Though One Direction (1D) remains extremely popular, it seems their name may no longer be correct.
All roads lead to The X Factor
Before the band started, its name already fit its members well. All five – Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall and Zayn – were competing in 2010’s season of The X Factor. All five were also cut from the TV talent show before reaching the finals. However, in a surprise move, the program’s judges decided to group them together. The band took only third place but was immediately offered around a 2 million pound record deal.
Going up
One Direction did not perform like second runners-up, but like champions. Their first single “What Makes You Beautiful” topped U.K. charts in 2011. Up All Night, their first album, was a bestseller in both Great Britain and the United States. They sold out their first tour in minutes and developed their own product lines. By 2012 they were performing at the London Olympics. |