The One Direction update

It is time now for the One Direction (1D) update. But a question first. Why bring up updates on a band that is no longer existing?  Why not? There are several answers. Because 1D would have been seven years old this year. The group only lasted for five years. Fans though still remember the occasion. It was a happy anniversary for the four boys Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson who gladly acknowledged their greetings. Zayn Malik did not.

Then while not exactly the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, One Direction is, hands down, the most successful boy group of this era. I believe they have already surpassed the Backstreet Boys in terms of record sales. And best of all, the boys including renegade Malik are showing signs of being truly talented music artists by themselves. And while they may be soloists nowadays, I have the firm belief that occasional reunion projects featuring the four guys will be popping up from time to time. Remember 1D was never described as disbanded but only in hiatus?

Malik, now simply known as Zayn, was the first to leave the group and last year became the first to release a solo album, Mind Of Mine. It was a No. 1 seller as was the first single out, Pillowtalk. This was followed by another big seller I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades of Grey) with Taylor Swift. A few weeks ago, Zayn dropped Still Got Time, a new single featuring Party Next Door.  He has another one coming up, Dusk Till Dawn feat. Sia. These tunes might be a teaser for the dreaded sophomore album.

Meanwhile, while not busy with his music chores, Zayn is busy writing his biography, designing shoes, starring in a Versace campaign with his girlfriend model Gigi Hadid and making his first movie appearance, a cameo in Ocean’s Eight. His well-dressed figure is a familiar sight in high-profile social events.

Styles and his self-titled effort came next with songs like Meet Me In The Hallway, Carolina, Sweet Creature, Only Angel, Kiwi, Ever Since New York, Woman From The Dining Table and the singles Sign Of The Times and Two Ghosts. Styles was the One Direction boy whom everybody believed would make good as a soloist from the beginning. He had the looks, could write songs and had soulful vocals and an innate rock star sensibility. And he proved all those true on his first time out.

Harry Styles, the album is an uneven effort. Styles is still trying out stuff. But the songs are so well written and produced and performed so beautifully. Styles’ passionate falsetto in the first single Sign of the Times introduced the goodies he has to offer and none of them disappoint. Here, finally is a most deserving heir to the tradition set by the great rock stars of old. David Bowie must be very pleased with this boy. Styles is on a world tour for his album and might make a stop in Manila soon.

Horan’s latest solo single, Slow Hands, is a hit. The funky R&B tune is the second song to come from what everybody believes would be his first solo album. The first one, This Town, also a big seller, came out last year. Horan busies himself with golf and soccer events in his spare time.

Payne. The sexiest 1D took a long time with his solo ventures but he really made a big splash with his first single release. This is Strip That Down feat. Quavo and composed by Ed Sheeran and Steve Mac. Needless to say, Strip is a big hit. Watch out for his next ones, Get Low with EDM star Zedd and You with hip-hop biggies Wiz Khalifa and Jessie J. When not busy with his music, he is daddy to his daughter with twice-divorced pop star Cheryl Cole.

Tomlinson is also doing daddy chores to a one-year-old boy but he scored a jackpot with his first release, Just Hold On with DJ Steve Aoki and is doing it again with his second, Back To You feat. Bebe Rexha and the Digital Farm Animals.

Strip That Down, Back To You and Slow Hands are all in the hit charts these days. Styles’ Two Ghosts is not doing as well but he has an entire album that is selling big everywhere.