{"id":4366,"date":"2024-12-05T00:01:01","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T00:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gaudie.co.uk\/press\/?p=4366"},"modified":"2024-12-04T18:49:10","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T18:49:10","slug":"all-roads-lead-to-one-direction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/arts\/2024\/12\/05\/all-roads-lead-to-one-direction\/","title":{"rendered":"All roads lead to One Direction"},"content":{"rendered":"

Like many other girls in their twenties, the shocking news of Liam Payne\u2019s death catapulted me back to my directioner days, leading me into a deep dive of their work. Before too long, I was absorbed in One Direction <\/span>TikTok<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Twitter<\/span><\/i>, and <\/span>Reddit<\/span><\/i>. Of course I have followed Harry Styles\u2019 solo career (who hasn\u2019t?) but suddenly I was discovering that all \u2018the boys\u2019 (as we the fandom lovingly called them) have a labyrinth of their own solo material. Here is some of One Direction\u2019s solo material you have to check out\u2026\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Louis
Louis Tomlinson performing with One Direction in Chicago, 2015. Credit: Ashley Newby<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Louis Tomlinson<\/b><\/p>\n

If you like One Direction\u2019s discography then why on earth are you not listening to Louis Tomlinson? With 38 writing credits for the band, it is no surprise that many of Louis\u2019 solo songs have a similar sound to One Direction. A late arrival to the solo scene, Tomlinson spoke candidly in his 2023 documentary <\/span>All of Those Voices<\/span><\/i> about life after the band\u2019s shock split in 2015, describing the breakup as \u201canother loss\u201d, saying he was \u201cabsolutely gutted\u201d when the band split.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the topic of <\/span>All of Those Voices<\/span><\/i>, this is my favourite of all of Louis\u2019 work. The film is a deep-dive into Louis\u2019 life and experiences of fame. Starting in December 2015 before One Direction\u2019s last performance \u2013 a two-song performance on the <\/span>X Factor<\/span><\/i> final \u2013 Louis goes on to recount the struggles he had discovering himself as a solo artist. As the film follows Tomlinson\u2019s 81-date world tour, the ever-humble Louis seems shocked at his success. As an OG One Direction fan, I am not one bit surprised \u2013 I\u2019m just sad it took me this long to discover his solo material.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since leaving the band, Louis has penned two albums \u2013 <\/span>Walls<\/span><\/i> (2020) and <\/span>Faith in the Future <\/span><\/i>(2022). His music has the rockier tone we saw in 1D\u2019s later material, with Louis\u2019 love for bands like Oasis shining through in his solo work. His 2016 hit \u201cJust Hold On\u201d is likely his most well-known song, but with hidden gems like \u201cToo Young\u201d and \u201cDon\u2019t Let It Break Your Heart\u201d on his albums, there really is every reason to get to know Tomlinson\u2019s tunes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Favourite Song: \u201cDon\u2019t Let It Break Your Heart\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Harry
Harry Styles holding a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Credit: Free Malaysia Today<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Harry Styles\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

As one of the world\u2019s most popular musicians, I don\u2019t need to tell you why you should have Harry Styles in your rotation. A fan favourite in the band, Styles shot to success with his 2017 song \u201cSign of The Times\u201d, a song which served as Styles\u2019 turning point from 1D heartthrob to a boundary-pushing solo artist. Since then, he has had two number one albums \u2013 <\/span>Harry Styles <\/span><\/i>(2017) and <\/span>Harry\u2019s House<\/span><\/i> (2022), with his album <\/span>Fine Line<\/span><\/i> (2019) narrowly missing the top spot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A far cry from the long-haired, skinny jean clad, Chelsea boot wearing Harry from the One Direction days, Styles is now renowned for his eccentric style and colourful clothing. Much to my immense disappointment, he also chopped off all his hair in 2023\u2026 justice for the locks! Aside from that, his three Grammy Awards \u2013 including the coveted \u2018Album of the Year\u2019 tell you all you need to know. He\u2019s even branched out to acting if you fancy seeing him in the likes of <\/span>Dunkirk<\/span><\/i> (2017) or<\/span> Don\u2019t Worry Darling<\/span><\/i> (2022). His solo work has a more delicate tone than his 1D days, but there is certainly lots to love.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Favourite Song: \u201cKiwi\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Niall
Niall Horan performing with One Direction in Chicago, 2015. Credit: Ashley Newby<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Niall Horan\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t had the pleasure of seeing Niall since 2015, I urge you to go straight to Google because my goodness has this boy turned into a man. Musically, Niall\u2019s sound remains close to 1D\u2019s style but matured, with his discography showcasing his talent for writing catchy, emotive bangers. Other than ditching the blonde highlights, if you liked One Direction then you are going to love Niall Horan. With two UK number one albums, <\/span>Heartbreak Weather<\/span><\/i> (2020) and <\/span>The Show<\/span><\/i> (2023), and his debut album <\/span>Flicker<\/span><\/i> (2017) charting at number 3, Ireland\u2019s sweetheart has been no stranger to success. His 2017 hit \u201cSlow Hands\u201d is by far his most well-known work but there are more bangers hidden within the albums, with one or two nods to his Irish heritage.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, and bonus points to Niall for headlining the P&J Live earlier this year!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Favourite Song: \u201cOn My Own\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Zayn
Zayn Malik performing with One Direction in Sydney, 2012. Credit: Eva Rinaldi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zayn Malik\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re anything like me, you remember exactly where you were when Zayn announced he was leaving the band. Years on, Zayn\u2019s R&B inspired music diverges furthest from the band\u2019s sound, which is no surprise as Zayn has spoken publicly about establishing his own sound with his debut single \u201cPillowtalk\u201d, marking the beginning of his renaissance. Since leaving the band mid-way through the On The Road Again tour, Zayn has released four albums, with his debut <\/span>Mind of Mine<\/span><\/i> (2016) taking the number one spot in the UK and the US.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A mysterious figure, Zayn is rarely spotted outside of his Pennsylvania ranch. However, Zayn is set to embark on his first solo tour, with the Stairway to the Sky tour starting in Edinburgh\u2019s O2 Academy on 20th November.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Favourite Song: “Stardust”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Liam
Liam Payne performing with One Direction in Chicago, 2015. Credit: Ashley Newby<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liam Payne\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Liam\u2019s story is one of tragedy. As one of One Direction\u2019s strongest vocalists, Liam\u2019s remarkable range and powerful voice became an essential part of the band\u2019s sound, helping define their identity and success. With a seemingly easy transition to going solo, Liam\u2019s debut single \u201cStrip That Down\u201d, written with Ed Sheeran shot to number 3 in the UK charts. Moving beyond the \u2018dad\u2019 role he played in 1D, his music hinted at a more mature direction.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Liam released just one album, <\/span>LP1<\/span><\/i>. Reflecting earlier this year, Payne shared that he was \u201creally excited\u201d to be working on <\/span>LP2<\/span><\/i>, an album which he hoped would reflect his own unique sound. Though his passing in October has shocked the world, his discography serves as a reminder of his versatility, immense talent, and hard work. In a mere 14 years of being within the music scene, his contributions to 1D\u2019s success and his solo material will leave a lasting impact on the musical world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Favourite Song: “Teardrops”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Though coming to terms with Liam\u2019s untimely death has been tough for fans, it is a reminder to us all to appreciate the solo journeys of all of 1D. With a legacy rivalling even The Beatles, it is no surprise that One Direction continues to top the charts almost ten years after announcing their \u2018hiatus\u2019 \u2013 even if that success is a little different to how we all imagined it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Oh and for nostalgia\u2019s sake\u2026 <\/span>My favourite One Direction Song: \u201cFool\u2019s Gold\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Like many other girls in their twenties, the shocking news of Liam Payne\u2019s death catapulted me back to my directioner days, leading me into a deep dive of their work. Before too long, I was absorbed in One Direction TikTok, Twitter, and Reddit. Of course I have followed Harry Styles\u2019 solo career (who hasn\u2019t?) but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":4367,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","iawp_total_views":121,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[287],"wf_post_folders":[211],"class_list":["post-4366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts","tag-music"],"acf":[],"author_meta":{"display_name":"Kirsten Koss","author_link":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/author\/kirsten-koss\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/9687065005_3a5f9fea06_o-300x200.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Arts<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Arts<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["Music<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Music<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 2 years ago","modified":"Updated 2 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on 5 December 2024","modified":"Updated on 4 December 2024"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on 5 December 2024 00:01","modified":"Updated on 4 December 2024 18:49"},"featured_img_caption":"One Direction attending the premiere of the film \"One Direction: This Is Us\" in New York. Credit: Dave Allocca","series_order":"","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4366"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4369,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4366\/revisions\/4369"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4366"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4366"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gaudie.co.uk\/wpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=4366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}