‘Antichrist’ Liam Payne (L), and Harry Styles, our lord and saviour. (Gareth Cattermole/ Karwai Tang/Getty Images)
Former One Direction member Liam Payne described himself as “the Antichrist version” of Harry Styles and basically the entire internet is sufficiently weirded out.
In an interview with The Face, Payne explained that he would have no clue what to say to his former bandmate, who just recently dropped his sophomore album, Fine Line.
Four years on since the band went, well, in different directions, Payne has just released his own debut album, LP1, which tanked, at least, by the numbers.
The album debuted at number 111 on the Billboard 200, with just around 9,500 sales. A sharp contrast to Styles’ first solo venture, which jumped straight to number one with nearly 400,000 sales.
Yikes.
Liam Payne: ‘I’m like the Antichrist version of what Harry is.’
Payne reflected on Styles, describing how the pair have gone in very different directions, socially and artistically.
He said: “There’s so much mystery around who he’s become. I was looking at some pictures of him the other day, and I just thought: ‘I don’t know what more I’d say to him other than, ‘Hello’ and ‘How are you?’.”
“I mean, look at the stuff I put out and the stuff Harry puts out. Polar opposite.
“I’m like the Antichrist version of what Harry is,” he said.
The musicians’ clothing choices were also at a stark contrast, Payne said, noting Styles’ penchant for wide-legged trousers as well as his lacey, dangly earring-filled camp look for this year’s MET Gala.
Styles’ style is, you could say, the antithesis version of Payne’s. His personal look is more traditionally masculine, urban and inspired by streetwear.
“It’s a case of fair play to him for doing what he f***ing wants,” said Payne.
“If he wants to wear one earring and got to the MET Gala wearing something unexpected, what of it?
“Fair f***ing play.
“I couldn’t put myself in that. I’d look f***ing… It’d look weird.”
‘He’s the phrase “no homo” as a human being’: Twitter pops off over Payne’s comments.
As is the literal legal obligation for Twitter users, many took to the website to express their thoughts and analysis on Payne’s hot take:
This reads as:
MASC 4 MASC only. 💪🏻
No fems. 🚫💁🏻♂️ https://t.co/3YT5qGPGVE— I do doodle. You too, you do doddle too 🖍️🔮 (@lukeethornhill) December 16, 2019
he’s the phrase ‘no homo’ but as a human being https://t.co/4rsGeWI2Mx
— indie (@INDIEWASHERE) December 15, 2019
“If he wants to wear one earring …fair fucking play” is sending me. Liam Payne is so basic & local 😭 he talks like he drinks red bull for breakfast https://t.co/uAmGGaAE0P
— bolu babalola (@BeeBabs) December 16, 2019
obsessed with this and the intense “someone I did A Level Chemistry with awkwardly complimenting my earring when I’m in the local pub at Christmas” energy https://t.co/0Cid1O4OnN
— Sean (@seanbgoneill) December 16, 2019