of prepping me for that moment." This experience apparently helped him prepare for the journey of finding himself. Interestingly, when it was time to reconnect with the world, turning his phone back on proved to be one of the most challenging aspects of his return
Payne also revealed that his decision to step away was inspired by his son Bear. The 'Familiar' star went on to explain that parenthood played a significant role in his desire to find himself and prioritize his well-being. By taking this break and distancing himself from the constant demands of the industry, Payne aimed to reconnect with what truly mattered and gain a new perspective on life.
