The Year in Music 2016 — One Direction Continues Moving in Different Directions

December 30, 2016 Music News Group

Sven JacobsenIn 2015, fans were devastated when Zayn Malik left One Direction. In 2016, Zayn did something he was never able to do with the group: hit #1 in the U.S. Meanwhile, his former band mates were busy signing their own solo deals, making their acting debuts, and procreating. Here’s a look at the directions the members of 1D went in during 2016.

ZAYN
Zayn, now going by just his first name, started 2016 off with a bang in January when he released his debut solo single, “Pillowtalk.” The critically-acclaimed sexy tune debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That made Zayn the first U.K. artist to debut at #1 in the U.S. with their first charted single.

Zayn’s debut album, Mind of Mine, was released in March and debuted at #1 in the U.S., making him the first British male solo artist to accomplish that feat with a debut album.

The video for “Pillowtalk” featured “It Girl” Gigi Hadid, who’d previously dated Joe Jonas. The two became a couple in 2016, with Zayn reportedly breaking up with his fiancee, Little Mix‘s Perrie Edwards, via test message. In November, Gigi hosted the American Music Awards, where Zayn won the trophy for Favorite New Artist of the Year. Gigi’s friendship with Taylor Swift helped facilitate Taylor and Zayn teaming up for a duet, “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever,” for the soundtrack of Fifty Shades Darker, released in December.

In September, Zayn announced he was teaming with NBC to develop a series about a boy band. In October, Zayn announced that in May, he’d debut a capsule collection of men’s and women’s clothing for Versace’s younger-skewing Versus Versace brand. In November, at the ripe old age of 23, he published his autobiography, Zayn.

While Zayn made a number of TV appearances in 2016, he scrapped a few high-profile live gigs due to “extreme anxiety.” It’s not clear if he’ll ever launch a solo tour.

The Rest of One Direction
— In January, Louis Tomlinson became the first member of One Direction to become a father, when his ex-girlfriend Briana Jungwirth gave birth to his son, Freddie Reign Tomlinson. In December, Louis sadly lost his mom, Johanna Deakin, to leukemia. She was 43. Days later, he appeared on the British X Factor to perform his first solo single, “Just Hold On,” a collaboration with EDM star Steve Aoki.

— While neither has officially confirmed it, it’s pretty clear Liam Payne is expecting his first child with his girlfriend, British entertainer Cheryl Cole. In November, the couple stepped out at an event, and Cheryl had an obvious baby bump. In July, Liam signed a solo deal with Capitol Records U.K., and in October, he signed with Republic Records in the U.S.

— In September, Niall Horan announced he’d signed a solo deal with Capitol, and then surprised fans by releasing his debut solo single, “This Town,” which has become a modest hit. He’s working on his debut album, but also insisted in an interview that OneDirection “will be back” — at some point.

-In June, it was reported that Harry Styles had signed a solo deal with Columbia Records. He also cut his famous long hair to film a part in the British World War II drama Dunkirk, which comes out in July of 2017. A song that Harry co-wrote with Meghan Trainor, “Someday,” was recorded by Michael Buble on his album Nobody but Me.