One Direction are a British-Irish boy band consisting of members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson. They were formed on the seventh series of British television show The X Factor. Following The X Factor the group signed a record deal with Syco Records.
One Direction's debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful", was released in September 2011 and peaked at number one in the UK and charted in the top ten in several international markets. Their debut album, Up All Night, followed in November 2011, and debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, selling 138,631 copies,and was the fastest-selling debut album on the UK Albums Chart of 2011 The album reached top ten in another fifteen countries.
"What Makes You Beautiful" won the Best British Single award at the 2012 Brit Awards, which was held on 21 February 2012.
Members
Niall Horan
Niall James Horan was born on 13 September 1993 in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. Horan was born to mother Maura and father Bobby. He has an older brother, Greg, who is 23.[55] At age five, his parents divorced.[56] He was a pupil at Coláiste Mhuire, a boys' Christian Brothers school.[57] Prior to participating in X-Factor, he performed around his homeland, including as a support act for Lloyd Daniels in Dublin. Horan has been playing guitar since childhood. In an interview he referred to his guitar as "the best present I ever received for Christmas".[58]. Horan revealed his parents took note of his singing during a car trip, "my aunt said she thought the radio was on. Exactly the same thing happened to Michael Bublé with his dad. He's my absolute hero so I like the fact we have a similar story."[59] In 2010, he auditioned as solo candidate for the seventh series of The X Factor, performing "So Sick", receiving mixed comments from the judges present at his audition, with Louis Walsh in his favour. Two other judges voiced doubts doubts on his abilities, with three votes out of four he was sent to bootcamp where he sang "Champagne Supernova", failing to qualify for the "Boys" category he was put in One Direction.
Zayn Malik
Zain Jawaad Malik,[60] better known as Zayn Malik, (born on 12 January 1993, in St. Luke's Hospital) is from West Lane Baildon, Bradford, England, UK,[61] he is a British Pakistani. Born to mother Tricia and father Yaser, he has three sisters Doniya, Waliyha and Safaa. He grew up in East Bowling, located south of the Bradford city centre. Malik was a pupil at Lower Fields Primary School in East Bowling and went to Tong High School, a state comprehensive school.[62]. He stated that as a child "I was a bit of a handful when I was a kid because I was quite hyperactive. Even in the house my mum used to put me in my pram because I was so full-on." Malik didn't fit in at his first two schools due to his heritage, revealing that when he and his sister moved schools he felt he fitted in better.[63] At the age of 12, Malik started taking pride in his appearance.[64] "I had a few dodgy haircuts over the years. I shaved my head a few times and also had slits in my eyebrows. I thought I was properly gangsta, being into R&B and rap, and that it made me look hard."[65] In 2010, Malik auditioned as a solo candidate for the seventh series of The X Factor. His audition was initially not broadcast, but was shown after the series ended on the companion show The Xtra Factor. Malik was noted for becoming nervous in bootcamp, and when he was told he had to dance, he decided to remain backstage, effectively running the risk of elimination. Cowell noticed Malik missing from the dance routine and went backstage and convinced him to return.[66] At bootcamp Malik failed to qualify for the "Boys" category and was put in One Direction. Malik dated fellow X Factor contestant, Rebecca Ferguson, which caused controversy because of the six year age difference. The relationship ended after 4 months together. In November 2011, Ferguson stated the following in an interview: "Me and Zayn just grew apart. I wish him all the best."[67] Malik has four tattoos: his grandfather's name in Arabic on his chest, a Ying Yang sign on his left wrist, a symbol on his stomach and a peace sign on his right arm.[68][69]
Liam Payne
Liam James Payne (born on 29 August 1993), is from Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, UK. Liam Payne was born to mother Karen and father Geoff.[70] He has two older sisters Ruth and Nicola. Payne was born three weeks early. Until the age of four Payne was in the hospital having tests done. They discovered that one of his kidneys wasn't working properly and it had scarred. As a child he had to have 32 injections in his arm in the morning and evening to try and make him better.[71] When Payne went to junior school, he had "grown up a lot" and wasn't the "naughty boy at school anymore". As a student Payne tried for school teams. Payne eventually tried out for the cross-country running team and he came first in the race. "From then on I was training all the time and getting up at 6am to run for miles. At the age of 12 they put me in the school's under-18s team." Payne was picked on as a student and "needed to find a way to defend myself." Payne took up boxing lessons. "I was, at 12 years old, fighting the 38-year-old trainer. I broke my nose, had a perforated eardrum and I was always coming home with a bruised, puffy face. But it gave me confidence. I got pretty good over the next couple of years."[72] He was a music technology student at City of Wolverhampton College, a Further Education College.[73] Payne had auditioned in 2008 to The X Factor's fifth series when he was 14 and reached judges' houses, but Cowell thought he was not ready for the competition and asked him to come back in two years. This time, Payne auditioned singing "Cry Me a River", and received a standing ovation from the audience and Simon Cowell. At bootcamp, he sang "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" before being rejected and put into One Direction. Due to Payne only having one functioning kidney, Payne: "I have to be careful not to drink too much, even water, and I have to keep myself as healthy as possible."[74] Payne is currently in a relationship with dancer, Danielle Peazer.[75]
Harry Styles
Harry Edward Styles (born on 1 February 1994), in Evesham, Worcestershire.[76] Styles is from Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, England, UK and was a pupil at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School, a state comprehensive school.[77] Styles was born to mother Anne and father Des. Styles has an older sister Gemma Styles. Styles revealed that as a child he loved singing, noting Elvis Presley as one of his influences. Styles was seven when his parents divorced.[78] His mother later remarried to Styles's step-father Robin Twist. Styles was the lead singer for the band White Eskimo with band members lead guitarist Haydn Morris, bass guitarist Nick Clough and drummer Will Sweeny.[79] Styles auditioned with "Isn't She Lovely" and received positive comments from two of the three judges present at his audition, with Louis Walsh having doubts on whether he was ready to progress in the competition. At bootcamp, he sang "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" before being rejected and put into One Direction. Styles currently resides with band member Louis Tomlinson in North London.[80] Styles briefly dated Caroline Flack, which caused widespread media controversy over their fifteen year age gap.[81] Following the breakup at a 2012 BRIT Awards after party, Styles said "I'm through with older women".[82] Styles has a tattoo of a star on his left arm.[83]
Louis TomlinsonLouis William Tomlinson (born on on 24 December 1991,[84]) is from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, UK. He was born to mother Johanna and father Mark.[85] He has four younger sisters: Charlotte, Félicité, and twins Daisy and Phoebe. Louis Tomlinson's identical twin sisters, Daisy and Phoebe would do extra work as babies and they got a role on a show called Fat Friends. Tomlinson would go along and serve has an extra. After that Tomlinson started going to acting school in Barnsley. He did an ITV1 drama called If I Had You, and had a small part in Waterloo Road.[86] He was a sixth form student at Hall Cross School, a state comprehensive school, and a previous pupil at The Hayfield School. As a student at Hall Cross School, Tomlinson starred in several musical productions.[87][88] In 2010, Tomlinson auditioned as solo candidate for the seventh series of The X Factor. Tomlinson auditioned for The X Factor with the song "Hey There Delilah", and received three votes from the three judges present at his audition. At bootcamp, he sang "Make You Feel My Love" before being rejected and put into One Direction. Louis Tomlinson currently resides with band member Harry Styles in North London.[89] Tomlinson parents separated in 2011. Tomlinson is currently in a relationship with Hollister model and Manchester University student Eleanor Calder.[90][91]
About One Direction
