Celebrating the release of his third studio album, How Did I Get Here?, Louis Tomlinson sat down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe at the Apple Music Studios for a deeply personal career retrospective. The British singer-songwriter opened up about his "unstoppable" evolution from a boyband phenomenon to a self-assured independent artist.
During the wide-ranging conversation, Tomlinson admitted that his first solo effort, Walls, suffered from an identity crisis. "I wasn't brave enough to say, 'here are all my alternative influences,'" he confessed, noting that he often felt "pulled in the wrong direction" by industry expectations following One Direction’s hiatus. However, his new era—forged during a tranquil recording retreat in Costa Rica—represents a shift toward authentic, "sunny" optimism.
A poignant highlight of the interview centered on the track "Dark to Light," which Tomlinson identifies as a snapshot of his love and grief following the passing of former bandmate Liam Payne. "When something like that happens, it’s really difficult to write anything else," Tomlinson shared. While the song is open to interpretation, he noted that it successfully captures a feeling that words often fail to explain, providing a "power to heal" for both himself and his fans.
Tomlinson also touched on the surreal nature of his early fame, humorously recalling his "impenetrable bubble" during the One Direction years—even admitting to the occasional ill-advised pre-show joint before major TV appearances. "The most calm people were the guys in the band. Everyone else was flapping and stressing," he reminisced, creditng the camaraderie of the group for keeping him grounded.
Now operating with a small, hand-picked team, Tomlinson feels he has finally claimed the independence he sought at 24. For him, the "proof is in the pudding" on stage. "The touring... that just feels really authentic," he told Lowe. "Where it charts is an ego thing, but the tour is my happy place."
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