One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson Wanted To Achieve Success As A Solo Artist


Before becoming one of five, Louis Tomlinson aspired to be a solo artist.

In a new interview, Tomlinson, who auditioned for the British version of The X-Factor as a solo act, opened up about the challenges he faced after becoming a part of One Direction.

“I’m the type of person who likes being the centre of attention,” Tomlinson revealed in the band’s autobiography, Who We Are. “For the whole of The X Factor I didn’t have a solo which, for me, was a tough pill to swallow.”

After gaining notoriety, despite not winning The X-Factor, One Direction embarked on a tour to promote their first album, Up All Night. During this time, Louis Tomlinson questioned his identity within the band.

“I was delighted but at the same time, couldn’t really understand why I was in the band,” the 22-year-old admitted. “That was really low, that feeling of not having a purpose, of just being along for the ride.”

Although Louis Tomlinson dealt with hardships when he first joined One Direction, his fans have stuck by him, and he couldn’t be more thankful for their loyalty. In a recent interview with OK! Magazine, Tomlinson spoke about the overwhelming support of his fans.

“The dedication is amazing,” he told the magazine. “It’s impossible to understand. You’d have to be a very arrogant person to understand it. Just the other day I was down at Doncaster Rovers, and two people had flown from São Paulo to see me.”

Louis Tomlinson isn’t the first person to speak out about the possibilities of a solo career. Following reports he was leaving the band to pursue his own dreams, band member Zayn Malik confirmed he was not planning on leaving One Direction.

“If I did this by myself it would be a lot more difficult,” Malik said, according to a report by Unreality TV. “Having four other people that do exactly the same thing as you, go through exactly the same experiences, have the same life experiences to a certain extent… It is cool to have that and it would be more difficult to be a solo artist I think.”

Malik even claimed to pity those who are alone in their music careers.

“Sometimes I do look at solo artists and I feel a bit sorry for them because they don’t have that, whereas we have a proper camaraderie,” he explained.

Earlier this month, One Direction announced their fourth studio album, Four, which, of course, features both Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik, would be released on Nov. 27, 2014. The album’s first single, “Steal My Girl,” will be released on Sept. 29.

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