Liam Payne’s ‘extraordinary’ X Factor audition is going viral again in wake of the singer’s shock death.
It was reported that the One Direction alum, 31, had died Wednesday after falling off a three-story balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It’s unknown whether the fall was intentional or accidental.
Fans flocked to YouTube to watch Payne’s first-ever audition on the UK talent competition 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 future ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole.
Although he made it through to the Judges’ Houses round, Payne was ultimately sent home.
Cowell encouraged Payne to try out again in ‘two years,’ which is when he’d finally achieve global superstardom as part of the boy band One Direction.
Liam Payne ‘s ‘extraordinary’ X Factor audition is going viral again in wake of the singer’s shock death
Fans flocked to YouTube to watch Payne’s first-ever audition on the UK talent competition show in 2008, when he was just 14-years-old
‘When I’m at school, in general, I think about singing all the time,’ Payne gushed to the show’s producers.
‘I should really be concentrating on my school work but I just think about singing too much.’
As he stood before Cole, Cowell and Walsh, Payne explained: ‘A lot of people say I’m a good singer and I’ve got The X Factor but I don’t really know what The X Factor is and I believe you guys do.’
The judges were left totally impressed by the teenager, who successfully showed off his voice singing Fly Me To The Moon.
However, Cowell said Payne’s performance was ‘missing a bit of grit, a bit of emotion and actually a bit of fun, funnily enough.’
Cole — who began dating Liam in 2015 and welcomed seven-year-old son Bear with him two years later — quickly leapt to Payne’s defense.
‘I liked it. I think you’re really cute. I think you’ve got charisma.. you gave us that cheeky little wink,’ the Girls Aloud hitmaker gushed.
Walsh added: ‘I think this kid could do fantastic in the show.’
Despite Walsh and Cole’s high praise, Cowell still felt there was ’20 per cent missing’ for him.
‘Well give me another audition and I’ll show you I’ve got that 20 per cent,’ Payne fired back.
Taken by the young man’s confidence, Cowell agreed to send him through to the next round, where he was eventually eliminated due to Cowell thinking he was ‘too young’ for the competition.
A 16-year-old Payne returned to the X Factor in 2010, where he performed a cover of Julie London’s 1955 hit Cry Me A River.
