What you need to know
Louis Tomlinson “always knew” Harry Styles had star power since One Direction.
In Billboard’s cover story published on Monday, January 12, the “Lemonade” musician reflected that the “As It Was” artist was always going to have a hit in his solo career after One Direction disbanded in 2015.
“I always knew Harry would continue to do what he’s been doing. He certainly exceeded his own expectations in the way he conquered the world, but we knew he had everything it took to be a great artist,” Tomlinson, 34, said.
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Additionally, he stated that the other member was someone he thought would be successful as a solo artist.
Tomlinson said: “I had a good impression of Niall (Horan) too. He’s Irish, he’s nice and everyone loves him.”
The “Bigger Than Me” artist said it is usually unlikely that more than one or two members of a band will “succeed” as solo artists.
“History tells us there’s usually never more than one,” Tomlinson added.
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He also said that thinking about life after One Direction was “really scary.”
“I never thought to myself, ‘I’m going to be part of a group of successful[One Direction alumni],'” Tomlinson said.
In a February 2023 interview with The Times, Tomlinson admitted that he was “mortified” that the group What Makes You Beautiful broke up in 2015.
“When One Direction broke up, I was so gutted and completely gutted,” he said at the time. “I was a little disappointed. I think it was because I felt like I lost again.”
Tomlinson added: “But now I understand things better and I don’t feel as angry. That’s the way it is.”
Later in the interview, he said he missed his bandmates Styles, 31, Horan, 32, Zayn Malik, and Liam Payne (who passed away in October 2024 at age 31) at the time, but that he liked “doing his own thing too” and that it was “time” for him to make a change.
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Tomlinson is set to release his third studio album, How Did I Get Here? January 23rd.
