Liam Payne’s tragic death at the age of 31 on Wednesday (Oct. 16) has provided the pop world a sorrowful opportunity to reflect on his legacy as a member of One Direction and as a solo artist. Payne helped 1D conquer the world as an integral part of the five-piece pop group, then moved on recording on his own with his debut single, “Strip That Down” featuring Quavo, which became a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2017.
Less clear, however, is the status of Payne’s unreleased solo material — and whether a follow-up to his debut album, 2019’s LP1, was completed upon his passing.
Following One Direction’s final studio album, 2015’s Made In The A.M., Payne signed a solo deal with Republic Records in 2016, and “Strip That Down” streaked to a No. 10 peak on the Hot 100 upon its May 2017 release. Payne’s debut solo album, LP1, arrived through Republic in December 2019 and featured a wide array of collaborators, including Zedd, J Balvin, A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Rita Ora.
This March, Payne released “Teardrops,” a snappy rhythmic pop track with a booming 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 he contributed to the soundtrack for the animated film Ron’s Gone Wrong.
“‘Teardrops’ is about the vulnerability of heartbreak and the challenge of overcoming those moments,” Payne said in a press statement upon the new single’s release. He added that the track was “the start of a new beginning,” with more music planned for 2024.
Prior to the release of “Teardrops,” Payne had spent extended time in the studio with Scott, the British songwriter-producer who had contributed to One Direction smashes like “Story of My Life,” “Night Changes” and “Drag Me Down,” and co-written hits like “Cold Water” by Major Lazer and “This Town” by Payne’s 1D band mate Niall Horan. In a press release, Payne had described working with longtime collaborator Scott on new music as a “year-long process of self-reflection.”
“Teardrops” has earned 3 million official U.S. streams to date, according to Luminate, but did not chart on the Hot 100. Outside of an acoustic version of “Teardrops” released later in March, no other material from Payne had been released in 2024, and an official follow-up to LP1 had yet to be announced.
Reps for Republic Records did not respond to requests for comment about the status of Payne’s unreleased music, although the label did release a statement on Thursday morning (Oct. 17) honoring the singer: “We are deeply saddened and devastated by the tragic passing of Liam Payne, an extraordinary artist whose music touched millions. His legacy will live on through the timeless work he created, and he will forever be remembered as an icon of his generation. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, fans have flooded the comments of Payne’s official YouTube videos with remembrances and appreciations. “Liam Payne, You have put smiles across billions of fans,” reads the highest-rated comment on the clip for the “Teardrops” acoustic version. “I hope you rest in peace.”
