Louis Tomlinson

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Lore & Background

Tomlinson's early life included attending The Hayfield School and Hall Cross School in Doncaster, where he played Danny Zuko in a production of Grease that motivated his X Factor audition. He had small acting roles in Fat Friends and as an extra in Waterloo Road. He was in a school band called "The Rogue" for two years covering Oasis, Blink-182 and Green Day, but was kicked out at age 14 when the guitarist wanted to be the singer. He auditioned for The X Factor in 2009 but failed to progress past the producer's audition before returning in 2010. After being put together with four other rejected solo contestants to form One Direction, the group finished in third place and signed a £2 million Syco Music record contract. The group went on indefinite hiatus in 2016, with Tomlinson recalling feeling "mortified" and arguing against the split.

In Their Own Story

In December 2016, just days after his mother Johannah Poulston died, Tomlinson performed his debut solo single "Just Hold On" with Steve Aoki live on The X Factor thirteenth series final. He dedicated the song in her name and has considered that moment the hardest of his career and his life. The single debuted and peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and reached number 1 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart. In 2017, he released "Back to You" with Bebe Rexha and "Miss You". He appeared on Debrett's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK. In 2018, he served as a judge and mentor of the "Boys" category on the fifteenth series of The X Factor.

Reader's Guide

Tomlinson's musical style has been described as indie pop, Britpop, and indie rock. His debut solo album Walls was released in January 2020, debuting at number 4 in the UK and number 9 on the US Billboard 200. His second album Faith in the Future debuted at number 1 in the UK and number 5 on the US Billboard 200 in November 2022. He commenced the Faith in the Future World Tour in May 2023, which earned a nomination for best Live Act from Rolling Stone at their inaugural Rolling Stone UK Awards. His documentary film All of Those Voices (2022) gained positive reviews. His third album How Did I Get Here? also debuted at number 1 in the UK and received generally positive reviews. He launched streetwear brand "28" in August 2023, incorporating the White Rose of York into branding.

Did You Know?

• Tomlinson was born as Louis Troy Austin on 24 December 1991 and legally changed his surname to Tomlinson after his then-stepfather.
• He failed his first year of A levels at The Hayfield School and had to start again at Hall Cross School.
• He worked as a waiter in the hospitality suites at Doncaster Rovers football stadium.
• One Direction became the first UK group to have their debut album reach number one in the USA.
• Tomlinson's mother died just days before he performed his debut solo single on The X Factor final in 2016.