Liam Payne has given fans a heartfelt glimpse into the emotional turmoil he experienced during the last days of One Direction. In a candid interview, the singer admitted that the period leading up to the group’s 2016 hiatus was incredibly unstable and mentally taxing. Recalling his mindset during those final shows, he described it as “touch and go”—a time when he genuinely didn’t know what the next day would bring. The uncertainty and pressure began to weigh on him so heavily that he felt he was “slowly losing the plot.”
Following Zayn Malik’s departure from the band, Liam, along with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, found themselves navigating the intense demands of global stardom without pause. Despite the façade of glamour, Liam revealed that the group’s final performances were laced with emotional exhaustion. While he did recall some moments of beauty toward the end, those days were marked by overwhelming stress. As he put it, once the decision to take a break was finally made, it felt like a valve had been released on a pressure cooker.
Liam further opened up about how difficult it was for him to find himself again after the band disbanded. With no clear personal identity outside of being a member of One Direction, he turned to therapy—a journey that lasted two years. Early in the process, he confessed to feeling emotionally numb and completely unsure of who he was. His therapist’s simple question, “What do you like to do?” left him stumped, as he realized he hadn’t developed a life or interests outside of the band.
Reflecting more deeply, Liam shared on Jessie Ware’s Table Manners podcast that if he had remained in One Direction much longer, it could have severely damaged his mental health. He spoke openly about the consequences of being overworked at such a young age, saying that he had no personal life and hadn’t had a chance to explore or understand himself. Life as a pop star had turned him into a recluse—someone who rarely left the house and lived in a constant state of fear and anxiety.
Now on the other side of that chapter, Liam was preparing for a new beginning with the release of his debut solo album, LP1, in December 2019. Despite the challenges he faced, he expressed excitement for his future in music—this time on his own terms. That same weekend, he was set to perform at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball, reuniting onstage with his former bandmate Harry Styles. While the road has been tough, Liam’s openness is a reminder of the human struggles behind fame, and how taking a step back can be essential for rediscovering oneself.
