Liam Payne’s ‘extraordinary’ X Factor audition is going viral again following the singer’s shock death.
It was reported that the One Direction alum, 31, had died on Wednesday after falling from a three-story balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is not known whether the fall was intentional or accidental.
Fans flocked to YouTube to watch Payne’s first ever audition on the British talent show in 2008, when he was just 14 years old.
He performed an impressive rendition of Frank Sinatra’s hit Fly Me To The Moon for judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole.
Although he made it to the Judges’ Houses round, Payne was ultimately sent home.
Cowell encouraged Payne to try again in “two years”, when he would finally achieve global superstardom as part of the boy band One Direction.
Liam Payne’s ‘extraordinary’ X Factor audition is going viral again following the singer’s shock death
Fans flocked to YouTube to watch Payne’s first ever audition on the British talent show in 2008, when he was just 14 years old
“When I’m in school, I generally think about singing all the time,” Payne told the show’s producers.
“I should really concentrate on my school work, but I just think too much about singing.”
Standing in front of Cole, Cowell and Walsh, Payne explained: ‘A lot of people say I’m a good singer and I have The X Factor, but I don’t really know what The X Factor is and I believe you. Doing.’
The judges were totally impressed by the teenager, who successfully showed off his voice while singing Fly Me To The Moon.
However, Cowell said Payne’s performance “lacked a bit of guts, a bit of emotion and actually a bit of fun, funny enough.”
Cole – who founded Payne in 2015 and welcomed seven-year-old son Bear two years later – was quick to jump to his defense.
‘I liked it. I think you’re really cute. I think you have charisma. You gave us that cheeky little wink,” the Girls Aloud hitmaker gushed.
Walsh added, “I think this kid could do a great job on the show.”
Despite Walsh and Cole’s praise, Cowell still felt like there was “20 percent missing” for him.
“When I’m in school, I generally think about singing all the time,” Payne told the show’s producers. ‘I should really concentrate on my school work, but I just think too much about singing’
Standing in front of Cole, Cowell and Walsh, Payne explained: ‘A lot of people say I’m a good singer and I have The X Factor, but I don’t really know what The X Factor is and I believe you. Doing’
The judges were totally impressed by the teenager, who successfully showed off his voice while singing Fly Me To The Moon
However, Cowell said Payne’s performance lacked “a bit of guts, a bit of emotion and actually a bit of fun, funny enough.”
Cole – who founded Payne in 2015 and welcomed seven-year-old son Bear two years later – was quick to jump to his defense
“Give me one more audition and I’ll show you I got that 20 percent,” Payne replied.
Moved by the young man’s confidence, Cowell agreed to put him through to the next round, where he was ultimately eliminated because Cowell thought he was ‘too young’ for the competition.
A 16-year-old Payne returned to the X Factor in 2010, performing a cover of Julie London’s 1955 hit Cry Me A River.