Why did Simon Cowell reject Liam Payne at his first X Factor audition?

Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died at the age of 31 After falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he became an integral part of a boy band that won music awards and sold tens of millions of records worldwide. However, music mogul Simon Cowell, whose record company signed One Direction 14 years ago, was not initially convinced by the Wolverhampton native.

Cowell to Payne: Come back in two years

As a judge on X factorthe British reality TV show where One Direction was formed, Cowell turned down Payne during the audition in 2008He explained that the then 14-year-old was “not quite ready yet.”

Before X factor In season five, Payne auditioned in front of a three-person panel: Cowell, Louis Walsh and former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole, who he later dated. “A lot of people have said that I’m a really good singer and have the X factor, but I don’t really know what the X factor is, but I think you know itPayne said before singing Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.”

Although Payne impressed the judges, Cowell expressed his concerns. “I think you have potential, Liam,” he said. “I’m just missing a bit of courage, a bit of emotion and actually a bit of fun, strangely enough […]. You’re a young guy, good looking, people will like you, but I’m missing 20% ​​at the moment.” Payne replied, “Give me one more audition and I’ll show you I’ve got that 20%.”

But while Cowell, along with Walsh and Cole, sent Payne through to the next stage of the candidate selection process, he ultimately decided to exclude the teenager at the “referee” stage. Wait a few years and try again, Payne was told. And that’s exactly what he did.

Payne receives applause at the second audition

In X factor In season seven, a now 16-year-old Payne auditioned again in front of Cowell, Walsh and Cole, as well as guest judge Natalie Imbruglia, singing the Michael Bublé version of “Cry Me a River.” He received a standing ovation from the studio audience – and Cowell was among the jurors who also stood to applaud the teen.

“He wasn’t quite ready when he came to my house two years ago,” Cowell explained. “But I told him then: “Come back in two years and you will be a different person.” And I understood it correctly.” Imbruglia told Payne, “The other people in this competition should be a little worried about you.”

One Direction continued to enjoy great success

Payne was there during the seventh season They were joined by Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik in one direction.

After I finished X factor After taking the podium, the group won seven Grammy Awards and seven Brit Awards. When the band took an indefinite break in 2016 – Malik had already left the year before – One Direction had sold more than 50 million records worldwideaccording to Billboard. The group had six top 10 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100; “What Makes You Beautiful” in particular reached number 4 in spring 2012.

After leaving One Direction in 2016, Payne launched a successful solo career. He released one studio album, LP1, three EPs and 14 singles. His 2017 solo single “Strip That Down” reached number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.