Liam James 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 when he auditioned for the British television series The X Factor in 2008. After being eliminated as a solo performer, he auditioned again in 2010 and was put into a group with four other contestants to form One Direction
Liam Payne's final meeting with Simon Cowell as friends shared 'special' bond and playdates with sons
manchestereveningnews.co.ukLiam Payne has sadly died at the young age of 31. Tony Cowell, brother to Simon Cowell, has shared his memories of their 15-year friendship, recalling intimate moments from when he first met the "sweet" teenager, through the whirlwind of One Direction's fame, and subsequent events.
He also fondly remembers their last meeting and how Liam maintained a close bond with his mentor Simon, seeking advice and organising playdates for their young sons.
The last time Tony saw him, he was greeted warmly by Liam and his wife Emma. Tony said: "It had been a little while since we'd last seen him, but it was as if it was just 10 minutes ago.
He was always exactly the same, no matter how long it had been. I knew Liam for 15 years and he hadn't changed at all from the sweet 16-year-old we all first met at The X Factor.
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