Louis Tomlinson Reveals One Direction Song He Never Liked Performing

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Louis Tomlinson doesn’t see the lyrical beauty in “What Makes You Beautiful.”

He admitted that the 2011 song which made One Direction famous was actually his least favorite to sing, saying it ‘always, always, always’ felt difficult to perform.

Louis explained in a BBC Radio 2 interview on March 18th that the song is their most upbeat and pop-focused track. However, he also said performing it always felt a bit awkward.

The singer, age 34, said performing the song on stage with his bandmates—Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, and the late Liam Payne—felt particularly awkward because he was the oldest member of the group.

He explained that when he was 18, being in a boy band wasn’t considered very cool. However, once the band became popular, that changed. He said it wasn’t really like that initially, for the first couple of years.

He explained that the line, ‘Baby, you light up my world like nobody else,’ felt a bit cheesy, almost like something you’d hear in a Disney movie.

Louis, who started a solo career after One Direction broke up in 2016, acknowledges that he owes his current success to the band’s popular first song.

I’m not dismissing how important that song was, because it clearly launched my career,” the singer said. “It was a huge hit, and I owe everything I’ve achieved to it.”

Louis also playfully admitted that “Up All Night,” the song their first album is named after, isn’t one of his favorites. He bluntly called it “a bad song.”

But the “Walls” hitmaker does have a One Direction song that he enjoys performing live.

He said his favorite One Direction song is likely ‘Story of My Life.’ He feels the 2013 song from their album Midnight Memories was a special moment for the band, explaining that it was a more complex and unexpected track for One Direction.

He explained that the song marked a turning point for the band. He recalled being proud it wasn’t a typical dance song, as there was a certain formula for boy bands at the time, and this song helped them move beyond that mold.

One Direction quickly rose to fame with their first hit song and went on to become one of the most successful boy bands ever, creating many unforgettable memories along the way. Read on to discover some of them…

Even though the band gained fans worldwide, they came in third place on the 2010 show, behind Rebecca Ferguson and Matt Cardle.

I still remember when One Direction first appeared on Saturday Night Live back in 2012! Their performance of “One Thing” was absolutely electric – it really launched them into the American spotlight. It was such a fun and energetic debut!

The band won the award for Best Song of the Summer at the VMAs for their hit, “Best Song Ever.”

The band’s concert documentary, This Is Us, offers fans an inside look at life on the road during their This Is Us Tour.

In November 2014, the band had the opportunity to meet Prince William and Kate Middleton while performing at the Royal Variety Performance.

In 2014, the band’s Where We Are Tour earned more money than any other tour, surpassing those by Justin Timberlake, The Rolling Stones, Katy Perry, and even Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

In March 2015, Malik announced that he was leaving the band to launch his solo career.

Following the release of their 2015 album, Made in the A.M., One Direction – consisting of Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson – announced they were taking a break with no set return date.

In 2016, Louis Tomlinson had a son named Freddie Reign. The following year, Liam Payne and Cheryl Cole welcomed their son, Bear Grey.

Back in 2020, rumors of a possible One Direction reunion began when Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan all started following Zayn Malik again on X (formerly Twitter).

Adding to the speculation about a possible reunion, Payne revealed to The Sun that they’d been in frequent communication lately because the band’s 10-year anniversary is approaching, and he said it’s been great reconnecting with everyone.

Malik and his then-girlfriend Gigi Hadid welcomed daughter Khai in September 2020.

Payne attended the London premiere of Tomlinson’s 2023 documentary All of Those Voices.

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2026-03-18 21:17