Could it be true that the "Attitude" magazine cover of One Direction's Liam Payne is plainly a damage control strategy?

Rumor has it that the 22-year-old singer's agreement to pose for the magazine was mainly motivated by his camp's desire to address the bashing that he has been getting following his reported homophobic comments during a concert in Columbus, Ohio, according to Celebrity Dirty Laundry.

With his magazine cover, the entertainment site raised a question for Liam Payne.

"Seriously, he's Liam freaking Payne - he could cover any magazine that he wanted to," the article said. "Why did he choose 'Attitude' magazine?" The periodical is said to be "one of the biggest magazines geared towards the LGBT Community."

With this ambiguity, Celebrity Dirty Laundry somehow refuted some fans' thoughts saying that it could be his way of finally coming out as gay. Rather, it could actually be "some damage control after Liam was accused of being homophobic last month."

It can be recalled that prior to this "Attitude" magazine appearance, Liam Payne made this statement, "This is my favorite song off the last album, and it is about trying to find that number one woman of your life, which none of you can relate to, 'cause most of you are girls."

"Except for the boys in here, you know what I'm talking about," he added.

Meanwhile, Mail Online reported that the One Direction singer even took to Twitter to announce his excitement over his magazine cover.

"I'm on the cover of the new issue of @AttitudeMag," Liam Payne tweeted about his "Attitude" magazine cover. "Can't wait for you all to see the shoot!"

In his magazine feature, which will already be available for download starting on Friday, the English performer also talks about his band's new album.

"It's the first solo shoot and interview any of the members of One Direction have done, their first gay press shoot and I think the only magazine promo for their new album," a spokesperson for the magazine revealed.

"The news that the band are taking a hiatus or splitting up, whichever version you believe, means that this story should be global news and I'll be surprised if it doesn't become our biggest-selling issue ever," the insider exclaimed.

What do you think of Liam Payne's "Attitude" magazine cover? What are your thoughts about the speculated reasons?