‘Struggling’ Liam Payne postponed his second solo album before his death: report
Liam Payne reportedly hit a career stall in the final months of his life.
Before the 31-year-old singer died from falling from a hotel balcony on Wednesday, he reportedly postponed the release of his second solo album because he was “struggling” in the industry.
A source told the Sun on Oct. 8 that Payne hadn’t recovered after parting ways with his manager.
“Things are tough for Liam at the moment,” the insider said. “His former manager Roger stepped back earlier this year. He was a steady hand for Liam and he appears to be struggling without his guidance.”
The source went on, “Things have started to seem slightly erratic, with plans being made before they are cancelled last minute.”
Payne, according to the insider, was “doing really well on his second album,” which was supposed to be titled “Teardrops,” but he ended up putting the record “completely on pause.”
“Liam is telling people now he has no idea if it’ll ever be released,” the source alleged.
The Sun also reported that a planned documentary about Payne’s “struggle with growing up in the spotlight” was shelved, as well.
The Post has reached out to Payne’s rep for comment.
The former One Direction member put out “Teardrops,” the lead single to his then-planned second studio album of the same name, on March 1. The song was written by Payne, his frequent collaborator Jamie Scott, and *NSYNC’s JC Chasez.
“Teardrops” was Payne’s first single in three years, since 2021’s “Sunshine.”
The late star teased his second album at a fan event at the beginning of the year, saying that his new music was inspired by his life.
“This time, the scariest part is that every one of these songs is a story from my life,” he said at the time, per Q Radio. “And they’re really close to me. I hope people feel that through every song, that I actually felt whatever it is you’re feeling right now listening to this.”
“We’ve rewritten a lot of these songs based off the idea of where we’re going with this and also how I’m feeling as a person,” Payne added. “I used to show up to sing a song, then go. Absolutely not this time. We’re going to have fun with this.”
When “Teardrops” came out in March, Payne said on Instagram the song was “born from many tears, not all mine.”
“I hope you love it like I do and not too many of you can relate,” he added.
Payne was a member of One Direction from 2010, when the boy band formed on “The X Factor,” until their 2016 disbandment. He released five studio albums with the group, which also consisted of Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson.
He then found early success as a solo artist with the release of his debut single “Strip That Down.”
His first studio album, “LP1.” was released in December 2019. It peaked at #111 on the US Billboard 200.
Payne was set to go on tour in Latin America in the summer of 2023, but he had to postpone the tour after he was hospitalized for a kidney infection.
“It’s with a heavy heart I have to tell you that we have no other choice but to postpone my upcoming tour of South America,” he wrote in Aug. 2023 a since-deleted Instagram, per the Guardian.
He added that doctors said he had to miss the tour to “rest and recover.”
“I was beyond excited to come play for you guys,” Payne continued. “To all of you who have bought tickets: I’m so sorry.”
Three months before postponing the tour, Payne — who struggled with alcohol and drug abuse — told iFL TV he was over 100 days sober, and was back to making music.
“I’ve been making an album for a change, which is quite fun,” he shared about his planned second album. “It’s been good, I’m excited to bring it out, and I definitely want to tour this time.”
Payne fell to his death from his third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
First responders had rushed to the CasaSur Palermo Hotel late Wednesday after receiving an emergency call from the frantic manager about a guest who was “putting his life at risk” while under the influence of “drugs and alcohol.”
Witnesses alleged that the British musician was acting “erratic” before his death. He allegedly smashed his laptop in the hotel lobby and was carried back to his room before the fall.
Photos of Payne’s hotel room showed a smashed television, a half-empty glass of what appeared to be champagne, remains of a burned candle, the burned top of a drink can and traces of a white powder that authorities will reportedly test to confirm suspicions it could be cocaine.
Payne’s family said in a statement they are “supporting each other” and asked for privacy “at this awful time.”
Famous music artists like Charlie Puth, Rita Ora, Zedd and Noah Cyrus have shared social media tributes to Payne in the wake of his passing.
The members of One Direction have yet to speak out about the tragedy.