People all over the world are still having a hard time coming to terms with the sad news of Liam Payne’s sudden death at the age of 31. The pop star, a darling of many as part of One Direction—the most successful boy band ever—lost his life after falling in Buenos Aires.
In his memory, we reflect on the first song he released as a solo artist, which blew up and led him to a successful solo career. With its 2017 release, “Strip That Down” was the first hit from the new artist Liam had become. It marked his transformation into a full-fledged singer capable of standing in the spotlight. “Strip That Down” was a huge hit, peaking in the top five in many countries around the world, including the UK, Ireland, and Australia. It peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming both Liam’s highest-charting single as a solo artist and Quavo’s fourth top-10 hit.
Produced by Ryan Tedder and Zach Skelton, “Strip That Down” is probably the number one hit that attracts listeners with its thumping bass and funky rhythm. The song has enough bounce and swagger that you can’t stop yourself from moving to the beat. The verse features a contagious refrain where Payne insists, “You know, I love it when the music’s loud/ But c’mon, strip that down for me, baby.” With a scattering of shiny synth lines and a burst of drums and syncopated rhythm, the ditty is calm yet firm, one you cannot stop singing at the top of your lungs. While some complain that the lyrics don’t break new poetic ground, they miss the point of the song’s intent.
“Strip That Down” is an attempt at being an idiosyncratic slice of pure pop joy—a party anthem about simple physical attraction without any sort of profundity—and on those unpretentious terms, it slays. Ever watchful for sophistication, critics sometimes overlook how calculated a hook like this is, designed to lodge in your brain indefinitely. Striking just the right balance between confidence and come-hither charm, Liam is riveting on vocals here. Every breathy run and impassioned delivery oozes with charisma and appeal. Some said it played things a little safe, lyrically or instrumentally; well, “Strip That Down” did exactly what a debut single is supposed to do: it introduced Liam Payne to the world as a major new pop force, while ensuring new fans weren’t alienated. But he showed his bravado by standing side-by-side with hip-hop heavyweight Quavo as an equal collaborative partner, not just a pretty pop face.
Most importantly, it birthed a feel-good groove that has never failed to lift spirits since. Nobody could have predicted that Payne’s life would be tragically cut short, robbing the world of seeing his undoubted potential fulfilled. But “Strip That Down” showed the first exciting glimpse of where he might have gone. A gleaming example of contemporary pop talent and sex appeal, it reintroduced Liam, making us fall in love with him all over again as a multi-dimensional artist in his own right. He left us far too soon, but through these solo songs, we’ll always have a piece of Liam to hold onto.
