Liam Payne says he is more than 100 days sober, working on a new album and itching to go on tour.
During a ringside interview with iFL TV at a boxing match in London on Saturday, the 29-year-old former One Direction singer said his fans can expect a follow-up to his 2019 solo debut LP1.
“I’ve been making an album, for a change,” said Payne. “It’s been good so I’m excited to bring it out. I definitely want to tour this time, which is unusual because I wasn’t sure I was going to tour for a long time. I was kind of over it a little bit but I’m really excited to get back out on the road and go see all the fans.”
When the interviewer commented that he is looking well, Payne said “things are really, really good.”
He added: “I’m sober now over 100 days. I feel amazing. I feel really, really good, and the support from the fans and everything has been really, really good. So, I’m super happy.”
Payne has previously been open about his substance abuse and mental health struggles during the height of One Direction.
“I mean, it was fun,” he told Australian Men’s Health in 2019. "We had an absolute blast, but there were certain parts of it where it just got a little bit toxic.” Payne admitted he was lonely and never felt in control so he turned to alcohol.
That same year, on the Table Manners podcast, Payne described how after doing a 1D concert he would get "horrendously drunk" and then "get up at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and do it all over again."