The album did get one mention, after Louis had established his sexual preference for the 6000th time. “While I’m still trying to piece together the rest of my album, those things are important obviously to listen to, and one thing that resonates throughout the One Direction stuff is the positive in the lyric and that’s what gave it that anthemic feel for a live show."

Hi, anon.

So the album got a mention, just as it got a vague tweet every month or so for six months—and nothing more. The message is clear about how doing the show hasn’t changed anything, not the timeline for its release, or any plans for his solo career. Except that December 2017 Louis talked about the guitars and anthemic sound in One Direction and having found his sound as a solo artist with Miss You, about being in the final stages making his album and release being set for spring 2018, and how his goal for the year was releasing his album and then touring it. That was a timeline… which is supposed to not have been affected by XF… now there is nothing. Nothing beyond an assurance that he is getting to do both the show and his solo career, and how he is so grateful and privileged to get to be a judge—he would be “twiddling his thumbs” if not, after all, according to The Sun—not performing and promoting his own music, or in writing sessions, as he said himself he loves to do and does on the regular. How is he getting to be a solo artist, when he hasn’t shared music or performed in almost a year, when his social media doesn’t showcase him as an artist, when his press is about X Factor and his bond with Simon?

For most interviews during BTY promo he had to tick off certain stunt and image talking points—which were frequently the focus in the headlines for those interviews—but he got to talk about his music, as well. His song played on the radio—until they pulled it back while it was still climbing the charts.

Now, after eight months of forced inaction, he got an interview—with no advance notice, so once again fans continue to be hard pressed to follow his career—to clarify he is in a heterosexual relationship, and promote XF and Simon—and the constant linking back to 1D—completely overshadowing his solo work and future as a solo artist—is a promotional tool for the show, too, not just Louis being nostalgic and proud of the band he gave so much to. Does anyone still doubt this after the fanfare around the ‘eight year anniversary’? Louis is being used also for his connection to One Direction, Simon and XF showing off by reminding people of one of the most successful acts launched through them.

They played and introduced BTY—and somehow that’s a win now, since for MY promo they did the same for a couple of interviews instead of playing the single he was promoting then.

Nothing about this is surprising, unfortunately. But it is bizarre to see some people calling this a good thing, nothing to be angry about, no fault of his team, and acting like this is good exposure for him… Like having to talk about a girlfriend means nothing, just like having everyone believe he fathered and is parenting a child means nothing, apparently, or pushing the idea that he is so close to Simon Cowell he is set to be his successor. Then again, not so shocking, I suppose, to see that reaction. Louis’ continued long term abuse and exploitation is old news, the effect on him and consequences for his personal life insignificant and ‘worth the while’ as long as people can continue to have their fun, and there are no standards for what he deserves as an artist anymore. Everything is great.

Louis goes on BBC Children in Need and BBC Radio still won’t play WMI. James Arthur’s new song is on Radio 1’s C list. KMM was played when Louis was with Jack Saunders on his Radio 1 show but then never again. Capital as always tweets about Louis and Niall, Harry fans Louis’ NYC WMI meet and greet, and Freddie but hasn’t given his music a single spin since BTY in 2017. Sony UK is screwing him over but still trotting him out to try for XF ratings all while he’s marketed as a UK artist.

The funny thing is that Harry doesn’t do hardly any promo and LU is on the BBCR1 A list. He didn’t even stop by the BBC this time!

Louis gets to do TXF but never a BBC Live Lounge like his bandmates, let alone Graham Norton or Jools Holland. He didn’t play TOU when he was on the Late Late Show this summer either (what’s Harry filming for Corden now?).

The kid is brave and persistent. Gotta love him.

That last sentence, they're already twisting the knife. This is gonna be so ugly. Louis doesn't deserve that. He made that band what it was and now he gets to be disrespected instead of applauded.

“All five of the boys have launched solo projects with ­varying degrees of success.” And in the article in The Sun they stressed Harry’s singular success.

Hi, anon. It’s always been ugly—from the start—hindsight has only revealed deeper levels of ugliness; and it’s only gotten uglier with the years.

I don’t know how anyone can pretend comparisons have not happened and will not happen, in terms of their commercial success—or that it doesn’t matter, that public perception - however fair or unfair, as the GP is ignorant of inequalities in their treatment and opportunities afforded to each - makes no difference to their careers, to their chances to continue in their careers, and to enjoy them.

Remember Chandler Chruma claiming she couldn’t get Louis air play because radio don’t see him as a priority as he isn’t a ‘major’ artist? How Louis got booked for pre shows instead of the main event last year? LTHQ’s main efforts since Louis started his solo career have been to sell the stunts and devalue him as an artist—with all the consequences of that.

It matters if none of Louis’ singles are included in a 1D solo ranking on Entertainment Weekly. If he is the only one not to have a This is… playlist on Spotify, and his songs aren’t on big playlists, or radio. That he is the only one who hasn’t done a BBCR1 Live Lounge, or played a Capital Jingle Bell Ball or a Sounds Like Friday Night, or a BBC Big Weekend, or comparable.

It matters that his music goes unheard and he remains invisible in the music scene, except as a footnote for 1D - and always the stunts at the forefront of his press. How many tabloid exclusives for his album promo, with headlines revolving around his personal life, and 1D?

It matters now to have a new push for 1D and his solo career, and Louis as an artist, pushed to the back again. The impact of this anniversary furore is not the same for all of them.

Louis in relation to 1D is not Louis with the unique, beautiful voice, main songwriter, leader of the change in their sound and key visionary of a boyband that changed the game by making different music, by being different.

It’s Louis that guy from the one band—who is a dad, and has a girlfriend—whose voice went unheard and has been consistently belittled, who wrote some songs, but whose true path lies behind the scenes—remember Ben Winston saying Louis was born to be a judge on XF? And as 1D, let us not kid ourselves, is mainly recognised as a fan phenomenon more than it is for their artistic credibility, even when his songwriting is ackowledged, it doesn’t have the weight it deserves in terms of recognising him as an artist. On XF they made Louis’ selling point as a judge that he was once part of the biggest, most famous product of the XF—owing everything to Simon Cowell—not that he’s a talented, creative singer and songwriter with years of experience in the industry, nevermind one with a current career either. That was totally erased.

It matters 1D being held as the be all end all of his career in music—and Louis himself, his greatest value in his past, his worth always tied to others, and what others can get out of him. Louis is more enough on his own, and deserves to be appreciated for himself, and to be prioritised, and to have his present and future take first place.

What great alternatives, if this TV special is happening… Simon is the absolute worst. But people shouldn’t forget the LLS’s claim that “supporting harry is supporting 1D which is supporting niall” or how James Corden didn’t say a word about Walls, or how he used his connection to Louis and his mother to sell solo Harry… I just… don’t know how people can forget all the abuses and struggles—Liam said he was drunk 90% of the time in the last months of the band!? Every indication of friction and distance between them… Are we going to pretend that those four people sitting on a couch—for all their shared history—are best friends? That the last four years make no difference? Harry not having said their names or been pictured with any of them; the revelations, the indiscretions, the opportunism or indifference?

I wouldn’t want Louis anywhere near certain people. Not for a single night. Wouldn’t want him sharing the stage again, not for a single performance.

As I said before, the only hope is that this might mean the unquestionable end of 1D, and Louis finally allowed to move forward…

It’s something else, to see some fans embrace this as some kind of balm, when to me it’s salt on a wound; this should have been Louis’ year at long last: LT1 and LT tour 2020, not 1D 2020, whatever that means.

It just hit me that both Niall and Harry will probably release their second albums before Louis gets the chance to release his first one.

It’s not certain, anon, but it is possible. Though, really, just the fact that they are on their second albums and tours while Louis is still fighting to get his first record out, being undermined and denied at every chance, derailed, and buried…

It’s just so unfair. How Louis has been held back—knocked down; pushed back and back: To X Factor ‘coming full circle’ last year, erasing him as a solo artist, reinforcing the idea of him as best suited to being behind the scenes, a TV personality and tabloid fodder. Back to Eleanor before that, trapped in the same stunt he had been in for years before, now alongside BG. Linking him back to One Direction, as the extent of his worth, both as his past and as his future—the goddamn distant reunion getting more attention than his upcoming debut album and solo tour.

While the others have been allowed to move forward and on. [Although Liam hasn’t released an album, he has been performing all over the world, has received acknowledgment as an artist from other artists—even when he was Louis’ guest judge on XF, he was treated as a solo artist in his own right, not just someone who had been in One Direction, like Louis was.]

It’s so frustrating and unfair. He gets minimum promo, and that is made to benefit him as little as possible or damage him. Interviews are supposed to promote HIM and his music, not a band that broke up four years ago, not X Factor or Simon, not dad or boyfriend Louis, and not serve as a platform for others to exploit his real tragedies and grief, either.

The situation with radio play is not anything close to normal either.

While the other boys get to run the race normally and get pit stops, and some even a lift on a special fast track, Louis has been running shackled, with ever increasing weight on his back, with obstacles put in front of him, without a moment to rest.


He had the bulk of the album done July 2017. Almost two years ago. He had hopes and plans to release the album in spring and tour in the second half of 2018. Now, maybe, he can release the album at the end of the year and announce a tour which would take place in 2020.

All the time they have taken from him—which he cannot ever get back—all the experiences tainted or taken from him… It matters. Everything has a cummulative effect which has implications and consequences for the present and the future, for him and for his career. There is no reset button.

It affects him. He has talked about wanting to express himself through his music, about mounting pressure, frustration, about how it becomes more difficult to keep his vision for his album the more time passes, about how it’s a ‘funny feeling’ to have the single and yet have to wait. He was desperate to have his album out December 2017. He has talked about missing touring, about how much he enjoys performing, about needing to get comfortable performing solo and owning the stage.

He was kept a year and a half without being able to release music, without performances. And now what? There are no more performances announced for him right now until September. Even though all the other artists that did Birmingham this weekend are doing BBCR1’s Big Weekend - an event with rather more prestige and coverage attached, for the record. But just from the view point of the fact that this is his life and passion?

He isn’t being allowed to be, as an artist or a person.

It’s just so unfair, and Louis deserves so much better.

“Louis Tomlinson was (not) born to do this”

Through the years there has been one consistent message surrounding Louis: he is not good enough on his own; his only value is through association to other people; he is a tool, a prop, a stepping stone, a rock—but never a priority: his dreams and his needs never come first. 

At every turn told he is not worth anything on his own—when is anything ever about just him and his music? Eleanor, Freddie, Simon, One Direction, Harry, Clifford, promoting brands and other artists, now contestants… When does Louis get to go first, to be prioritised, for himself, just him?

XF silenced his mic and didn’t give him a single solo, undermining his confidence, turning him into an object of derision. Even as he took up most of the songwriting and set the course in the evolution of their sound, he still got the least and shortest solos. His voice was disparaged and his contributions diminished and erased. And this has continued through the years. The interview to officially launch him as a solo artist called him a ‘wobbly investment’, engendered a slew of articles where the message was that he is the least talented. Using his insecurities—fostered by their own actions—and humility against him, they have kept up the message. They even took his desire to prove himself as an artist—and take note of that, and how he is being kept from doing so—and used it against him in recent articles. They also quoted him on being the least talented in the band, and have presented him as the least artistically driven—if he wasn’t doing XF he would be “twiddling his thumbs” and he is so interested in management and behind the scenes work…

But where is the evidence of that? Louis has talked about his passion for and commitment to music, his love for songwriting, that he is always in writing sessions, that if nothing else he knew he was going to stay writing. When has he expressed a desire to go into artist development, to be a mentor, except for a girl band that never materialised and from which he seemed detached, and a label which has remained inactive for years and that is a tie to Syco and Simon—talking points in interviews where he was pushed to praise Simon and express his gratitude to the show for giving him a chance—another unending theme in line with his supposed lack of talent: Louis owes everything to luck and Simon. [He is being forced to praise his abuser and endorse his show, that took advantage of his hopes and ignorance to trap him into an abusive, exploitative contract, as it has done to countless others. And this is reality television linked to the tabloids, based on fabricating drama and sensationalising real pain, playing on the empathy and morbid curiosity of the audience; it’s not a real competition, it’s not a nurturing environment for burgeoning artists.]

Louis is sweet, generous, empathetic, thoughtful, knowledgeable, articulate—all qualities to be desired in teaching and mentoring. Very admirable qualities. But the... insistence on how perfect he is as a ‘judge’ and a ‘mentor’ on the show… the intense focus on him being supportive... that’s reserved just for him? I don’t see any posts about how Harry ‘Treat People With Kindness’ Styles should do a stint on The Voice; that the best exposure for Liam would have been to host BBCR1 while focusing on finding new talent, instead of performing all over the world. And those scenarios still don’t come close to comparing to the degrading and damaging situation Louis has been forced into, and its consequences.

Louis deserves support himself, for his own development as an artist, and his giving nature shouldn’t be taken as an invitation to bench his dreams and needs. It’s not fair to expect him to find all his happiness in helping others pursue their dreams—and dreams that are his own too. He wants to write and sing, have his songs play on radio, perform them on stage in front of an audience. But he has no professional support at all, never has had. He has had to fight alone even against the people who were supposed to help him. It seems unquestionable that he found a pillar of support in his fans’ support for him as a solo artist, their love for his music—please don’t forget that.

And the tweets about people loving Louis as a judge... don’t necessarily translate into people being interested in him as an artist—especially as he is not being presented, let alone highlighted, as one.  [He was forced into inaction for almost this entire year. If he gets to release a single, it will be for the show, and it will be close to or literally an entire year since he last was allowed to release music and perform. The same time as after the band broke up, and in a loop of performances on XF. While his bandmates have released music and toured the world.] Thinking he is attractive, or a good lad... what a desperate situation that being recognised as a decent person is so momentous... and while it’s nice to see him appreciated, we can’t forget there is a context to this, and an associated package of stunt narratives and image: of minimal talent, of a reformed character thanks to Simon and his long term girlfriend, his toddler from a one night stand, and the death of his mother—because that’s all still there, it hasn’t gone away. What does it mean toward his hopes and dreams of living on his terms and expressing himself as an artist?

And taking his generous heart and acts of kindness and having it be Simon who presents them to the public, make them into a part of this shit show… it’s also Louis once again being used, and something that is a part of him being tainted and mixed up with the web of lies they have tied him up in.

At this rate, I fear come December he will be known as that judge from XF who used to be in that band, a nice, fine lad—loved up, a dad, like a son to Simon, and his music, if present, on the side.

This is all so unfair. And Louis deserves so, so much better.

Louis’ first words in that video all ways stood out to me. He said it’s a bit dark in here and I think that was a hint at his situation. I know at the time certain people (morons) made jokes about harry being out of town, meaning he’s the only one to change light bulbs in their house, but I really believe it was just Louis saying things are a bit dark for me right now and every time I see that video it makes me want to cry. Even more so now because not much has changed.

Hi, anon.

I hadn’t thought of that. It could be. I don’t know if it was a hint, but it does seem significant, in one way or another, that he filmed the video in a darkened room, doesn’t it?

It is really hard to watch that video. I mean it when I say I don’t know how people can forget it, seeing him like that. Even those who can ignore the sad selfies, how do they disregard that video?

And the party line delivered: that he is getting to do both XF and be a solo artist. But how is not releasing any music, promoting him, or being showcased as an artist in any way, not performing in almost an entire year, him getting to be a solo artist? How is being reduced to XF and 1D helping his career as a solo artist? How is he getting to enjoy being an artist when he can’t share his music, can’t perform, can’t talk about his music? Nine months of tweets and three pics in the studio, and that’s him getting to be a solo artist?

And XF is a limited platform past its prime, it’s not a launching pad for Louis’ music career. If he were getting to do both he would have had time to release music and promote it, and perform over the last months, even till the live shows. Instead in the entire year, aside from at the NHS Awards and the TCAs, we’ve seen him stunting, doing stalker service, and pointless pap walks smoking in the street. He got to mention his album in the BBCR1 interview, which was about XF, Simon, and getting that mention of his girlfriend in—because the stunts are still very much there. Of the times he’s been seen this year, how many have been with Eleanor? Besides still being mentioned in articles, fatherhood doesn’t just go away—especially after they pushed BG to the forefront for two years. And having this burden on him, every day of his life, wherever he goes, matters. Having just a few weeks off from having a beard in eight years matters. 

Louis is being used to drive social media engagement for the show, at the expense of his own dreams and ambitions—which were to release his album and tour; categorically, to focus on his music. Going back to the video and the party line: the notion that he’s been interested in mentoring and working behind the scenes with his imprint, which was never actually active, is based on nothing but talking points, and ties him to Syco and Simon. Again, Louis is the sweetest, loveliest person, who cares so much, and will do everything he can for people, but it can’t be forgotten either that his power on XF is limited, and XF is a show that sets people up to be exploited, throughout the show and afterwards. Louis is not free from that exploitation within the show as a judge either.

It’s great that some viewers are getting to see how sweet, empathetic, thoughtful, and beautiful Louis is, inside and out. But that doesn’t necessarily advance his career as a solo artist, and it definitely doesn’t make XF a positive thing? I keep using the same analogy, but, you don’t celebrate being in an accident that means derailment of your life plans with all its consequences, months of pain, leaving scars and sequelae, just because you got insurance money and some of the staff at the hospital loved you.

People should fall in love with Louis outside of Simon’s power, outside of the associated tabloid press which still pushes his connection to Simon, the stunts, and how he is untalented. And he should get to connect with an audience for his music. Because Louis is an artist. Look at Niall, look at Liam. 

He shouldn’t have to go through a traumatic ordeal—and having his career cast aside to go back to XF and work for Simon, having people he auditioned with paraded in front of him, his grief exploited, playing buddy with Simon and having to go on about how grateful he is to him and how much he owes him, the same routine of stalkers and stunting, and headlines he can’t stand, is an ordeal—in order to prove to some people who watch XF that he is a decent person. [He is a magnificent human being.] He shouldn’t have to go through fire to get the littlest thing that should be a given if they hadn’t worked for years on his character assassination—and still are, because the subtext is there, painting him as an aimless chav reformed by Simon, and erasing and belitting him as an artist.

And we don’t know what is yet to come in the months left of XF, and what will come after. He might not know himself. His plans and hopes have been crushed before. I don’t understand how at this point people can keep insisting this is the last thing for sure, and just what he had to do to get something—as though Louis has ever got anything in exchange for the relentless, cruel abuse he has suffered, anything to benefit him? And as though being blackmailed and coerced would somehow make it alright, and not him being forced into it?

What are the odds that he’ll get to promote and perform his new song outside of XF? That promo will start in January? Have we forgotten what happened with MY?

We can only hope, but as of right now, it’s nothing but hope, not fact. And it still doesn’t change the fact that none of this is good or fair.

Louis deserves to be the one who receives support for once, and, absolutely his courage and his strength are commendable, but he deserves not to have to be strong anymore? To have someone fight for him, protect him and comfort him, and prioritise his happiness, his health, his dreams—make him the priority. He deserves it so much. :(

That's just it - the stunts are ridiculous. And why is E all over everything like a rash the last month? Promo hasn't even started and she's being given more prominence than L himself. But what's even worse this year? The humiliating smallness of it all. You'd think L was a C-list UK celebrity from the stuff he's done this year. NHS? Hyde Park? A low key festival where he sat with all the punters? XF? It's degrading.

Hi anon,

‘Louis Tomlinson pictured smiling and laughing with girlfriend, Eleanor Calder, on break from filming his new music video in Doncaster.’That’s how his solo launch started—with an article in The Sun with the beard in the headline. Her name is in The Observer interview. In Spotify Behind the Lyrics. The BBC print interview later frequently linked in other articles says the album is about her. “My girlfriend, Eleanor” and their trip to Amsterdam was a talking point (of prominence) during BTY promo; “the girl that I loved” in the newsletter for MY.  The Andy Cohen interview, all about the stunts, was summed up with a disembodied picture of the E tattoo on his hand, ‘for his girlfriend’—and that got a round of press. Besides the NHS, the two events Louis has attended this year, she was there. Now fan sightings on what’s supposed to be a romantic escapade.

Eleanor has been instrumental in the invasive, restrictive, degrading closet imposed on him from the start, tied to his erasure as his own person and as an artist.

This situation is not funny. Eight years with nothing but a few weeks without a stunt to sell his heterosexuality in the most damaging way possible in every sense is not funny.

And the smallness of it all… they have been working to devalue his brand since forever, and since the beginning of his solo launch. Local UK tour—and Ed Sheeran returning as one of the biggest stars to do regional radio promo is not the same—and by some of the stations’ own admission their audience is families who are interested in… what his team wanted to push: dad and lad, straight boyfriend. He did KEY103 festival—that got no promo—but they didn’t book him for Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball or iHeart’s Jingle Ball concerts in the US, which Liam and Niall did. They even had him on semifinal night on XF. Liam got to co-host BBCR1 on Christmas, Louis did KMFM on Boxing Day alongside Matt Terry.Liam had more performances in three months than Louis did in the entire 2017—the year of him officially launching as a solo artist. He hasn’t been allowed to perform or share music in seven months, not even on his social media—which was about pushing the idea of domestic life with his girlfriend for the first months of the year. He doesn’t even have a proper website.

His press is practically limited to the tabloids, and with as little focus on his music as possible.

His IG account has very little music related content, and is used to push the stunts. His Twitter account is used to promote other artists or brands or shows. But when does he ever get any cross-promotion to benefit him? Liam and Niall are seen with other artists, and interact with them on social media. Harry gets frequent praise and publicity from every corner, and has positive press. None of that for Louis. He is belittled and erased, suggesting no protection behind the scenes, and has no one stand up for him or defend him.

It ends as it started, but the contrast even more pronounced. Last year Harry kicked off his solo career with his SNL appearance and performance, and a rainbow pin, while Louis was stunting with Eleanor in Coachella. A year later Louis is stunting with Eleanor in England with no music, a larry denial on his back, a chav image, and established fatherhood, while Harry celebrates the end of his worldwide tour, after months of press about his LGBT+ support and speculation on his sexuality. (When was the last time he interacted with his ‘rumoured’ ‘girlfriend’?) Liam has a release date for his album and has been doing promo, performing all over the world. Niall has been performing all over the world, doing promo, etc.

And then there’s Louis.

Used when convenient and for the convenience of others. But when does he get anything for himself, untainted, or that he doesn’t have to pay for afterwards? And anything for his own and exclusive benefit?

It’s so unfair, there aren’t even words.

This is his life and his dreams. All of this has consequences, it takes a toll, it leaves a mark, and no one can give you back time, either. My heart hurts for him.