Liam Payne's tragic death at the age of 31 on Wednesday (October 16) gave the pop world a sad opportunity to reflect on his legacy as a member of One Direction and as a solo artist. Payne helped 1D take the world by storm as an integral part of the five-piece pop group, then went on to record on his own with his debut single, “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo, which became a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 of 2017.
Less clear, however, is the status of Payne's unreleased solo material — and whether it's a follow-up to his 2019 debut album LP1ended with his death.
After One Direction's last studio album, 2015 Made In The AMPayne signed a solo deal with Republic Records in 2016, and “Strip That Down” reached No. 10 on the Hot 100 upon its release in May 2017. Payne's debut solo album, LP1arrived via Republic in December 2019 and featured a wide range of collaborators including Zedd, J Balvin, A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Rita Ora.
This March, Payne released “Teardrops,” an upbeat rhythmic pop track with a powerful chorus that allowed the singer to showcase his falsetto. “Teardrops” — which was co-written with Jamie Scott and *NSYNC star JC Chasez — marked Payne's first single since 2021's “Sunshine,” which contributed to the animated film's soundtrack. Ron has gone wrong.
“'Teardrops' is about the vulnerability of heartbreak and the challenge of overcoming those moments,” Payne said in a press statement upon the release of the new single. He added that the track was “the beginning of a new beginning”, with more music planned for 2024.
Prior to the release of “Teardrops,” Payne spent a lot of time in the studio with Scott, the British songwriter-producer who contributed to One Direction smashes such as “Story of My Life,” “Night Changes” and “Drag Me Down,” and co-wrote hits like Major Lazer's “Cold Water” and Payne's 1D bandmate Niall Horan. In a press release, Payne described working with longtime collaborator Scott about new music as “a year-long process of self-reflection”.
“Teardrops” has earned 3 million official US streams to date, according to Luminate, but did not chart on the Hot 100. Aside from an acoustic version of “Teardrops” released later in March, no other material from Payne it had not been released in 2024, and its official sequel LP1 was yet to be announced.
Representatives for Republic Records did not respond to requests for comment about the status of Payne's unreleased music, though the label released a statement Thursday morning (October 17) honoring the singer: “We are deeply saddened and devastated by the tragic death of Liam Payne, an extraordinary artist whose music touched millions. His legacy will live on through the timeless work he created and will forever be remembered as an icon of his generation. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fans at this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, fans have flooded the comments of Payne's official YouTube videos with memories and appreciations. “Liam Payne, you've put a smile on billions of fans,” reads the top-rated comment on the clip for the 'Teardrops' audio version. “I hope you rest in peace.”
