Former One Direction members pave solo careers

A year after One Direction’s announcement of a hiatus in March 2016, fans are clamoring to see how the boys will fare in solo careers. All five ex-members are maturing from teen heartthrobs to distinctive artists, each working to establish their solo careers. Four of the five have released singles, with the exception of Liam Payne, who, after signing a record deal with Capitol Records, will release his single later in 2017. With diverse new sounds from acoustic to electronic, all the boys are poised for thriving independent careers, but true to form, frontman Harry Styles is upstaging his counterparts.

Harry Styles — “Sign of the Times” 

After years of anticipation, Harry Styles released his first official solo track, “Sign of the Times,” on Friday. With a mellifluous piano intro that swells by the first chorus, Styles
delivered a moving and passionate performance that showcases a vocal range he lacked while under the pop brand of One Direction’s music.

While the song is on the lengthier side and the lyrics were slightly repetitive, Styles’ lyrics are imbued with multifaceted meanings that have garnered speculation from critics. The chorus is simultaneously ominous and hopeful, resonating both romantic and sociopolitical implications: “Just stop your crying, it’s a sign of the times / We gotta get away from here / We gotta get away from here / Just stop your crying, it’ll be alright / They told me that the end is near / We gotta get away from here.”

“It’s the song I’m most proud of writing,” Styles told BBC Radio 1 host Nick Grimshaw in an interview.

Drawing success from vocal prowess, expert instrumentals and powerful lyrics, “Sign of the Times” pays homage to the musical age of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury and is set to become an instant classic just days after its release.

Louis Tomlinson — “Just Hold On”

Following the hiatus of One Direction, Louis Tomlinson lay
relatively low through the birth of his son, but came back strong with “Just Hold On,” an uplifting EDM collaboration track with DJ Steve Aoki. Tomlinson deserves praise for diverging most significantly from the genre One Direction followed. Tomlinson’s move to become a solo artist gave his vocals the chance to shine outside the shadow of his former bandmates, even though the electronic beats spun by Aoki put the number in danger of becoming a generic EDM song.

Lyrically, however, Tomlinson’s message is deeply motivational and ultimately conveys a hopeful translation of the grief he felt after losing his mother. “What do you do when a chapter ends? Do you close the book and never read it again? Where do you go when your story’s done?” he asks himself in the verses, ultimately concluding in the chorus that, “The sun goes down and it comes back up / The world, it turns no matter what.”

Given the deep personal lyrics paired with an infectious dance beat, Tomlinson successfully brands himself as a solo force to be reckoned with in this track.

Niall Horan — “This Town”

Blossoming from the formulaic and trite realm of pop music, Niall Horan made his debut as a soulful balladeer with his acoustic single, “This Town,” in 2016. No longer identifying as the cute boy band member, Horan showcases his throaty vocals, and romantic lyrics reveal how much he intends to mature as an artist. In contrast to his fellow ex-bandmates, Horan rejects the modern music world with a simplistic and old-fashioned sound that harkens back to the acoustic era dominated by individual singer-songwriters.

“If the whole world was watching I’d still dance with you / Drive highways and byways to be there with you / Over and over the only truth / Everything comes back to you,” Horan sings, retaining his heartthrob image while displaying an edge reminiscent of bands such as Mumford & Sons and Simon & Garfunkel.

Ultimately, “This Town” is a promising start to Horan’s solo career.

Zayn Malik — “Still Got Time”

After being the first member to leave One Direction over a year ago, Zayn Malik adopted the stage name ZAYN as well as a sexier edge. In a definitive step away from his old boy band, ZAYN released Mind of Mine in 2016, an album that features the hit “PILLOWTALK” and is rife with R&B inspiration, serving as a stark contrast from the adolescent exuberance that characterized his previous performances.

Straying even further from
romantic messages espoused by One Direction songs, ZAYN’s latest single “Still Got Time” tells the world that he’s looking to fool around rather than settle down. “Just stop lookin’ for love / Girl, you know you still got time,” ZAYN sings, his voice lightweight and disappointingly failing to showcase his full vocal range.

The song is a collaboration with PARTYNEXTDOOR, whose autotuned lines — “I know you diggin’ my fabric / I’m boyfriend material” — mellow out the song but render it overall cliched and derivative.

Liam Payne — TBD

Following in the footsteps of his ex-bandmates but taking a paternity break, Liam Payne is set to debut his career as a solo artist in May with “Meet Me Half Way.”

While each member has shown promise for a successful solo career, Styles’ single caters most directly to One Direction’s fanbase, and therefore, he is most likely to be the greatest hit among the five. Though Malik may have jumped ship first, as the unofficial frontman for the band, Styles was always groomed to be the solo artist, and his first single shows that he is now ready to step into this role. While the others may continue to release music and find their niche in the industry, don’t be surprised if Harry Styles is the name you hear for years to come.