Louis Tomlinson says it’s ‘intimidating’ going solo after being in a band as big as One Direction – as he reveals surprising way Taylor Swift helped his music comeback

Louis Tomlinson has said it is ‘intimidating’ going solo after being in a band as big as One Direction.

The singer, 34, released his album How Did I Get Here? on January 23, four years after he last put out music. 

As he promotes the record, Louis appeared on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon in New York on Thursday – where he opened up about how he as navigated going from being in a band to being a solo artist.

‘I really, I really needed the last two tours that I did,’ Louis began, adding: ‘You know, it’s quite intimidating, leaving a band like One Direction and going out on your own like that is not for the faint hearted, no. 

‘And I really needed the confidence that I built up during the tour. And that’s all thanks to the fans.’

He continued: ‘It leaves me no room, really, for self doubt. You know, every single night, doing what I’m doing and getting great reaction from the crowd.’

Elsewhere Louis discussed Easter eggs he had dropped for his fans about the title of the album, where he hid three words in a number of critic reviews which were actually coordinates to places he had erected billboards. 

The billboards at each of the co-ordinates – which were in Berlin, São Paulo, London, Mexico City, Milan and LA – had one word on them and when put together spelled out the name of his album, How Did I Get Here? 

But Louis revealed that a fortunate miscommunication happened between his and Taylor Swift’s fans – which in turn helped him promote the album. 

‘It’s good watching people scramble for that stuff,’ Louis said. ‘Another thing that was cool about it was Taylor Swift’s fans seemed to get a bit confused. 

‘I think they were thinking it was somehow related to her album, so I got, like, free promo.’

One person who quick to show support for Louis was his girlfriend Zara McDermott. 

Taking to her Instagram Stories on Thursday evening, Zara, 28, shared a screenshot of the album on Spotify with a countdown till its release.

The reality star, who has been romantically linked to Louis since early 2025, penned on top of the post: ‘Not long now!’

So far, Louis, whose 2022 album Faith in the Future secured number one in the UK, has released three singles for his new album How Did I Get Here?, titled Imposter, Palaces, and Lemonade.

Lemonade managed to crack the top 30 in the UK singles chart after being release in September but follow-up single Palaces failed to make a splash.

Speaking about his new album, Louis said: ‘I sum up it as “The record I always deserved to make”.

‘My bread and butter is the honesty. I genuinely wear my heart on my sleeve, and I hope it comes through in the music. 

‘I’m still learning and getting better as a singer and a songwriter. I find it impossible to be complacent; it’s not in my vocabulary. For the first time now, I’m allowing myself to be the artist I’d always hoped to be.’

The countdown is on for Victoria Beckham, Harry Styles and Louis to see who will clinch the official No1 in the charts this week. 

Taking to X ahead of the release, Louis appeared to be aware of the conundrum for the number one bid, asking his 28.8million X followers for their ‘help cutting through the noise’.

He penned: ‘Going to need your help over the next few days to cut through the noise. Time to give this record the moment it deserves!’

Fans quickly took to the comments to ask the Lemonade singer if he is ‘throwing shade’ at his former bandmate Harry.

They wrote: ‘”cut through the noise” why do I feel like this is harry shade?; Is he trying to shade… Harry?; Oh Harry Styles when I catch you’.

Louis hasn’t responded to accusations of making a dig at the Watermelon Sugar singer but did post a ‘thank you’ to those who had supported him.

He penned: ‘Let me take this moment to say thank you to every single person that has supported me over the years. You are throughout this record and everything I do.

‘This album would never have sounded the way it does without all the power and confidence you lot have given me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! How did I get here?’

Harry and Louis’s relationship has been complicated over the years, with plenty of rumours that they had fallen out in 2015 when One Direction split.

The pair denied the speculation, with their bandmate Niall Horan calling them all ‘brothers’, which they have all reiterated at various times in the decade since.