Music guru Simon Cowell was the first to give the late Liam Payne his big break in the music industry when he formed One Direction on The X Factor in 2010
Music mogul Simon Cowell has paid tribute to Liam Payne following the One Direction singer's death in Argentina.
READ MORE: Six signs of Liam Payne spiralling in final days - record label blow, dazed hook-up and hotel doom The music boss continued: "I had to tell you when you were 14 that this wasn't your time. And we both made a promise that we would meet again. A lot of people would have given up. You didn't. You came back and within months the whole world knew Liam. And you never forgot the fans. I watched you spending so much time with people who had wanted to meet you. You really cared. You came to see me last year. Not for a meeting. Just to sit and talk.
Despite winning over audiences around the world, One Direction came third in the competition behind Rebecca Ferguson and winner Matt Cardle. In footage of the moment the band was formed in 2010, judge Nicole Scherzinger pointed out that Liam "actually may be the leader" as he was paired with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson.
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