Liam Payne struggled with being compared to his One Direction bandmates, according to the late musician’s songwriting partner.
“To see his bandmates and have that direct comparison — it’s unavoidable for him to see that all the time,” Sam Preston said in an interview with Rolling Stone published Tuesday, February 11. “And if there was someone who’s prone to addictive, problematic behaviors, then I think that’s just a very difficult situation to be in.”
Payne was a member of One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson. Together, the group became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. Following the success, the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016. All five members ended up pursuing solo careers.
Malik, Horan and Styles all found success with their debut albums. Styles, 31, went on to earn Grammy nods and awards for his later work. As Payne also worked on his solo music, he teamed up with Preston, 43, who also had boy band roots. The former Ordinary Boys singer claimed that Payne put pressure on himself to match his former counterparts.
“He was like, ‘Well, I have to be the most successful male solo artist, or I’m a failure.’ But that’s an almost impossible task,” he told the outlet.
While Payne wanted to make the best music he possibly could, Preston shared that he could tell that Payne had a gift.
“You could sense there was a real brilliance to him that he was almost afraid of letting people see,” he recalled. “He was such a talented musician, and he could allow himself to be so raw.”
Payne died in October 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31. Payne’s cause of death was listed as “multiple traumas,” including hemorrhages in his chest, skull and abdomen. It was later reported that a partial autopsy found “pink cocaine” — a mix of methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA — along with cocaine, benzodiazepine and crack in his system at the time of his passing. (Payne had been candid about his struggles with substance abuse over the years.)
Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles of One Direction at the 2011 BBC Teen Awards Dave Hogan/Getty Images
After news broke of Payne’s death, One Direction released a statement together.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” the band wrote. “But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
