Louis Tomlinson reveals One Direction is closer since Liam Payne’s passing, talks about BTS taking their records

"Naturally, there is a closeness, it definitely feels closer than it was,” Tomlinson said of One Direction

Louis Tomlinson is opening up about life after One Direction, from the impact of Liam Payne’s death on the band’s bond to watching global sensations BTS break records once held by 1D.

In an new interview with Billboard ahead of his upcoming solo album release How Did I Get Here?, the 34‑year‑old singer reflected on how time and tragedy have changed both his personal perspective and the music landscape.

Speaking about how the surviving members of One Direction, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and himself, relate to each other in the wake of Payne’s tragic death in October 2024, Tomlinson said the group feels a renewed closeness.

"Naturally, there is a closeness, it definitely feels closer than it was,” he said, while also acknowledging that their busy schedules make it hard to stay consistently connected. “It also depends person to person. Like, Niall, and hopefully he’d say the same about me, we could not exchange a text in a whole year and then go for a beer and literally be chatting nonstop.”

Tomlinson’s thoughts came amid reflective conversations about the band’s legacy and his own path forward. He also addressed the rise of BTS, the South Korean group that has dominated global charts and captured massive international attention.

Tomlinson admitted that there were moments when it seemed like BTS was surpassing records once associated with One Direction’s heyday, recalling that “every time I logged into Twitter, they had just taken one of our records for something, some fastest selling thing, and they’d take it away!”

He described that experience as “just a bit of a shame,” while stressing that he doesn’t resent BTS for their success. “But I don’t begrudge them that, that’s the nature of the music industry, it keeps moving,” Tomlinson said, highlighting that the pop world is always evolving and records are always being challenged.

Despite the shifting tides of pop superstardom, Tomlinson remains convinced that there hasn’t truly been anything like the One Direction phenomenon in recent years.

He explained that the group stood out in part because they broke away from the traditional boy‑band mold, no synchronized dancing or matching outfits, and instead let their personalities shine, helping them connect with a massive global fanbase.

Tomlinson’s reflections come as he prepares to release How Did I Get Here? on January 23, an album he has said is shaped in part by the ups and downs of his journey since One Direction’s hiatus and the profound personal loss of his former bandmate.