Louis Tomlinson

A fun-loving prankster and talented singer, Louis Tomlinson auditioned for "The X Factor" (ITV, 2004- ) as a solo act but was instead grouped with fellow contestants Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Harry Styles to form the boy band, One Direction. After coming in third on the reality show, they hit No. 1 with their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful," scored the hit follow-up "Gotta Be You" and released their blockbuster debut album, 2011's Up All Night. Showered with European awards, fan adulation and commercial success, One Direction next conquered America with appearances on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), "iCarly" (Nickelodeon, 2007- ) and the chart-topping release of their album stateside. Representing a new era of boy bands that were less packaged and more approachable, One Direction, as well as Louis Tomlinson, seemed poised to enjoy considerable success on the global stage.