BY: Alexis Eichelberger

The five young, lovable guys who formed One Direction all those years ago are all grown up now, both literally and artistically. Each has forged his own path as a solo artist, establishing himself as someone apart from history’s greatest boy band. For more than one, that’s meant giving us some sexy grown-up music, too. 

Here’s what each of the adorable 1D guys have been up to recently:

Harry Styles

The most celebrated of the former 1D guys, Harry Styles enamoured us with his self-titled debut in 2017 and again this year with the release of his sophomore record Fine Line. It’s a tour-de-force of a breakup album that’s also a celebration of self. Each of the three singles released prior to the album has its own sexy quality, but the “Lights Up” music video is certainly our favorite.

 

 

Niall Horan

Niall Horan started his solo career making music like what we imagine One Direction would sound like if they were still a group today. But after Flicker, came something sexier — Horan turned up the heat with the first single he released in 2019. “Nice To Meet Ya” is a hotter, funkier track with a strong piano melody and deeper vocals that give it a refreshing pop rock feel. It’s a sound that’s new to Horan but suits him well. 

 

Zayn Malik

The first to leave One Direction, Zayn began establishing his solo career long before the others. His steamy debut Mind of Mine dropped in 2016, followed by Icarus Falls in 2018. Both albums were sensual collections of R&B and hip-hop tracks. In the past year, Zayn’s dropped a few collaborations, including the cool synthpop track “Trampoline” with SHAED. He also scored a feature on “Flames”, an EDM track by producer R3HAB.

 

Liam Payne

Liam Payne gave us a few hot singles like “Strip That Down” and “Bedroom Floor” since the 1D hiatus began, but we waited years for him to finally release a full-length solo debut album. LP1  finally dropped in December 2019 and it’s the same sexy blend of pop and R&B we’ve come to expect. True to his roots, many songs seem like more risque versions of One Direction songs. It’s not suggestive — it’s bluntly sexual, particularly in songs like “Rude Hours.”

 

Louis Tomlinson

Louis Tomlinson has kept relatively quiet compared to his former bandmates since One Direction’s breakup. He’s released a few collaborations with Steve Aoki, Bebe Rexha and others, along with a few solo productions. His most recent release, “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart,” is an uplifting pop rock song that certainly echoes the 1D style we know. His full-length debut Walls is scheduled to drop at the end of January, and we’re eagerly waiting to see how he’ll find his place as a solo artist.