What did Liam Payne say about Diddy? 2017 interview revisited in wake of One Direction star's untimely death
Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died on October 16, once said he had “the most daunting celebrity experience” ever with hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The British pop star sat down with the Australian radio station KIIS FM in May 2016 and shared how he went to introduce himself to Diddy at a star-studded event but felt embarrassed and humiliated after the latter’s unusual response.
“I went over to speak to him and Jay-Z, and as I shook his hand, he just chuckled... the most evil laugh I've ever heard… So, I'm a little bit fearful of that man,” he mentioned.
Liam Payne added that besides Jay-Z, Leonardo DiCaprio was also standing next to the Bad Boy Records founder, and for some reason, he thought Diddy would be the most approachable of the three.
“I thought P. Diddy was a safe bet,” he said.
However, he was proved wrong and admitted to the radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O how he obviously “missed the mark a little bit.” It remains unclear where and when the awkward encounter took place. Later, he shared the same anecdote at The Graham Norton Show when he was a guest alongside David Williams and Salma Hayek.
Liam Payne died in Argentina at the age of 31
On Wednesday, October 16, Liam Payne fatally fell from the third-floor balcony of his room at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31 years old at the time of his untimely demise. Reportedly, emergency responders found his lifeless body in the hotel’s interior patio.
Law enforcement reports suggest that they received a 911 call from hotel staff requesting urgent help for a guest, who was being “aggressive” seemingly under the “effects of drugs and alcohol.” The hotel manager said he heard a loud noise at the back of the hotel, and later, when the first responders and cops arrived, they found Liam Payne lying dead.
In June 2021, during a sit-down with the podcast The Diary of a CEO, Payne got candid about battling alcohol and prescription drug addiction and mental health issues amid rising fame, global success, and constant touring. Referring to his “pills-and-booze phase,” the singer shared that at the height of One Direction’s fame, he was on a boat all “bloated out,” the pictures of which remain on the internet.
"The best way to secure us was to lock us in our rooms, and what is in the room? A mini-bar. So, I had a party-for-one that seemed to carry on for years," he said about being alone in hotel rooms during tours.
He even confessed to having “severe” suicidal thoughts at the time. However, in May 2023, he told iFL TV how he was 100 days sober and felt “amazing” and “super happy.” Back then, he thanked his fans for their support throughout his sobriety journey, alongside his AA meeting partner and comedian Russell Brand.
For those unaware, Liam Payne was in Buenos Aires to attend the October 2 concert of his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan, who is currently on his Latin American tour.
Meanwhile, Sean “Diddy” Combs is at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting trial. He is facing multiple federal felony charges, including racketeering conspiracy, s*x trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. So far, he has pled not guilty and has been denied bail thrice. If convicted, he is looking up to 15 years to life in federal prison.
