Remembering Liam Payne's powerful rendition of 'Cry Me a River' at his 2010 X Factor audition

17 October 2024, 08:34

Liam Payne was just 14 years old when he stepped before the X Factor judges for the first time.

It was a cover of 'Fly Me to the Moon' that teenage Liam Payne chose to sing in front of judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Cheryl Cole on The X Factor.

The audition was a success, and Payne was put through to the next round.

However, his journey would come to an end at the judges' houses stage of the competition, when he wasn't selected for the live shows.

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Fast forward two years and Liam Payne stepped onto the X Factor stage once more – this time with a rendition of 'Cry Me a River'.

Watch Liam Payne's audition performance of 'Cry Me a River' below.

Liam Payne's Audition: EXTENDED CUT | The X Factor UK

It was 2010 when a 16-year-old Payne auditioned once more.

Performing in front of a live audience and the original trio he had first sung for – Simon, Louis, and Cheryl – plus guest judge Natalie Imbruglia, Liam didn't just receive a round of applause.

The young singer received a standing ovation for his performance, and fans of the music competition will remember just how rare it was to get that kind of reaction from Simon Cowell.

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Simon wraps up the judges' praise by reminiscing how Payne wasn't "quite ready" at his house two years ago.

"I said to him then, 'Come back, two years time, and you're going to be a different person'," Simon says.

"And I got it right."

Watch Liam Payne's performance of 'Fly Me to the Moon' in his 2008 X Factor audition below.

The X Factor 2008 - Liam Payne (14 years old)

Liam auditioned as a solo act, as did the four others who he would soon be grouped with at a later stage of the competition: Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik.

Despite their talent individually, the judges made a decision that would create one of the most popular boy bands of the 2010s – One Direction.

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The group would go on to have immense worldwide success, with five chart-topping albums, world tours, and a subsequent hiatus which would devastate young fans across the globe.

Each member of the group would embark on their own solo career following this break.

As a solo artist, Payne had hits with the songs 'Strip That Down' and 'Get Low'.