The Untold Story of One Direction

The Untold Story of One Direction

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at The Untold Story of One Direction.

For this video, we’ll be exploring the journey of the boy band that took over the world.

Which 1D album was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

It’s hard to believe that the boys of One Direction ever planned on being anything but globally recognized singers. But before appearing on “The X-Factor,” Harry Styles was considering a career in law, while Louis Tomlinson dabbled in acting and was interested in that world. It was playing Danny from “Grease” that reportedly prompted him to try out for the competition show. As for the others, music seemed to have been in the cards for them some time, though Zayn Malik has also expressed an interest in English. Niall Horan has been performing since his teens. And Liam Payne wanted to pursue this path so badly that he returned to “The X Factor” 2 years after being eliminated.

In 2010, the British series offered the five guys a chance to compete together in the “Groups” portion. Of course, they took it, because how could anybody say no to an opportunity like that? While they had solo ambitions, this was a chance not many people get, and it allowed them to break into the industry. Just like that, history was made. But apparently, not all was well once they got together. A few months after leaving the group, Malik revealed to Fader that he never quite felt creatively fulfilled, but more on the split later.

Since being in a band wasn’t the original plan, there wasn’t a pre-selected name for the group when they formed. During the brainstorming process, Liam’s dad suggested calling the group “USP,” for “unique selling point.” Admittedly, that’s a pretty cool idea, but it just wasn’t right. Plus, if you ask us, it would’ve made it pretty hard for the fans to give themselves a nickname! Luckily for Directioners, Harry eventually came up with the moniker that we all know and love today. We honestly couldn’t imagine it any other way.

It wasn’t long before their music spread like wildfire. Their time on “The X Factor” drew in hoards of fans, with their video diaries in particular being too good to resist. And their debut single changed many peoples’ worlds. But surprisingly, they weren’t immediately headliners when they started touring in North America! They first opened for another very familiar boy band, Big Time Rush. Unfortunately for the BTR boys, 1D’s fame began to surpass theirs at many of the shows, and apparently, fans would sometimes cheer louder for the openers.

The band’s quick rise to fame was more than just a little unbelievable, it was quite literally record-breaking. Of course, there are the numerous awards the band has received. But beyond that, they also racked up six Guinness World Records in 2016 alone. Some of these included “most followers on Twitter for a music group” and “most subscribers for a band on YouTube.” But they started making history long before that. Their first album, “Up All Night” debuted atop the Billboard chart in the United States. That marked the first time a group from the United Kingdom had achieved such a feat. You can color us impressed.

The One Direction members’ skills aren’t limited to just singing, either. Musically, they’re all pretty talented guitar players, while Liam and Louis know their way around a piano. Interestingly, the band also dipped their toes in acting. First, they guest-starred in “iCarly” as themselves. Years later, Liam and Louis appeared on “Family Guy,” in an episode that aired post-hiatus. It certainly seems like Harry got bit by the acting bug at some point. Since going solo, he’s snagged numerous roles in respected works, including “Dunkirk” and “Don't Worry Darling.”

At the peak of the group's popularity, it became obvious that the fans wanted a lot more than to just hear their catchy music. Everyone wanted a piece of One Direction. So naturally, they started putting their faces on EVERYTHING. There were 1D dolls, fragrances, posters, phone cases, clothes, and just about anything else you could think of. In the early 2010s, it was hard to go anywhere without seeing a piece of their merchandise. It was certainly a profitable venture, and more importantly, the fans got priceless memorabilia.

There’s no denying that the young men of One Direction made a lot of money during their time together. Their lives had definitely changed considerably in that regard, but they also used their wealth and privilege to help countless others. While still together, the band supported charities such as Rays of Sunshine, Comic Relief, and the Global Poverty Project, to name a few. They donated their money, time, and endorsements. Since the start of the group’s indefinite hiatus, the former members have continued to give back, proving that they truly care about their communities.

Fame comes with a hefty price, and being global sensations didn’t only consist of fun concerts and charity events. Throughout their time in the limelight together, all five guys faced some sort of anxiety. Zayn has also spoken about how he’s lived with an eating disorder, and Liam has dealt with addiction. It’s safe to say the band's constant on-the-go lifestyle and the fact that they were always in the public eye was the source of lots of pressure. But there’s no doubt that by being open about their experiences, the artists have helped many others feel less alone.

We want to believe that the members of One Direction had as much fun being a band as the fans had loving them. And they did seem to genuinely care about each other. So Zayn’s departure came as a huge shock to Directioners. Their PR team tried their hardest to convince the public that everyone in the band was on good terms. But tweets between Zayn and Louis suggested otherwise. Comments made in the years since suggest that Malik isn’t particularly close with any of his former bandmates. And in 2022, Liam Payne’s comments about his role in the group being the most significant made headlines. Still, fans are holding out hope that maybe one day, the indefinite hiatus can end in a way that makes everyone happy.

Though One Direction has been on an indefinite hiatus for years, they were together for what felt like a lifetime. Naturally, they spent large portions of their time making smash hits. Unfortunately for us, not all of them made it onto their albums, leading some to believe that there’s a top secret vault of tunes out there. In 2020, what seemed like a demo was posted to YouTube. Though it wasn’t a new number, it was the first fans had heard of it. While their solo work is excellent, there’s no doubt fans enjoyed getting a fresh taste of the 1D sound.