With baby faces, angelic voices and legions of teenage female fans, Justin Bieber and Liam Payne were often compared at the height of their fame.
At the height of their fame, the members of One Direction had long-running “feuds” with other pop megastars, including British boy band The Wanted.
But most notably, Liam, who died on Wednesday night aged 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina, feuded with his doppelgänger Justin Bieber.
In their younger years, anyone unfamiliar with the pop scene could be forgiven for confusing Bieber and Liam as two baby-faced, angelic-voiced singers who sported masses of wavy dark brown hair to the side and captivated fans around the world.
But with success came the inevitable pop rivalries as the band and Bieber battled each other for global dominance. And the rivalry became a full-fledged feud after a YouTube video showed Liam Payne appearing to make an attack on the Canadian singer.
But despite their initial feud, Liam previously revealed how he and Bieber eventually connected and discovered they had a lot more in common than their boyish charm and good looks.
In a podcast segment with YouTube star Logan Paul, filmed in 2022, which has resurfaced in the wake of his tragic death, the One Direction member revealed that he had contacted Bieber in an attempt to end the feud, and hinted at some of the striking parallels between the pair in the early days of their careers.
Justin Bieber (left) and Liam Payne (right) became famous at the same time – and looked alike
On Logan Paul’s podcast, Liam said the pair ‘made up’ and bonded ‘because they had the same disease’
Liam Payne’s first taste of fame came on the X Factor in 2008, when he reached the judging stage of the competition before being sent home. Two years later, when he came third in the competition as part of One Direction, his path may have crossed Bieber for the first time.
The Canadian singing sensation, who also rose to fame at a young age, performed at one of The X Factors live shows in 2010 and sang a mash-up of Somebody to Love and Baby.
Although the pair did not appear on stage together, the parallels between the then-brunette boys, who were only a year apart in age, were impossible to deny.
After the series ended, Liam found worldwide fame in One Direction, while Bieber’s solo career also went from strength to strength. The British boy band sold more than 70 million records worldwide, while Bieber sold more than 150 million.
The couple both grew up in the spotlight and often dressed in the same style. Justin is seen on the left in 2010, Liam is seen on the right in 202
As the couple grew older, they often dressed similarly. Justin is pictured on the left in 2020, Liam is pictured on the right in 2023
On Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Payne told his side of the story, recalling speaking on Instagram while “drunk” when someone mentioned Justin Bieber’s name.
Payne recalled, “I was like, ‘well, the only thing between me and him is that I didn’t get arrested,'” noting in the same breath that he never intended to offend Bieber.
He added: ‘It started some beef.’
Payne recalled how the feud, which started online, spilled over into real life, as One Direction and Bieber shared a fan following and the stars themselves often bumped into each other at awards shows.
However, he noticed one particular awards ceremony when both the band and Bieber were present, and Liam thought, “I’ll have a talk with him” to resolve the conflict.
About Bieber at the time, Liam said: “He had grown as a person.”
He then recalled telling Bieber, “I’ve always felt for you… number one, I’ve done all the things you’ve done and I haven’t been caught for any of them… number two, I ‘I ‘ve always really felt for you mate, and i think in our situation we all suffer from the same disease’.
Justin performing on the X Factor in 2011 – a year after Liam came third as part of One Direction
Liam can be seen in London in 2021. He has often spoken about his relationship with Bieber
He then claimed that he told the Canadian singer that while Bieber could lean on his bandmates in times of struggle, he was a solo artist who might not have the same support system.
Payne claims Bieber’s response was, “Bro, that gives me chills.” From there the pair became friends.
He added that, based on his own experiences, he wanted to help other young men and boys entering the world of show business cope with the overwhelming nature of the industry.
Liam told the same story to Rollacoaster magazine in 2017, where he described Bieber as “a great guy” with “a really good heart.”
About the time he broke bread with the Canadian singer, he added, “I told him, ‘Take my number and let me know if you want to have a chat, because I’m here and I understand exactly what you’re talking about. and I understand your world.”
Justin is seen at his stardom debut in 2009
Liam performing on X Factor in 2008 – he was eliminated from Judge’s Houses before returning two years later
In the wake of Payne’s tragic death after falling from the third floor balcony of the Casa Sur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, people who knew the singer have been reminiscing about his years when he started out in the industry and how Bieber at the time was the pinnacle of fame Liam could ever reach.
Konnie Huq, who presented The X Factor spin-off show The Xtra Factor, recalled how she told Payne in 2010 that he could “be as big as.” [Bieber] one day’.
She recalled that the One Direction star was “self-critical” but noted that he “definitely reached that level.”
Speaking to The Today Program on BBC Radio 4, Huq said it was ‘so right’ to call him ‘just a boy’.
“All he knows in his adult life, and to some extent in pre-adult life, is that he’s in the spotlight, and, you know, thrust into this position of global fame, not just is known in your own country, but actually everywhere.’
She added, “I remember we had Justin Bieber on the show, and Liam kind of had the same haircut, had a striking resemblance, and so we had him come on the show. He was really embarrassed when he met Justin.”