For those keeping score, Zayn, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Liam Payne have all branched out from their One Direction origins, establishing themselves as bona fide solo stars. "But wasn't there another guy in that boy band?" you ask yourself. Why, yes there was. His name is Louis Tomlinson, and he knows that you probably don't remember him.
The 25-year-old singer is the fifth and final member of One Direction to launch a solo career of his own, and in a new interview with The Guardian, he's revealed some pretty grim realities about his life as a member of 1D.
He describes himself as "forgettable, to a certain degree," and it gets even sadder as he runs through a list of comparisons to his bandmates.
"Niall, for example. He's the most lovely guy in the world. Happy-go-lucky Irish, no sense of arrogance. And he's fearless. There are times I've thought: 'I'd have a bit of that,'" Tomlinson begins. "Zayn, back in the day. He could relate to me on a nerves level. In the first year we were both the least confident. But Zayn has a fantastic voice and for him it was always about owning that."
"Liam always had a good stage presence, same as Harry, they've both got that ownership," he continues. "Harry comes across very cool. Liam's all about getting the crowd going, doing a bit of dancing…. And then there's me."
He goes on to open up about not having a single solo throughout the duration of the X Factor competition where One Direction got their start ("A lot of people can take the piss out of that. But when you actually think about how that feels, standing on stage every single week, thinking: 'What have I really done to contribute here?'"), about the group's on-a-break status ("In the last year of One Direction I was probably the most confident I ever was. And then it was: 'OK, hiatus!'") and about not having the same level of creative prestige as his bandmates ("I couldn't say to you now that I could definitely get a superstar writer in a session with me. And I understand that… Harry won't struggle with any of that.")
As for what fans can expect from Tomlinson's upcoming efforts — well, probably nothing as far-reaching or ambitious as some of his fellow One Direction lads. The interviewer, Tom Lamont, heard some of the new songs in the studio and describes them as "modest, rather lovely pop songs that in their quiet way seem to acknowledge his underdog status."
His debut single "Back to You" is expected out soon.
The 25-year-old singer is the fifth and final member of One Direction to launch a solo career of his own, and in a new interview with The Guardian, he's revealed some pretty grim realities about his life as a member of 1D.
He describes himself as "forgettable, to a certain degree," and it gets even sadder as he runs through a list of comparisons to his bandmates.
"Niall, for example. He's the most lovely guy in the world. Happy-go-lucky Irish, no sense of arrogance. And he's fearless. There are times I've thought: 'I'd have a bit of that,'" Tomlinson begins. "Zayn, back in the day. He could relate to me on a nerves level. In the first year we were both the least confident. But Zayn has a fantastic voice and for him it was always about owning that."
"Liam always had a good stage presence, same as Harry, they've both got that ownership," he continues. "Harry comes across very cool. Liam's all about getting the crowd going, doing a bit of dancing…. And then there's me."
He goes on to open up about not having a single solo throughout the duration of the X Factor competition where One Direction got their start ("A lot of people can take the piss out of that. But when you actually think about how that feels, standing on stage every single week, thinking: 'What have I really done to contribute here?'"), about the group's on-a-break status ("In the last year of One Direction I was probably the most confident I ever was. And then it was: 'OK, hiatus!'") and about not having the same level of creative prestige as his bandmates ("I couldn't say to you now that I could definitely get a superstar writer in a session with me. And I understand that… Harry won't struggle with any of that.")
As for what fans can expect from Tomlinson's upcoming efforts — well, probably nothing as far-reaching or ambitious as some of his fellow One Direction lads. The interviewer, Tom Lamont, heard some of the new songs in the studio and describes them as "modest, rather lovely pop songs that in their quiet way seem to acknowledge his underdog status."
His debut single "Back to You" is expected out soon.
