Louis Tomlinson is opening up about the effect of former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne’s passing, a year after it first happened. The 31-year-old star fell from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His passing sent ripples through the music industry, especially for his ex-team members of 1D, who finally reunited at his funeral. Now Louis Tomlinson has spoken up for the first time since the demise of his dear mate and shared how much of a ‘misunderstood’ person the singer was, and that he only sought validation in the form of love from his peers, fans, and everyone around him.
Louis Tomlinson addresses Liam Payne’s passing in new chat Speaking to Rolling Stone UK in a new interview, Louis Tomlinson opened up about the tough acceptance of losing a close friend, and how it changed him. Moreover, he spoke highly of his late bandmate, praising his nature. “Losing Liam [Payne] was incredibly hard for me — I’d never experienced losing a friend before.”
Recalling his friend and what kind of a person he was, the 33-year-old said, “He was a very misunderstood person, I think, from the public’s perspective. If people ever judged his temper or behavior… he was simply someone who wanted to be loved.” It is known that Liam Payne would struggle with substance usage and had faced the wrath of online haters, which affected his health. At the time of his passing, he was in a relationship with Kate Cassidy and shared parenting duties of his son, Bear Grey, with his ex-girlfriend, Cheryl.
Meanwhile, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik recently announced a joint project after burying the hatchet over their troubled friendship post the latter’s exit from the team. The two singers will be touring around the US for a three-part Netflix docu-series, talking about their relationship, time together in One Direction, the passing of their mate, fatherhood, and their complex musical careers. The untitled show will seemingly air sometime next year, albeit further details are to be announced as well. Fans are excited for their reunion following years-long public spats on social media. It is not known whether Harry Styles or Niall Horan will have any involvement in it, although the same seems unlikely.
Forget the Doncaster ale or the tequila shot—this season’s signature pour is the chaser that follows: a tart, refreshing ‘Lemonade.’ Hand-shaken by Louis Tomlinson (yes, that Louis—unless you’ve been hiding under a lemonade stand in Times Square) and co-crafted with longtime collaborators Theo Hutchcraft, David Sneddon, and Nicolas Rebscher, the trio behind much of Faith in the Future, it arrives as the very first taste of his upcoming How Did I Get Here? vintage, uncorking January 23rd.
Preparation Notes: a squeeze of cryptic posters, a twist of an at-home lemonade recipe, and a fizzy garnish of Louis himself, caught head-bopping to the beat. An initial reaction may cause mild puckering of the lips, followed quickly by a grin.
Pairings:
Lyrics – best served chilled, with a kick of candor.
Beat – shaken, not stirred; pairs well with long drives and late nights.
Vocals – golden and smooth, to be sipped slowly.
One Direction’s old brew is off tap—this is Louis’ fresh pour. Drink up.
The Zesty Words
Description: What began as lyrical teases—“symptom of coming to life” and “lucky charm”—on the ‘Lemonade’ website has fizzed into a quenching two-verse soirée. Louis takes us to Bridge City, a metaphor-laden stop many suspect nods to the music industry. A mysterious ‘she’ makes her appearance—possibly music personified, possibly a wink at girlfriend Zara McDermott—but either way, it’s the metaphors that steal the spotlight.
Flavor Notes: The first verse positions Louis as a lucky charm dangling for the big players, dazzled yet trapped by the flashing lights. The pre-chorus carries a nostalgic ‘Silver Tongues’ lilt, while the bridge hints at ‘High in California’ with its reality-check line: “Is it only human / To escape into delusion?” Tangy, layered, and undeniably sharp.
Recommended Sip: Roll the word “lemonade” around on your tongue—it bubbles up again and again, doubling in the chorus to create a paradox: sour but also refreshing. That’s the secret twist of this pour.
Rating: 🍋🍋🍋🍋 – A bold zest with a lingering aftertaste that keeps you coming back.
The Citrus Beat
Description: Produced by Nicolas Rebscher, ‘Lemonade’ stirs together a mirage of pop, indie-rock, and even house. From the jump, it feels like a bartender shaking it to life in a jigger—slow at first, then all-out fizz.
Flavor Notes: The beat begins with a couple of metallic shakes before sliding into high gear, morphing into a ‘70s groove of electric guitar and bass. A sly keyboard cameo adds its own subplot, buzzing like the “bright yellow spaceship” Louis sings of—hovering overhead, then zipping across the silky keys before blasting him away in a flash of cosmic sound effects. Fans of ‘Kill My Mind’ will recognize the scrappy rock energy, while the dreamy outro nods to the atmospheric layers of ‘Out of My System.’ And just when you think the glass is empty, a guitar solo pours in like the perfect garnish—sharp, smooth, and unmistakably Louis.
Image Source: Courtesy of Simon Jones PR
Recommended Sip: Crank the volume for the post-bridge—this is where the production goes full throttle, the kind of pour that makes you forget you’re still in your kitchen and not on a dance floor lit up in space.
Rating: 🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋 – A fizzy, groovy mix with just the right amount of bite.
The Smooth Sip
Description: Louis isn’t hiding the fact that he’s chasing a sweeter kind of fun. The chanty, repeated “Lemonade” hook feels like something you’d actually shout across a crowded bar—an ode to ordering another before the first one runs dry.
Flavor Notes: His vocals slip into an intoxicating whirl, with Nicolas, Theo, and David’s background harmonies fizzing around him like bubbles rising too fast in a glass, dizzying but irresistible. In the second chorus, words stretch with reverb, soaking the sound in a haze before the bridge strips it down: Louis’ voice drops several octaves, hushed and intimate, only to surge back up again with renewed zest. It’s a vocal cocktail somewhere between the singalong swagger of ‘Always You’ and the raw honesty of ‘Only the Brave’—both smooth and stinging in equal measure.
Recommended Sip: Close your eyes during the bridge and let the layered vocals wash over you—it’s the kind of pour that sneaks up slowly, then leaves a sharp kick right at the end.
Rating: 🍋🍋🍋🍋 – A smooth, heady sip that lingers long after the glass is empty.
‘Lemonade’ Allergies: Thinking you’re too cool to hit replay? Side effects include head-bopping, public lip-syncing, and an inability to quit—even if the aftertaste skews sour. Best served on repeat during happy hour, running now until the album drops…when the next round is on Louis.
Chef’s Notes: Got compliments for the kitchen? Share your favorite lyric with us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook—we’re always hungry for feedback (and might just belt it out during his Europe, UK, and North American tour next year 👀).
Liam Payne’s voice is the first one heard in the culture-shifting boy band One Direction’s debut single: “What Makes You Beautiful” launches into a bouncy guitar riff, a cheeky and borderline gratuitous cowbell and then, Payne.
LIAM PAYNE The former One Direction singer died Wednesday at age 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. What to know:
“You’re insecure, don’t know what for / You’re turning heads when you walk through the door,” he sings, in a few words assuring a cross-section of generations that he’s got your back, girl, and you should like yourself a little bit more.
Payne, who died Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at just 31, was also the last solo voice on the band’s final single, “History” — effectively opening and closing the monolithic run of one of the biggest boy bands of all time.
While the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear — Buenos Aires police said in a statement that Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room,” although they didn’t offer details on how they established that or whether it was intentional — in life, Payne was a critical part of the internet’s first boy band, one that secured an indelible place in the hearts of millennial and Gen Z fans.
How One Direction became the internet’s first boy band
Before One Direction became One Direction, its members auditioned for the U.K.’s “The X Factor” separately. The judges decided to put five promising, but not yet excellent, boys into a group. They were Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Payne, who together finished third in the 2010 competition.
As Rolling Stone contributing editor Rob Sheffield points out, it was an “unprecedented” way for a boy band to get their start.
A fan of former One Direction singer Liam places a photo of him on a tree outside the hotel where he was found dead after falling from a balcony the previous day in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
FILE – One Direction members, from left, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Liam Payne perform on NBC’s “Today” show, Nov. 13, 2012 in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
FILE – One Direction’s Niall Horan, from left, Harry Styles , Simon Cowell, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne present the Music Industry Trust Award to Simon Cowell at the Music Industry Trusts Award (MITS) in aid of charities Nordon Robbins and Brit Trust at the Grosvenor House Hotel, in London, Nov. 2, 2015. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP)
“They were sort of assigned to be together. And you don’t expect longevity out of that situation. Honestly, you don’t even expect one good pop record to come out of that situation,” he says. And yet, not only did it work, but One Direction essentially created “a new template for pop stardom, really.”
The show allowed Day 1 fans to follow their career before their official 2011 launch with “What Makes You Beautiful.” Nascent fans could use rising social media platforms like Twitter and Tumblr to find community, draw attention to the group and, in the earliest days, speak directly to the members.
“I honestly made a Twitter so that I could keep up with One Direction, and that’s how I made so many different friends,” says Gabrielle Kopera, 28, a fan from California who remembers the band hosting livestreams and chats. “Sometimes they would say something back and it was so much fun. I feel like that fan interaction doesn’t even happen anymore.”
That feeling of accessibility reinforced the group’s personality and relationship with fans, says Maura Johnston, a freelance music writer and Boston College adjunct instructor.
“The fact that they came up on this British TV show and they became this worldwide phenomenon, I don’t think that would have happened as acutely and as quickly and as immersive without social media, without Twitter or without people being able to mobilize around the globe,” she says.
One Direction and their fans
Millennial and Gen Z audiences practically grew up with One Direction, but the band was truly ubiquitous. That, Johnston says, is at least partially attributable to arriving in a very different media environment from today’s.
“It was a lot more focused,” she says of the early 2010s. “Algorithmic sorting of stuff hadn’t really taken hold. So, there was this broader, mass approach. … They were one of the last gasps of that mass phenomenon, that anyone of any age, even if they weren’t a fan, had to take notice to.”
But it takes more than omnipresence to cultivate a loyal fanbase. And there were myriad reasons why listeners were attracted to One Direction.
“They were five very different musical personalities, along with five very different personalities,” says Sheffield.
A girl reacts next to a makeshift althar for the deceased singer Liam Payne is pictured at Forum in Copenhagen, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
They broke the rules associated with traditional boy bands, too: “They co-wrote many of their songs. They didn’t do, you know, corny, choreographed steps on stage,” he said.
After the news of Payne’s death, Kopera says she “got so many messages from people I haven’t talked to in years reaching out because I think everyone kind of realized that it does feel like we just lost a family member.”
That sentiment was mirrored in the masses of fans who gathered Wednesday outside Buenos Aires’ Casa Sur Hotel, feeding a burgeoning makeshift memorial of flowers, candles and notes as police stood guard.
“I’ve always loved One Direction since I was little,” said Juana Relh, 18, outside Payne’s hotel. “To see that he died and that there will never be another reunion of the boys is unbelievable, it kills me.”
Liam Payne’s place in the band, and its legacy
Payne was a “brooding” older brother-type in One Direction, says Johnston. He also co-wrote many songs, especially in their later career — like the Fleetwood Mac-channeling “What A Feeling” and “Fireproof.”
“He was this grounding force in the band,” Johnston says.
In an Instagram tribute, Tomlinson called Payne “the most vital part of One Direction.”
“His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam,” he wrote.
“I always remember that he was the responsible and the sensible one of the group, and I feel like he wore his heart on his sleeve,” Kopera says.
Payne had recently been vocal about struggling with alcoholism, posting a YouTube video in July 2023 where he said he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment. Buenos Aires police said they found clonazepam — a central nervous system depressant — and other over-the-counter drugs in Payne’s hotel room, along with a whiskey bottle in the courtyard where he was found.
A memorial service for the deceased singer Liam Payne is pictured at Forum in Copenhagen, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
“Looking at what happened to Liam, it just makes you feel even more sad, that it just feels like he needed help,” Kopera says. “And it’s so scary to think about how the entertainment industry can just, like, eat up artists.”
After One Direction disbanded in 2016, Payne’s solo career — a single R&B-pop album in 2019, “LP1,” and a number of singles here and there — never took off the same way as some of his bandmates. He was “the least successful,” Sheffield says. “It’s safe to say that on the terms that he was going for, he didn’t really find what he wanted to do.”
“It’s hard, transitioning from being a boy bander to be a pop star,” Johnston says.
At Payne’s solo shows, Sheffield explains, “He would show a little montage of One Direction performing, which is the kind of thing you don’t do when you’re starting out as a solo artist. But fans took that in the spirit it was offered, which is a very generous statement that he’s like, ‘Yep, you’re here because of this history that we share, and I’m here because of that same history.’”
Despite Payne’s struggles and the tragedy of his death, Kopera is confident “his legacy is going to always point back to One Direction.”
For fans, the same is true.
“When I look back on One Direction, I’m like, that was my girlhood. One Direction was the soundtrack to growing up, and I’m so thankful for it,” she says. “They really were just a group of normal boys.”
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AP journalist Brooke Lefferts contributed to this report.
Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Harry Styles of One Direction have spoken out in reaction to the passing of Liam Payne. Additionally, the group has shared a joint statement.
Zayn Malik & Louis Tomlinson Pay Tribute To Liam Payne
On Thursday, October 17, Malik took to Instagram to share a throwback photo of himself and Payne. In the photo, Malik is seen resting on Payne’s lap as Payne places a hand over him. The pair appeared to be sleeping.
Additionally, Malik’s posts included a follow-up slide that featured a lengthy message he penned in tribute to his bandmate.
“Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives. I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life,” Malik wrote. “…Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f***s about telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times… I always secretly respected you for it.”
Malik explained that he “lost a brother” with Payne’s passing.
“…can’t explain what I’d give to just hug you one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly,” Malik wrote. “…there is no words to justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated…”
Read Zayn Malik’s full tribute to Liam Payne by swiping below.
Additionally, Louis Tomlinson took to Instagram around the same time to share his own tribute to Payne. Tomlinson’s post featured a photo of them standing alongside one another on stage.
“I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul… Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band. And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam,” Tomlinson wrote.
Before concluding, Tomlinson shared a message for Payne.
“A message to you Liam if you’re listening,” he wrote. “I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours , reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life. I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be…”
Read Tomlinson’s full tribute by clicking on his post below.
One Direction Releases A Joint Statement Followed By Harry Styles
Furthermore, the official Instagram account of One Direction — which also includes bandmates Harry Styles and Niall Horan — released an additional statement in response to Payne’s passing.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” the statement reads. “But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.”
The statement concluded by asserting that the group would treasure their memories with Liam “forever.”
“For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the ones who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly,” the statement added. “We love you Liam…”
Lastly, the statement was signed, “Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.”
About 30 minutes later, Harry Styles took to Instagram to share his own tribute to Payne. Furthermore, Styles shared a photo of Payne sitting on stage along with a lengthy message.
“I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing,” Styles wrote. “His greatest joy was making people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it… He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life…”
Read Style’s full tribute by swiping below.
More Details On The Passing Of Liam Payne
As The Shade Room previously reported, Liam Payne passed away on Wednesday, October 16. The 31-year-old reportedly fell from the third-floor balcony of CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Argentina.
On Thursday, October 17, authorities in Argentina released preliminary details about Payne’s passing, per The Shade Room. According to AP News, Pablo Policicchio, the communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, stated that Payne allegedly “jumped” from his balcony. However, a subsequent report published by US Weekly asserts that authorities have yet to determine whether his death was intentional or accidental.
Furthermore, the singer’s preliminary autopsy reportedly asserted he passed away from “internal and external hemorrhage.”
If you’ve been around for a hot second, you know our love for indie-rock giants Only The Poets. It has been an incredible few years for this exploding Reading UK band, from supporting so many incredible artists on tour, to massive EP releases, festivals, a monumental record label signing, and international headline tours. It’s been a priviledge to watch this generationally-talented band achieve their dreams, while staying true to themselves and their fans. Whether it’s an EP review, a single celebration, or just a general feral fangirling moment, we will always ‘JUMP!’ at the chance to show Only The Poets some THP love! And if you think we were excited to attend their One More Night Tour concert in Manchester, you know we broke our legs running to interview OTP before the gig!
We popped along to Gorilla Manchester to chat to frontman Tommy Longhurst, and as we settled in at the venue’s upstairs bar, Tommy’s black and silver in-ear monitors still hanging around his neck, the feeling of OTP family has never been more felt. You know how some people just have a way of making others feel at ease? Yeah, that’s Only The Poets. This was a bucket list interview for The Honey POP! We’d love to take the opportunity to thank the OTP team, and especially to Tommy Longhurst for such a heartwarming and open chat. With all that being said, check out our interview with Only The Poets’ Tommy Longhurst below, as we talked all things touring, One More Night and better on the internet EP’s, bowling skills (or lack of), mental health advocacy, fan appreciation, and what’s next for the future of Only The Poets!
Welcome to The Honey POP Tommy! We know you’ve just got back from Reading Festival and you have a packed day with soundchecks and a record signing before tonight’s show. We appreciate you sitting down with us to answer all of our burning questions! You’re absolutely welcome! All good mate, all good!
Image Source: Courtesy of Chuff Media
The final leg of the One More Night Tour is underway and it’s the end of this era, as you’ve been saying on your socials! What’s it meant to you and what have been your highlights so far? Wow, well firstly it’s definitely felt like the most special tour we’ve ever done. I think, with some of the venues we’ve played and I think we took a step up with like, the production, you know with the lights and everything. It’s an era that we’re really proud of and we’re very very excited about what’s to come. But yeah, I think, we’ll look back very fondly and miss this One More Night era. Because what I loved about this whole thing was when we decided to name the EP One More Night, that song is actually about looking back on time, at fond memories and being full of nostalgia, so it’s actually ended up becoming quite a full circle thing where like, actually, we will look back on this era very fondly, and it kinda represents what that song was about conceptually. It fell into place very naturally which is kind of why we thought it’d be good to name the tour after it. So yeah, it’s been a blast, it’s been an absolute blast. We’re very excited about tonight. We always have great shows in Manchester, and it’s sold out, so we’re very excited!
We’re gonna miss this era too! Awwwww!
One More Night is one of the best bodies of work we’ve heard in a long time, we’re obsessed with it, it’s impeccable. Which is your favourite song to perform? Hmmm, ‘All The Time?’ Probably? We actually haven’t… we actually didn’t play it on all of the tour. We’ve just started playing it for these UK shows and it’s been a breath of fresh air and I love it! And I think it’ll be a main stay for a while ‘cos it just feels quite unique and we don’t really have anything like it. And what’s been great about all those songs is like, at one point it [favorite song to play] was ‘One More Night,’ at one point it was ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend, and at one point it was ‘It’s Okay (Not To Be Okay),’ so it keeps changing, which is nice. Thank you for saying you love it!
It’s absolutely stunning! What about to listen to? What’s your fave to listen to, and do you listen to your own music? I think… I do, but when something’s out there, because we’re constantly listening to things we’ve written recently and we have to critique it when we’re doing mix notes and actually being in the studio, you hear the song for 10 hours straight *giggles*, so it can start becoming a bit mind-numbing. But certainly when it goes on Spotify, I’ll have a few blasts in my car and it’s a really proud moment. You know, every time you release something into the world it’s terrifying but equally exciting. So yeah, I do listen occassionally!
What’s your fave to listen to when you do? From the One More Night era? [THP: Yes, or any!] Ooh! I love ‘Crash!,’ always have done. It’s just a real… I think it’s underrated. I think it got slept on a bit! Not by the fans, the fans loved it. I mean, I think it’s just a really special tune that I love to play as well. [THP: “So justice for ‘Crash!’?] Yeah! And I’d say for the One More Night era, ‘One More Night’ the song feels like a real moment in the set and obviously naming the tour after it, yeah that feels special in it’s own right as well.
You just surprise dropped the Deluxe EP of One More Night! In fact, we planned these questions and had to come back and change it up because of the surprise drop! [Tommy: hahahaha, sorry! THP: Don’t be, we couldn’t think of a nicer reason to change the questions!]. The Deluxe EP features the previous vinyl exclusive ‘Black and Blue’ – a beautiful way to round off this era, and it’s bold to assume we can all handle an acoustic right now. What’s the story with ‘Black and Blue?‘ It’s all about kind of like, the feeling of moving on feeling so alien to you, because you’re so hurt by a previous relationship. I think it’s almost that idea that they probably think you’re doing okay but you’re not. It’s a real honest one, basically talking about how moving on isn’t easy. And the beautiful thing about music is it doesn’t necessarily need to be a romantic song. It’s all just about the breakdown of a relationship, like a lot of our songs are, navigating your way through love and loss and things like that. So yeah, I just think that reaction, the reaction of doing it on this whole run just made us think “we should give the fans this!” Because obviously everyone getting the physical product is amazing, and we wanted to give you a little nugget of something that’s a bit of a surprise and a bit of an exclusive, but it felt right to put that on [The Deluxe EP]. And obviously ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend – Acoustic’ is very different to the original song, so we sort of flipped it on its head. And ‘Gone By Now’ as well, fan favorite, we all love that tune, it worked really well acoustically, so we just wanted to give everyone a few more tunes before we cap of this end of an era.
You’re about to soundcheck with fans, and you’re doing games with those fans too, before tonight’s show. That to us just sums up the relationship you have with your fans. [Tommy: Yeah, it’s fun man!] As a fan owned and run publication, we strongly believe in the power of fans and clearly so does Only The Poets. What do your fans mean to you? Oh, they are the absolute sole reason why we get to do this. So, just constantly reminding them of that and just, I mean people talk to me, people who aren’t in music, they’re like “oh you’re so engaged with your fans,” and we’re like, but that’s how… we know no different! Like, for us, that’s what we absolutely want to do, show our appreciation. Because without them, there is no Only The Poets. You know, what the fans always say is “Oh you’ve really helped us,” but like, what a lot of them probably don’t realise is they actually have helped us way more. The power of music and bringing us all together is beautiful. All we want to do is keep this family building and let’s hope we can do it. Yeah, you know, we just have a really special relationship and we wouldn’t change it for the world. We think more people should be like this. Because I do think some people kind of forget that at times, like, we will never do that. And also, all of the artists we’ve supported have shown the same level of appreciation. It feels like there’s a running theme there, people that are successful but have this real honest relationship with their fan base. We think that’s really great.
They are the absolute sole reason why we get to do this. […] Without them, there is no Only The Poets. You know, what the fans always say is “Oh you’ve really helped us,” but like, what a lot of them probably don’t realise is they actually have helped us way more.
Tommy Longhurst on what Only The Poets’ fans mean to them
And to a degree, there’s also some shared fans between you and those artists too? Fans gravitate to artists and people who have that talent but also put out that energy and mutual respect. Totally! Like, Louis Tomlinson was in one of the biggest boy bands in the world, and is SO greatful to his fans. We just did some shows with Dom (YungBlud), and it’s just the same level of appreciation. You know, it’s not why we do it but it’s just interesting isn’t it, that you can see that and go “Ahh that’s part of your success is looking after the people and remembering who got you where you are.” [THP: And fans always remember that appreciation too, we hold that close. Tommy: Yeah, totally!]
Our One More Night bias is ‘It’s Okay (Not To Be Okay)’ which is rooted in a topic you’ve always been very open about discussing in your music, which is mental health. Why does it matter to Only The Poets to put that into the world? I think just, there was a phase when I was writing songs and I was having a bit of a bad time, and I like, kinda of was scared to be that open and honest in my songwriting. And we released ‘Waking In The Dark,’ which was a good while ago now, which is a similar kind of concept to that song. That moment and the way people took that song and told us that it was helping them, certainly suddenly I was like “this is how I need to be now, just be honest.” Because I’m an emotional guy, we all are, and we think like, we have a platform as artists to raise awareness for really important things. I think music is therapy to a lot of us. And songwriting for me, I was going through a rough time in that period, and I was like “I’m gonna write a song that I think people need to hear and want to hear.” It’s such a powerful moment in the set now, and I think it’s one of the proudest I’ve been of a tune. We always joke that ‘It’s Okay (Not To Be Okay)’ is the evolution to ‘Waking In The Dark.’ I think ‘Waking In The Dark’ is beautiful and I love it, but like, with ‘It’s Okay,’ we call it ‘Waking In The Dark’s’ big brother!
What relationship is it to ‘No More Lonely’ then? Oooh I don’t know about that, that’s going way back!
You just dropped the better on the internet EP, which really feels like a gift between the fans and you. [Tommy: That’s exactly what it was!] What’s the story with this EP and were any of them debated to go on the One More Night EP? Yes! They were! What it was, I can’t say too much because I want to keep it all a surprise, but we all sat down and were like, we want to do things differently moving forward, like sonically, musically, lyrically and everything. And we were like, we have all of these great songs, there was like 50 of them on a hard drive, and Marcus and Clem have worked on loads of them. So us and our manager were like, to cap this era off let’s just give the fans four songs out of nowhere. Everyone went crazy which we knew would happen! I loved it because we’ve never done a release like that. Just seeing the reaction. Those four songs were top of the list and I’m so glad that we did it, because we’re playing some of them now. We did Reading Festival yesterday and played it, and they feel like a bit of a step up, even these four. So we’re really striving to bigger and better things now. It just felt like they deserved to be out there!
Stream better on the internet, here, right now. Go!
Okay, so with Better On The Internet already feeling like a step up, is this EP maybe a hint of things to come? Actually…. no, not really! Hahahahahaha! That’s the beautiful and interesting thing. And you probably thought I was about to go “Yeah!” but actually no! There’s a bit of an evolution there already, and maybe there’s dribs and drabs of it but certainly, it is about capping off this era. There’s some tunes in there, like ‘Indigo’ could have really lived on that body of work [One More Night EP], it’s like an indie tune. I love those four songs a lot and the reaction’s been amazing.
You’ve alluded quite excitingly (and stressfully), to the fact that things are about to change. Without saying anything you shouldn’t, please keep any secrets you need to keep… but what can you tell us about what’s next to come for Only The Poets? We’re just thinking bigger! We’re thinking just, trying to not put us in any genre boxes. We’re being way more open with our songwriting and the production, and the shows are gonna be different. We just wanna like switch things up, is what i’m gonna say. And I’m really bad at giving things away, so I’m gonna have to stop talking! I’ll trip over myself!
The Honey POP and Only The Poets’ Tommy Longhurst. Image Source: The Honey POP
Okay, quick fire round, first answers only, let’s go!
You’ve got to call a band member, but if they answer the call, you lose £10k. Who are you calling? Clem. Most competitive? Me. Who is most likely to be late to rehearsal? Andrew. Best post-show food? Who cooks the best, or what is the best? Oh, we have wraps. We like making little wraps, chicken and salad wraps. Lovely! Who is the best bowler? Andrew. Who is the worst bowler? Clem. If you had to swap places with anyone else on stage for the night, who are you swapping with? Marcus. And lastly…. This is never just band and fan, this is…… Errr…. Family?…… Can I say it? [THP: Yeah!] This is f**king family! Waheyyyy!
Errr…. Family?…… Can I say it? This is f**king family! Waheyyyy!
Tommy Longhurst
Show Time!
After our goodbyes and the obligatory selfie and hug, came show time! And what a show it was! Opening support act, scottish singer-songwriter Kerr Mercer brought all of the feels with his delectably rich vocals and moody reflective lyrics. We were also treated to a surprising cover of Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Please, Please, Please,’ which got the crowd belting the chrous (in several interesting pitches…). A well needed and placed vocal warm-up prior to screaming along to OTP’s set! Mercer owned his opening-spot as a rising star, and with upcoming music releases planned, we’re excited to see what this young talent does next, including his headline gig in Manchester, in October!
Then came the main event, and as the red lights filled the stage and air as Only The Poets took to the stage, the vocalised support of their dedicated crowd roarered and ripped through the room. In fact, if this gig was a recipe, its ingredients would just say “Red Bull, tears and gravel.” The energy and emotion of Only The Poets’ music and lyrics, coupled with the concert production, insane instrumental talents of Marcus, Clem, Andrew (Roo), and Tommy, and their rock-fuelled vocals, had us jumping in the air and falling to our knees. A fitting reaction to what Tommy would later call “one of our favourite headline shows ever!”
If this gig was a recipe, its ingredients would just say “Red Bull, tears and gravel.” The energy and emotion of Only The Poets’ music and lyrics, coupled with the concert production, insane instrumental talents and rock-fuelled vocals, had us jumping in the air and falling to our knees.
The Honey POP! on Only The Poets’ One More Night Tour, Manchester UK
Highlights of the night included the straight-out-of-the-gates opening ceiling raiser ‘Crash,’ which set the energy level for the entire night; and the stripped-back and sob-inducing ‘Black and Blue’ which saw Tommy and Clem leave the stage with nothing but an acoustic guitar, a microphone, and a dream; and join fans on the GA floor for a stunning performance surrounded by the love and warmth of fans and the star-freckled glow of their torches. An instrumental interval before our beloved ‘Even Hell’ saw Marcus, Roo and Clem shine with their respective instuments as they jammed around Marcus’ drumkit for a shining moment of their collective foundation of OTP’s sound. ‘All This Time’ delivered tenfold as a previously discussed “breath of fresh air,” and the sold-out audience matched Tommy’s vocal as if years of school assemblies had finally come into use!
Our first live experience of One More Night‘s title track left no question mark over the merit of this song’s position and weight on the EP, with it’s euphoric live sound and mirroring of our feelings of never wanting the night to end. Our own personal bias, ‘It’s Okay (Not To Be Okay)’ made certain there wasn’t a dry eye at THP or across the venue, and gave us everything we hoped for from this emotional reset of a tune.
Through every up-tempo number, Tommy’s hip-action left nothing behind as he bopped around the stage like Manager Sam had put new batteries in him. These weren’t the only times Tommy left fans squealing though – as previously alluded to during our chat, OTP sent fans into a tail spin as they shared that future new music was going to “flip Only The Poets on it’s f**king head,” which ensured the entire room lost its final collective braincell.
The last song before the encore served as instruction, as the crowd moved as one for the crescendo of the bouncy sweat-dripping demands of ‘JUMP!’ And of course, our babies ‘Ceasefire’ with its swaying twinkle of crowd torches, and ‘Emotional’ with its nostalgia, mosh pit and euphoria; ended our night in the perfect flavour of Only The Poets. An incredible night of OTP family unity came to an end as fans filed out of Gorilla Manchester with smiles, memories and ringing ears. Chants of “One More Night,” declared that the love and pride in Only The Poets is only going from strength to strength. We’ve been to many an Only The Poets gig, and we couldn’t agree more with the band, as we close this coverage of the One More Night tour and interview… it was our favourite OTP headline show ever too, and this certainly is… “Errr, family?”
Worried you’re going to miss them too much? You can still score tickets for One More Night in Bratislava, or tickets for the One More Fright Halloween show, in Rotterdam on October 30th!
Do you want even more Only The Poets reviews, news and general feral stanning? We’ve got you! Check out our ever growing OTP coverage, here!
Did you attend the One More Night Tour? Are you ready for the new era of Only The Poets? Do you want that chicken salad wrap recipe? Tell us it all on X at @thehoneypop or by visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.
Louis Tomlinson says One Direction’s split left him “mortified”.
Opening up about the breakup in 2015, the musician said it took time for him to process the event.
“When One Direction split up, I was mortified, I was absolutely gutted,” he recalled to The Times. “I was a bit bitter, I suppose because it just felt like another loss to me. But I’ve a better understanding of things now, and there’s not as much anger. It is what it is.”
The band was comprised of himself, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Liam Payne, and was originally formed on the U.K. competition show “The X Factor” by judge Simon Cowell in 2010.
They were an immediate smash hit, becoming a global sensation overnight.
In 2015, it came crashing to a halt, however, when the band announced they were going on hiatus. The following year, Tomlinson’s mother Johannah Deakin died from leukemia. Two years later, his 18-year-old sister Félicité died from overdose.
While the 31-year-old wasn’t sure if he was at a point where he could meet his bandmates again, he said he could see a reunion in the future.
“Getting back together at some point is hard to imagine right now,” he continued. “But I’d be surprised if we lived out our lives and didn’t have a moment where we had a reunion, or whatever you want to call it. I’d be up for that.”
He added, “I do miss the boys and I do definitely miss being one of the five, but I like doing my own thing too. It was time.”
After leaving the group, like many of his former coworkers, Tomlinson has embarked on a successful solo career as a musician. He’s released two solo albums, 2020’s Walls and 2022’s Faith in the Future, the latter of which hit no. 1 in the U.K. and no. 5 in the U.S.
Still, he couldn’t help but compare himself to Styles, who recently won two Grammys and a Brit award.
“Well, it’s not a surprise is it?” Tomlinson said. “We were always aware that Harry fit that mold, and it’s been an amazing thing to watch. Envy? At the start maybe, when I was trying to find my feet, but it’s never healthy to cross-reference your own success with others is it?”
Reflecting on his own self-worth and success, he added, “These days I’m learning to elevate myself in those moments when I have to. I didn’t know how to do that before, but now? Now I know I f—king can.”
Friday, Nov. 11 marks the arrival of Louis Tomlinson’s second studio album, Faith in the Future.
In a new interview with ET Canada’s Morgan Hoffman, Tomlinson discusses how his sophomore LP is reflective of his own personal growth in recent years.
“This album, it just carries a slightly different… it makes me cringe saying this but like a slightly different maturity to the lyrics. I don’t think I would have been able to write this album five years ago,” he explained.
“I’ve kind of been working up to this part really, and working up to this kind of feeling because now I’ve got a full tour under my belt and I’m really, really confident about the music that I’m making,” he added. “I think, you know, it kind of honours me as an artist, so I feel really good. You know, it’s it’s a really good time for me and I’m excited about what comes next.”
While One Direction may have gone their separate ways, Tomlinson revealed that he and the other 1D members keep in touch, supporting each other’s various solo projects.
“We’re brothers. We experienced so much together. So I think it’s important we do that for each other,” he shared.
“There’s so many different singles, we’d be texting each other every other week,” he added. “Normally around the album, that’s when I normally make sure to try and text the lads and I’m sure they’ll do the same.”
