Liam Payne looked downcast as he appeared at Capital FM’s Jingle Bell Ball, following the release of his debut album, LP1.
The Strip That Down singer failed to raise a smile on the red carpet after his first solo album was panned by critics.
The 26-year-old rocked up to the bash – held at London’s O2 Arena – in a black polo shirt and black jeans.
He added a huge splash of colour in a bright red denim jacket, completing the look with chunky black boots.
Liam has been joined by a string of names at the annual concert, including One Direction bandmate Harry Styles, pal Rita Ora and Stormzy.
The X Factor winner’s appearance comes after he raised eyebrows all over the place with his latest offering, with lyrics referencing foreplay, threesomes, sex in cars, and not tipping valet drivers.
Side note: We don’t know which of those is more shocking…
At one point, the dad-of-one can be heard singing: ‘Meet me in the parking lot, yeah, might be a bad idea. I’ll probably do your a** in the car.’
Unfortunately for Payno – who shares son Bear with ex-girlfriend Cheryl – said lyrics haven’t earned him many fans, with critics unimpressed by the whole thing.
A review from The Independent called the singer ‘one-dimensional’ in a two-star review, while The Guardian wrote a blistering one-star review, saying: ‘LP1 is a terrible pop album, but very effective contraception.’
Ouch.
While many more unhappy fans have slammed the What Makes You Beautiful star for ‘fetishising’ female bisexuality on Both Ways, where he belts out: ‘Sharing that body like it’s our last meal. One and a two and a three, that’s for real’.
Liam has yet to address the backlash.
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