'It definitely left scars on me': Liam Payne talks lasting impact of life in One Direction
Liam Payne has claimed being in One Direction "left scars" on him and he'd like to guide other young pop stars through the downsides of fame.
Liam Payne claimed being in One Direction "left scars" on him.
The 29-year-old singer hit the spotlight when he auditioned for 'The X Factor' and was put into the boy band in 2010 and though he feels "very lucky" to still be making music now, the 'Strip That Down' hitmaker - who recently revealed he spent more than three months in a wellness clinic last year - admitted his global fame has had some long-lasting negative effects.
He told Colombia's W Radio: "I don't really know if I knew what I signed up for when I started and I've been doing my job since I was 14 years old I've been very lucky to hold the job for that long which is great but I do think it definitely left scars on me.
"You have to unpack a lot of stuff before you start this job. I wouldn't change a thing now that I am where I am, I've kind of made my own sense of why I ended up at this place."
Liam is hoping he can help other young pop stars navigate the difficulties of life in the spotlight.
He added: "And like I said, it definitely gave me something to say and if I can help anybody out in my position, not so much on the fame side but the things that happened to me before and kind of stop that from happening to somebody else, that would be my life's dream.
"It's a great life and I have a lot of gratitude (..) but there were definitely low moments that I'll never minimise but it's just about having the right people around you at the right time and I was lucky to have people to watch my back when I was at my worst place and help me get the help that I need and not everybody is that lucky so, I'm double grateful to be on the other side of it now and to have something to say and like I said, it might change somebody's life."
The 'Sunshine' singer also admitted he "didn't really believe" in himself when he first went solo after the group went on hiatus in 2016, but he's growing increasingly more confident and no longer feels the need to surround himself with collaborators.
He said: "I kind of doubted myself for a long time so I would always collaborate with other artists because I didn’t really believe in myself.
“But now that I had some time away, I don’t think I have one collaboration on my next album.
“I’m much more empowered to step out on a stage and to make the right music and at least have a message.
“I feel like I actually have something to say now, rather than just singing a song somebody else had written for me.”
