Fionnuala Jones: Liam Payne, One Direction and Beatlemania in the internet age

There was no One Direction without Liam Payne

Having initially been pegged as the group’s leader, as well as one of the strongest vocalists, it seemed certain that Liam Payne would succeed in some capacity post-1D. File photo

In 2010, a floppy-haired boy from Wolverhampton crossed the stage at The X Factor auditions in Wembley Stadium with ambitions of stardom. 

What followed — a stunning performance of  Cry Me A River, with Simon Cowell calling the rendition “extraordinary”. No one embodied the essence of the show more than Liam Payne did at that time.