Liam Payne’s 2008 X Factor audition has gone viral following the shocking news of the singer’s passing. 

The celebrity, who plunged to his demise from a 45-foot high balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, captivated viewers worldwide with his talent and charm by singing Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon.

His longtime fans have flocked to YouTube and other platforms to rewatch his audition in mourning, getting emotional at the sight of bright-eyed 14-year-old Liam Payne, who had the determination to succeed no matter the odds.

The show’s longtime host, Simon Cowell, was initially unimpressed with the singer’s performance. Payne, however, was not going to take no for an answer.

“Give me another audition, and I’ll show you I’ve got that 20 percent,” he said defiantly, spending two years practicing before retrying and delighting judges in his 2010 appearance.

Following Liam Payne’s passing, his fans have made his original 2008 X Factor debut go viral, celebrating the artist’s career

Image credits: liampayne

Cry Me a River, a song from Justin Timberlake’s debut solo album was the piece in which Payne showcased his then-improved talents. His audition was so successful that he was quickly introduced to fellow contestants Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, with whom he would form One Direction.

The teenage sensation exploded onto the scene with What Makes You Beautiful just a year after Payne’s second appearance on X Factor. The hit, released in September 2011, was a commercial success and reached the number-one spot on the UK Singles Chart.

Image credits: Rajeev

The band continued to delight its fans for five consecutive years, releasing yearly studio albums and embarking on four world tours. In 2016, the band entered a hiatus, and many of its members took the opportunity to launch their own solo careers.

Image credits: Rajeev

Liam Payne solidified his presence as a solitary artist with Strip That Down, a song composed in collaboration with Ed Sheeran.

Mary Bryne, a former X-Factor contestant, remembered the singer sweetly, describing him as a “kind, warm, and loving person” in an interview with CTV News.

Payne was in Argentina to attend a Niall Horan concert, but a separation from his girlfriend left him alone and at the mercy of drugs

As a One Direction fan, I cannot accept this. I can’t believe this news Liam Payne Tragic😥 Listening to your songs every day, my heart refuses to accept that you’re no longer here💔 Watching your The X Factor audition video from when you were 14, tears stream down my Eyes. To… pic.twitter.com/eaqreHGLC0

— 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸⸙͎۫ 𝗿𝗮𝗷𝘂 𝕩 (@Rajeev881736887) October 17, 2024

Image credits: goss_ie

Payne had gone to Argentina alongside his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, planning to stay for a maximum of five days to attend his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires on October 2.

Image credits: goss_ie

Despite having suffered a severe kidney infection, he appeared to be recovering well, as he was able to attend the show without issues.

Image credits: goss_ie

However, as the trip extended to two weeks, Payne and his girlfriend reportedly experienced issues, as the latter started feeling uncomfortable in Latin America.

“I was so ready to leave,” Cassidy explained in a TikTok video last Tuesday (October 15). “I love South America, but I hate staying in one place for too long.”

A look back at Liam Payne’s 2010 audition for The X Factor 💔

The singer initially auditioned for the show in 2008 when he was just 14, but was told he wasn’t ready by Simon Cowell.

Two years later he returned to the show, and was placed in a boyband called #OneDirection… pic.twitter.com/Q29L7tfe3a

— Goss.ie (@goss_ie) October 17, 2024

It’s unclear whether the couple fought before Cassidy returned to Florida, but Liam posted a series of happy photos of them together minutes before his death on Snapchat.

The singer’s passing has left his fans, friends, and former bandmates mourning. While the circumstances around his passing may be grim, his followers can find solace in the beautiful memories the artist created throughout the years.

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