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, best known as a member of the boy band One Direction. He auditioned for The X Factor in 2010 as a solo artist but was grouped with four other contestants to form One Direction. The band went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands in history. Since One Direction's hiatus, Tomlinson has pursued a solo career.
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: Formation of One Direction on X Factor
In July 2010, Louis Tomlinson failed to progress to the "Boys" category at The X Factor bootcamp. However, he was grouped with Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Harry Styles to form One Direction, qualifying for the "Groups" category.
2010: Auditioned for The X Factor
In 2010, Louis Tomlinson auditioned as a solo artist for the British singing competition The X Factor. He and four other contestants were later grouped together to form the band One Direction.
2010: Philanthropic Involvement
Since 2010, Louis Tomlinson has been involved in philanthropy, donating millions of pounds 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", which reached number one in the UK.
September 2013: Debut Announcement and Injury
In September 2013, Louis Tomlinson's debut for Doncaster's Reserve team was announced, and he also played for Celtic in a charity match where he was injured following a tackle by Gabriel Agbonlahor, forcing him to pull out of the Scunthorpe match.
November 2013: Release of 'Midnight Memories'
On November 25, 2013, One Direction released their third studio album, Midnight Memories, which became the best-selling album worldwide in 2013.
2013: Signing with Doncaster Rovers
In 2013, after playing in a charity game, Louis Tomlinson was offered a deal by professional football club Doncaster Rovers to join the club on non-contract terms, working around his music commitments with One Direction. He was given the squad number 28 for the 2013–14 season.
February 2014: Debut for Doncaster's Reserve Side
In February 2014, Louis Tomlinson made his debut for Doncaster's reserve side as a substitute in a 0–0 game against Rotherham United, a charity match for Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice.
April 2014: Beginning of the Where We Are Tour
In April 2014, One Direction began their third headlining concert tour, the Where We Are Tour, which was their first all-stadium tour.
May 2014: Participation in Niall Horan's Charity Football Challenge
In May 2014, Louis Tomlinson participated in bandmate Niall Horan's Charity Football Challenge at the King Power Stadium.
June 2014: Joint-Ownership of Doncaster Rovers
On June 19, 2014, Louis Tomlinson and former chairman John Ryan confirmed they had taken over as joint-owners of Doncaster Rovers, although the takeover later fell through.
September 2014: Participation in MAESTRIO Charity Match
On September 7, 2014, Louis Tomlinson returned to Celtic Park to take part in the MAESTRIO Charity Match, playing for Rio Ferdinand's All-Stars.
November 2014: Release of 'Four'
In November 2014, One Direction's fourth album, Four, was released, marking the last album to feature Zayn Malik.
November 2015: Release of 'Made in the A.M.'
In November 2015, One Direction released their fifth album, Made in the A.M., which reached number one in multiple countries.
2015: X Factor and America's Got Talent Appearances
In 2015, Louis Tomlinson assisted Simon Cowell on The X Factor during the judges' houses stage. He also featured as a guest judge on America's Got Talent.
2015: Creation of Triple Strings Ltd
In 2015, Louis Tomlinson created his own record label, Triple Strings Ltd, as an imprint of his then label Syco Music and held auditions in 2015 to create a girl band.
April 2016: Joining Soccer Aid 2016 Star Line-Up
In April 2016, Louis Tomlinson was announced to be joining the Soccer Aid 2016 star line-up, a biennial fundraiser for UNICEF.
June 2016: Playing in Soccer Aid 2016
On June 5, 2016, Louis Tomlinson played for the England squad in Soccer Aid 2016, a biennial fundraiser for UNICEF, against his bandmate Niall Horan.
December 2016: Release of "Just Hold On"
In December 2016, Louis Tomlinson released his debut solo single "Just Hold On" with Steve Aoki, which peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and was certified platinum in the UK.
December 2016: X Factor Performance and "Just Hold On" Release
On December 10, 2016, Louis Tomlinson and Steve Aoki performed "Just Hold On" live on The X Factor final. His mother died a few days prior, and he dedicated the song to her, considering it the hardest moment of his life. The single debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
2016: One Direction Hiatus and Family Guy Appearance
In 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus to pursue individual projects. Also in 2016, Tomlinson voiced himself in a Family Guy episode titled "Run, Chris, Run".
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. The song peaked at No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart.
December 2017: Release of 'Miss You'
In December 2017, Louis Tomlinson released his second solo single "Miss You", which peaked at No. 39 on the UK Charts.
2017: Confirmation of Girl Band Project
In 2017, Louis Tomlinson confirmed that he was working with Simon Cowell to create a girl band.
2017: Charity Single for Grenfell Tower Victims
In 2017, Louis Tomlinson was featured in a charity single fundraising for victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
July 2018: Tomlinson Becomes an X Factor Judge
In July 2018, Louis Tomlinson was announced as a judge on the fifteenth series of The X Factor, alongside Simon Cowell, Robbie Williams, and Ayda Field. He mentored the "Boys" category.
2018: Tomlinson Becomes X Factor Judge
In 2018, Louis Tomlinson appeared on the fifteenth series of The X Factor as a judge and mentor for the "Boys" category.
February 2019: Signs with Arista Records
In February 2019, Louis Tomlinson signed with the newly-relaunched Arista Records.
October 2019: Release of 'We Made It' and Album/Tour Announcement
In October 2019, Louis Tomlinson released "We Made It", the third single from his upcoming album. He also announced the Louis Tomlinson World Tour and the title of his debut album, Walls.
June 2020: Support for Black Lives Matter
In June 2020, Louis Tomlinson shared donation links, made donations, and voiced his support for the Black Lives Matter movement and attended the George Floyd protests in London.
July 2020: Departure from Syco Music
In July 2020, Louis Tomlinson announced his departure from Syco Music and the beginning of writing his next album.
December 2020: Live From London Digital Concert
On December 12, 2020, Louis Tomlinson held a digital concert, Live From London, which sold over 160,000 tickets and broke the Guinness World Record as the most livestreamed concert for a male solo artist of the year. The proceeds benefited various charities.
May 2021: Signs 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 Free Performance
In July 2021, Louis Tomlinson announced that he would perform for free to celebrate the return of live music after the shutdown due to the COVID pandemic.
August 2021: First Away From Home Festival
On August 30, 2021, the first edition of Louis Tomlinson's Away From Home Festival took place at Crystal Palace Bowl, London, featuring bands like The Snuts and Bilk.
2021: Interest in Musical Management Company
In 2021, after leaving Syco Music, Louis Tomlinson expressed interest in starting his own musical management company and owning a record label, noting that Triple Strings Ltd did not fulfill his aim of nurturing artists.
February 2022: Resumption of Louis Tomlinson World Tour
In February 2022, Louis Tomlinson resumed his Louis Tomlinson World Tour in Dallas, after postponing dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour concluded in September of that year.
August 2022: Second Away From Home Festival
On August 30, 2022, the second annual edition of Louis Tomlinson's Away From Home Festival took place at Marenostrum Music Castle Park in Málaga on Costa del Sol, featuring artists such as The Vaccines, Sun Room, STONE and Voodoos and attracted 17 thousand fans.
November 2022: Release of 'Faith in the Future' Album
In November 2022, Louis Tomlinson's second album, Faith in the Future, was released and debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 5 on the US Billboard Charts.
December 2022: Triple Strings Ltd Remains Dormant
As of December 2022, Louis Tomlinson's record label Triple Strings Ltd remained a dormant company.
March 2023: Documentary "All of Those Voices" Released
In March 2023, Louis Tomlinson's documentary "All of Those Voices", directed by Charlie Lightening, was released in limited theaters, chronicling his transition from One Direction to a solo artist.
May 2023: Faith in the Future World Tour Begins
In May 2023, Louis Tomlinson commenced his Faith in the Future World Tour, earning critical acclaim and a Rolling Stone UK Awards nomination for Best Live Act. His documentary film, All of Those Voices (2022), also received positive reviews.
May 2023: Faith in the Future World Tour Commences in North America
In May 2023, Louis Tomlinson's second world tour, the Faith in the Future World Tour, began in North America.
August 2023: Launch of Streetwear Brand "28"
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, curated by Louis Tomlinson, took place in Camaiore, Italy, supported by 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.
October 2023: "All of Those Voices" Streaming Release
In October 2023, Louis Tomlinson's documentary "All of Those Voices" became available for streaming on Paramount+.
November 2023: Nomination for the Live Act Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards
In November 2023, shortly after performing in The O2 Arena, Louis Tomlinson was nominated for the Live Act Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards.
2023: Investment in Andrew Cushin's Debut Album
In 2023, Louis Tomlinson, under 78 Productions, co-invested in English singer Andrew Cushin's debut album Waiting for the Rain with Strap Originals.
April 2024: Surprise Album "Live" Released
In April 2024, Louis Tomlinson released his surprise album "Live", featuring live performances from his Louis Tomlinson World Tour and Faith in the Future World Tour. The album includes recordings from 15 different shows in 15 cities.
2024: Headline Show at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
During the Latin America leg of the Faith in the Future World Tour in 2024, Louis Tomlinson became the first male solo artist to headline Mexico City's Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and held a charity livestream of the event titled For Every Question Why.
2024: Faith in the Future World Tour Continues
In 2024, Louis Tomlinson continued his Faith in the Future World Tour, performing in Asia, Australia, and Latin America.
July 2025: Completion of "How Did I Get Here?"
In July 2025, Louis Tomlinson's third album, titled How Did I Get Here?, was completed.
September 2025: "Lemonade" Released as Lead Single
On September 30, 2025, Louis Tomlinson released "Lemonade" as the lead single from his upcoming third studio album, How Did I Get Here?
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?"
Louis Tomlinson's album, titled How Did I Get Here?, is set to be released on January 23, 2026.
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