When Liam Payne dropped his solo single “Strip That Down” on Friday, many One Direction fans were not happy at what they perceived to be a 1D diss in the lyrics.
In the track, Liam sings, “You know, I used to be in 1D (now I’m out, free),” but he insists he wasn’t insulting the band that made him famous. He tells "Billboard" it’s supposed to represent his wish to make music on his own terms.
“If you’ve listened to a demo too many times, one thing can change your whole perception of a song,” he explains. "I left it alone for a while, and then when it finally got around to this place where it is right now, I was like... right, then. I believed!” He adds, "It was such an edgy, different song for me to do with [that 1D lyric] in it as well, and the way that was written. It was quite an experience."