Sophia Smith's boyfriend Liam Payne insists One Direction takes music career seriously, predicts new album will win over male fans!

Liam Payne is sick of people downplaying One Direction's credibility as musicians and songwriters in a new interview and he claims the group's next album will attract more male fans. This statement follows Payne's recent denial of One Direction split rumors, so it seems like Sophia Smith's boyfriend is a bit heated in regards to the subject. Do you think One Direction is a serious musical group or just another boy band that's in it for the fun?

''People say we don't work hard and it's all a game and whatever," Liam to a reporter at the BRIT Awards. ''We just wanna make good music, and this album - honestly, every lad out there tonight who's thinking One Direction are this and that. Literally, next album - pick up our album and see what you feel.''

So Payne believes One Direction's Midnight Memories follow-up record will attract male fans as opposed to the usual screaming girls we see at the boy band's concerts. Do you think this is a possibility? Midnight Memories had more of an edge to it, so perhaps the boys are going to continue with this formula in order to get the lads on board?

Meanwhile, break up rumors have been plaguing the boy band for almost a week now after Payne revealed that he and the other members of One Direction hadn't seen each other in about three months. Don't worry, though. Liam also cleared up this rumor this week.

"We are not splitting up," he stated. "We message each other all the time [and] we're enjoying being back in each other's company."

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