Liam Payne of One Direction Signs Solo Deal With Capitol UK / What Does This Mean?
Zayn, Harry, and now Liam.
Liam Payne is the third member of the already DONE One Direction to sign a solo record deal. Zayn signed with RCA, and had a brilliant debut solo album reception and a hit single with “PILLOWTALK”, Harry inked a deal with Columbia for about $80 million for three albums, and now it’s the turn of Liam. Although in the case of Mr. Payne he hasn’t signed a deal with an American label from starters but with the UK branch of Capitol Records, i.e Capitol UK. Also, Liam is the first 1D star to sign a deal outside the Sony ecosystem (RCA and Columbia are Sony), for as you know Capitol is a label of the Universal Music Group. Was there drama between Liam and Sony? I wanna know!
The ever reliable HitsDailyDouble first broke the news yesterday (July 21) reporting “Expect One Direction star Liam Payne to announce a solo deal with Capitol U.K.’s Nick Raphael and Jo Charrington—the first 1D solo signing outside the Sony system. While many observers expected Sony to stay in this one, Universal prevailed” - all this in the first paragraph of a Liam Payne-based juicy article.
Only a few hours later Liam would confirm the rumors via Twitter saying:
Happy to have signed to @CapitolUK. They have an amazing history of artists, I hope I can follow in their footsteps pic.twitter.com/tVlDsXVVW3
— Liam (@Real_Liam_Payne) 21 de julio de 2016
So what does this mean for Liam?
For the time being, until he signs with a US label, Liam will release all of his solo music only in the UK - similar to what many UK artists whose labels don’t think they can make it outside the country are obliged to do.
If Liam eventually signs a deal with a US label it doesn’t have to be with Capitol USA. It could be with any other UMG label or even a Sony one. But yeah, it all points that Liam will be welcomed in Capitol USA. Sam Smith and 5 Seconds of Summer were also signed by Capitol UK and then they were transferred to Capitol USA. So there’s no reason why Liam wouldn’t get to repeat this pattern... unless they don't see him as a big international solo star? Just a UK local one?
MY TWO CENTS
- Now that he is in Capitol, Liam has more chances to get collaborations with other UMG artists.
- Capitol is very welcoming when it comes to genres. They will be happy with whatever genre Liam chooses for his solo career.
- It can be that Liam chooses to do his urban thing for his debut solo album.
- Or that maybe he take it back to the days when he loved covering Michael Bublé?
- What else does this mean? Well, that all hopes for a One Direction reunion in the near future are over.