Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Louis Tomlinson
Discover the career path of Louis Tomlinson, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Louis Tomlinson is an English singer-songwriter, known for being a member of the globally successful boy band One Direction. Originating from Doncaster, England, he rose to fame after auditioning for The X Factor in 2010. During the competition, he was grouped with other contestants to form One Direction, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands. Since One Direction's hiatus, Tomlinson has continued his career as a solo artist.
2008: Notable Achievement
One Direction became the first group since 2008 to record two number-one albums in the same year.
2009: First X Factor Audition
In 2009, Louis Tomlinson auditioned for The X Factor but did not progress past the producer's audition.
July 2010: X Factor Bootcamp and One Direction Formation
In July 2010, at Wembley Arena, London, Louis Tomlinson didn't progress to the "Boys" category on The X Factor but was grouped with Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Harry Styles to form One Direction.
2010: The X Factor Audition
In 2010, Louis Tomlinson auditioned for The X Factor as a solo artist, leading to the formation of One Direction with four other contestants.
2010: Philanthropic Involvement
Since 2010, Louis Tomlinson has been involved in philanthropy, donating millions to charities and participating in causes such as Soccer Aid.
September 2011: Release of "What Makes You Beautiful"
In September 2011, One Direction released their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful," achieving global success.
September 2012: Release of "Live While We're Young"
In September 2012, One Direction released "Live While We're Young", the lead single from their second album.
November 2013: Release of Midnight Memories
On November 2013, One Direction released their third studio album, Midnight Memories, which became the best-selling album worldwide in 2013.
2013: Joins Doncaster Rovers
In 2013, after impressing Doncaster Rovers in a charity game, Louis Tomlinson, a lifelong fan, was invited to join the professional football club on non-contract terms and was part of the club's reserve team. He was given squad number 28 for the 2013-14 season.
February 2014: Doncaster Reserve Debut
On February 26, 2014, Louis Tomlinson made his rescheduled debut for Doncaster's reserve side in the Central League, coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 game against Rotherham United. The charity match in aid of Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice sold more than 4,000 tickets.
April 2014: Beginning of the Where We Are Tour
In April 2014, One Direction began their first all-stadium tour, the Where We Are Tour, with high ticket demand and significant gross earnings.
May 2014: Charity Football Match
On May 26, 2014, Louis Tomlinson participated in a charity football match hosted by his bandmate Niall Horan at the King Power Stadium.
June 2014: Takeover Attempt of Doncaster Rovers
On June 19, 2014, Louis Tomlinson and former chairman John Ryan announced their plan to become joint-owners of Doncaster Rovers.
September 2014: Participation in MAESTRIO Charity Match
On September 7, 2014, Louis Tomlinson returned to Celtic Park to play in the MAESTRIO Charity Match, playing for Rio Ferdinand's All-Stars, benefiting several charities, including UNICEF.
November 2014: Release of Four
In November 2014, One Direction released their fourth album, Four, which was the last album to feature Zayn Malik and became the second-largest debut of the year in the United States.
November 2015: Release of Made in the A.M.
In November 2015, One Direction's fifth album, Made in the A.M., was released, reaching number one in multiple countries.
2015: Appearance on The X Factor
In 2015, Louis Tomlinson assisted Simon Cowell during the judges' houses stage on The X Factor and expressed interest in becoming a permanent judge.
2015: Creation of Triple Strings Ltd
In 2015, Louis Tomlinson created his own record label, Triple Strings Ltd, as an imprint of Syco Music. He also worked with Simon Cowell on forming a girl band and held auditions.
April 2016: Soccer Aid 2016 Announcement
In April 2016, Louis Tomlinson was announced as part of the Soccer Aid 2016 star line-up, a fundraiser for UNICEF.
June 2016: Soccer Aid 2016 Participation
On June 5, 2016, Louis Tomlinson played for the England squad in Soccer Aid 2016 against his bandmate Niall Horan who appeared for the Rest of the World team.
December 2016: Release of "Just Hold On"
In December 2016, Louis Tomlinson released "Just Hold On" with Steve Aoki as his debut solo single, which reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and was certified platinum.
December 2016: Release and Performance of "Just Hold On"
On 10 December 2016, Louis Tomlinson released his debut single "Just Hold On" with Steve Aoki and performed it live on The X Factor on the same day, following his mother's death, which he dedicated the song to.
2016: One Direction's Hiatus
In 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus to pursue individual projects, causing Louis Tomlinson to feel "mortified."
July 2017: Release of "Back to You"
In July 2017, Louis Tomlinson released the single "Back to You" featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals, with the music video filmed in Doncaster.
October 2017: Release of "Just Like You"
In October 2017, Louis Tomlinson released the promotional single "Just Like You".
December 2017: Release of "Miss You"
In December 2017, Louis Tomlinson released his second solo single "Miss You" which peaked at number 39 on the UK Charts.
2017: Confirmation of Girl Band Plans
In 2017, Louis Tomlinson confirmed to Noisey that he was working with Simon Cowell to create a girl band through his record label, Triple Strings Ltd.
2017: Releases and Recognition
In 2017, Louis Tomlinson released "Back to You" with Bebe Rexha and "Miss You". He was also listed as one of the most influential people in the UK by Debrett's.
2017: Charity Single for Grenfell Tower Victims
In 2017, Louis Tomlinson was featured in a charity single to raise funds for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
July 2018: Joining The X Factor as a Judge
In July 2018, Louis Tomlinson was announced as a judge on the fifteenth series of The X Factor, mentoring the "Boys" category.
2018: The X Factor Judge Role
In 2018, Louis Tomlinson became a judge and mentor for the "Boys" category on the fifteenth series of The X Factor.
February 2019: Signing with Arista Records
In February 2019, Louis Tomlinson signed with the newly-relaunched Arista Records.
March 2019: Release of "Two of Us"
On 7 March 2019, Louis Tomlinson released "Two of Us", his first release under Arista Records and a tribute to his mother.
September 2019: Release of "Kill My Mind"
In September 2019, Louis Tomlinson released "Kill My Mind", described as a 90s-inspired indie pop record, along with its music video directed by Charlie Lightening.
October 2019: Release of "We Made It" and Album Announcement
On 23 October 2019, Louis Tomlinson released "We Made It" and announced his debut album Walls, scheduled for release on 31 January 2020, along with a world tour.
January 2020: Releases of "Walls" Singles
In January 2020, Louis Tomlinson released "Walls", the fifth and final single from his debut album; the music video was shot in Morocco.
January 2020: Release of Walls and Chart Performance
On 31 January 2020, Louis Tomlinson's album Walls was released, debuting at number 4 in the UK and number 9 on the Billboard 200 chart.
June 2020: Support for Black Lives Matter and Attendance at Protests
In June 2020, Louis Tomlinson voiced his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, shared donation links, and attended the George Floyd protests in London with Eleanor Calder.
July 2020: Parting Ways with Syco Music
In July 2020, Louis Tomlinson announced his departure from Syco Music and that he had begun writing his next album.
December 2020: Live From London Concert
On 12 December 2020, Louis Tomlinson held a digital concert Live From London, which broke the Guinness World Record for the most livestreamed concert for a male solo artist, with proceeds going to various charities.
May 2021: Signing with BMG
In May 2021, Louis Tomlinson announced that he had signed a global deal with BMG to release his second album.
July 2021: Announcement of Away From Home Festival
In July 2021, Louis Tomlinson announced the creation of the Away From Home Festival and his intention to perform for free to celebrate the return of live music after the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
August 2021: First Away From Home Festival
On August 30, 2021, the first edition of the Away From Home Festival took place at Crystal Palace Bowl in London, featuring bands such as The Snuts and Bilk.
2021: Interest in Music Management Company
In 2021, having left Syco Music, Louis Tomlinson expressed interest in starting his own musical management company and owning a record label, feeling Triple Strings Ltd did not fulfill his aim of nurturing prospective artists.
February 2022: Resumption of World Tour
In February 2022, Louis Tomlinson resumed his postponed Louis Tomlinson World Tour in Dallas, concluding it in September of that year.
August 2022: Album Leak and Announcement
In August 2022, tracks from Louis Tomlinson's then-upcoming album were leaked, and he announced the release date of Faith in the Future as 11 November 2022.
August 2022: Second Away From Home Festival
On August 30, 2022, the second annual Away From Home Festival was held at Marenostrum Music Castle Park in Málaga, featuring artists like The Vaccines, Sun Room, STONE, and Voodoos, attracting 17,000 attendees and receiving positive reviews.
November 2022: Release of Faith in the Future
In November 2022, Louis Tomlinson released his album Faith in the Future, which debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart and number 5 on the Billboard 200 in the US.
December 2022: Status of Triple Strings Ltd.
As of December 2022, Triple Strings Ltd, Louis Tomlinson's record label, remained a dormant company.
March 2023: Release of "All of Those Voices" documentary
In March 2023, Louis Tomlinson's documentary, "All of Those Voices", which chronicles his journey from One Direction to solo artist, was released in limited theaters. The documentary was directed by Charlie Lightening.
May 2023: Faith in the Future World Tour Commencement
In May 2023, Louis Tomlinson began his Faith in the Future World Tour, which was critically acclaimed and nominated for Best Live Act by Rolling Stone UK.
August 2023: Launch of "28" Streetwear Brand
In August 2023, Louis Tomlinson launched his streetwear brand "28", incorporating the White Rose of York into its branding.
August 2023: Third Away From Home Festival
On August 19, 2023, the third Away From Home Festival took place in Camaiore, Italy, supported by artists such as Blossoms, The Cribs, Andrew Cushin, and HotWax.
August 2023: Launch of "28" Clothing Line
On August 28, 2023, Louis Tomlinson officially launched his "28" streetwear-inspired unisex clothing line, also referred to as 28 Clothing and 28 Official Programme (28OP). He described it as fulfilling a creative itch.
October 2023: "All of Those Voices" on Paramount+
In October 2023, the documentary film "All of Those Voices" became available for streaming on Paramount+.
2023: Co-investment in Andrew Cushin's Album
In 2023, Louis Tomlinson, through his production company 78 Productions, co-invested in "Waiting for the Rain", the debut album by Andrew Cushin, who had supported the North America and Europe legs of Tomlinson's Faith in the Future World Tour. 78 Productions also produced Tomlinson's documentary film All of Those Voices in 2023.
April 2024: Release of 'Live' Album
In April 2024, Louis Tomlinson released his surprise album 'Live', which featured live recordings from 15 shows across 15 cities from both the Louis Tomlinson World Tour and Faith in the Future World Tour.
2024: Faith in the Future World Tour Performances
In 2024, Louis Tomlinson continued performing in Asia, Australia, and Latin America as part of the Faith in the Future World Tour.
2024: Headline Performance in Mexico City
In 2024, during the Latin America leg of the Faith in the Future World Tour, Louis Tomlinson became the first male solo artist to headline Mexico City's Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. He held a charity livestream of the event, the proceeds of which went to War Child UK.
September 2025: Release of "Lemonade"
On September 30, 2025, Louis Tomlinson released "Lemonade" as the lead single from his upcoming third studio album, How Did I Get Here?.
October 2025: Fifth Away From Home Festival
In October 2025, Louis Tomlinson hosted and performed at the annual Away From Home Festival, held in Cooperstown, New York.
October 2025: Netflix Documentary with Zayn Malik
In October 2025, it was announced that Louis Tomlinson and former band member Zayn Malik will star in a documentary series distributed by Netflix, produced by Campfire Studios, and directed by Nicola Marsh. The series, expected to premiere in 2026, will follow their road trip and discussions about life, loss, and fatherhood.
2025: Participation in Soccer Aid 2025
Louis Tomlinson participated in the 2025 season of Soccer Aid.
January 2026: Release of "How Did I Get Here?"
On January 23, 2026, Louis Tomlinson's third studio album, How Did I Get Here?, is set to be released.
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