Liam Payne has admitted there are milestones in son Bear’s life that he could miss as he pursues his solo singing career.
The 24-year-old revealed fatherhood has made him work harder as he wants to be able to provide for his family, after having Bear with girlfriend Cheryl last year.
“I realise I can build something for him to have, as long as I work as hard as I can right this second. So I’ve got to hit the ground running,” he told The National.
“Unfortunately, it’s a risk that I will miss out on certain things. I am aware of that, but it’s important for me that I carry on and make this right for him.”
He added: “He just started saying ‘da-dad’, which is just the cutest thing. Being a father is grounding. You realise that you are not working hard to improve things just for yourself, but for them as well.”
As a result of his new work ethos, Liam flew to Japan just after celebrating Bear’s first birthday. He posted a touching tribute to his son on Instagram, showing Bear’s tiny hand clutching his.
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While in the Far East, he promoted his solo singles Strip That Down and Bedroom Floor, as well as his hit, For You, with Rita Ora from the third 50 Shades film.
His much-anticipated first album is expected to be out later this year, much later than his fellow 1D bandmates have released their solo efforts.
Liam said he needed time to work out what direction he wanted his sound to go in, and “how I could make it work for me and my family.”
It’s all been a learning curve, too, as he adapts to life as a solo singer after being part of one of the biggest boybands in the world.
It certainly seems to be paying off as fans across the globe have been loving his new music.
Last week he played to be the biggest crowd of his life – 85,000 – in Dubai.
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“Thanks for making me believe,” he posted as he celebrated the moment on Instagram with drone footage spanning the huge audience.
It’s not all work, work, work though for the singer.
He and Cheryl are now enjoying a family holiday together – have fun, guys!
Do you agree with Liam focusing on his solo singing career while Bear is still young? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!