Former One Direction member Liam Payne has issued a somewhat half-hearted apology for a “harmful” song about bisexuality he released last year.
“Both Sides”, a track on Payne’s latest album LP1, was widely criticised by bisexual activists and fans on Twitter when it landed last December.
In the song, Payne sings: “My girl, she like it both ways. She like the way it all taste / Couple more, we’ll call it foreplay / No, no, I don’t discriminate.”
Four months after the event, Payne has issued an apology to his fans over the sexually-charged themes of his latest album.
Former One Direction member Liam Payne said he was ‘going through a lot of personal things’ when his latest album was made.
Speaking to the Daily Star, Payne tried to deflect blame for the critically-panned record, saying it was made during “a very confusing time” in his personal life.
“Honestly, it wasn’t a deliberate move [to make sexual songs],” Payne said.
“I was going through a lot of personal things that I didn’t speak about a lot; with song writing, stage fright and being scared of the future,” he said.
“I am sorry to anyone who got offended by certain songs or different things on the album for sure.
“It was never my intention with any of the writing or things I was doing.”
The star, who rose to fame as one-fifth of the hugely popular boy band One Direction, said he had been trying to challenge himself with the album.
I am sorry to anyone who got offended by certain songs or different things on the album for sure.
He said LP1 was “a moment in time” for him and indicated his future material will be less sexual.
“I was pigeonholed into this kind of thing and of course, I am a young guy I am interested in that sort of stuff, I like the idea of the songs and the grooves or certain vibes so I was like ‘ok let’s go for it’.”
He said the songs “just kind of happened” and added that his new music will be “less sexy”.
‘Both Sides’ was accused of reinforcing negative stereotypes about bisexual women.
When “Both Sides” was released last year, Meg Murphy from campaign group Bi-Pride UK told BBC News the lyrics play into harmful ideas about bisexual people.
“As a woman who exists on dating apps you get pretty tired very quickly of people asking things about threesomes, and his lyrics very much reinforce those stereotypes,” she said.
She added that bisexual women are only seen as valid “when they’re performing for the male gaze or when men can join in with threesomes”.
“The song shames bi women for being sexual while simultaneously condoning such sexual expression when it’s carried out to the straight male gaze.”
He also faced blistering backlash on Twitter over the song. #LiamPayneIsOverParty began trending, with many people lambasting the star for his careless approach to sexuality.