Liam Payne was quietly dropped by his record label because they feared the music he wanted to make would not win over his One Direction fan base, sources have claimed.
DailyMail.com previously revealed that the late singer, who died aged 31 on Wednesday after falling from the third floor of a hotel in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, was dealt a devastating blow by Universal Music, which suspended his second album before abandoning it. .
And now, insiders have claimed that industry bigwigs cut ties with Payne in part because of the type of music he loved to make.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, they said: “Liam wanted to make the type of music he enjoyed, but his label believed it wouldn’t win over 1D fans, so there were disagreements over the way his brand should have been marketed.”
The source also alleged that executives were having to make budget cuts, and the former One Direction star’s bad press ultimately helped determine his fate.
It is claimed that the hashtag links to Payne in part because of “all the memes and jokes people made about him online.”
Liam Payne was quietly dumped by his record label just days before his death (star pictured at Wembley in 2023)
The former One Direction singer, pictured in 2019, was fired because the label feared the music he wanted to make wouldn’t win over his One Direction fan base.
“The entire music industry is making cuts and restructuring to reduce costs, so Universal decided to quietly drop Liam and invest in other artists,” the source said.
“He didn’t need the money because he was rich, but it hurt him because he was under constant pressure to compete with the other guys in the band.”
The source added: “Unfortunately, part of the decision was motivated by all the memes and jokes people made about him online.
“His team saw that as a sign to abandon ship.”
Last month, fans expressed concern about Payne after he appeared to act erratically in a TikTok video uploaded by his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, 24.
On September 30, Kate uploaded a clip in which she showed off her ‘outfit of the night.’
In the charge, Payne walked in and out of the frame, nearly tripping her several times as she struggled to talk about what she was wearing.
She also danced in the background and appeared in the shot holding a laptop blaring music.
A source told DailyMail.com that “the entire music industry is making cuts and restructuring to reduce costs.”
Fans flooded the comments with their concerns, with one writing: ‘Is Liam okay? Genuine question.’
Another said: ‘OMG Liam please take care of yourself and get the help and time you need.’
Days later, on October 2, Payne was filmed dancing the macarena during an intermission at Niall Horan’s concert in Buenos Aires.
The clip went viral, but social media users were not very kind, describing Payne as “embarrassing” and “embarrassing.”
Another source told DailyMail.com that Universal Music’s decision to drop Liam had to do with his online personality.
“It had more to do with public perception than anything else, because it’s much harder to work with other musicians,” they said.
But Liam was being made fun of in public, so it was much easier for his team to abandon him.
“Liam made millions for the industry but was rejected when he wanted support.”
DailyMail.com has contacted Universal for comment.
Multiple sources previously confirmed to DailyMail.com on Thursday that Payne received a large advance at the label but did not get it back.
Universal Music paid tribute to Payne on social media following news of his death
“Of all the One Direction boys, Liam was on the wrong path musically,” a source said.
Universal Music Group paid tribute to Payne Thursday morning on social media.
Their statement read: “We are devastated by the tragic passing of Liam Payne.
‘His legacy will live on through his music and the countless fans he inspired and who adored him.
“We send our deepest condolences to Liam’s family and loved ones.”
In addition to being fired by his label, Payne’s PR also resigned earlier this month, leaving him without any publicity representation.
The resignation came as his ex-fiancee Maya Henry launched legal proceedings against him after accusing him of repeatedly contacting her.
A source said: “It’s as if Liam’s entire musical career that he had built since going solo eight years ago was falling apart, there was very little left for him.”
“It must have absolutely devastated him.”