I've been keeping the following to myself because I consider it a private, personal situation for me and am a bit hesitant to admit to this, but I also feel compelled to blog and share about it as well.
There are some inner issues that I am working through, feeling extra nervous, depressed, or overwhelmed about things lately. It was my 2019 New Year's resolution to overcome this, and it had gotten better in January, but I still found it trickling over a bit, for nobody changes overnight.
However, I noticed that in late January, I had become a lot calmer. I felt happier, and although I still have certain fears, anxieties, and doldrums, they no longer plague my mind anymore as much as they once did and I function better. I didn't understand why at first, but I definitely welcomed my new sense of self.
I looked back to help myself determine what I had been doing differently to cause this new mindset shift, and then it dawned on me...it's because I have been listening to One Direction.
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| My boys! lol One Direction's 'current' members. l-r: Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson (Image from Facebook) |
That's right. This is my life now. This is how my 2019 is going so far, becoming a fan of an English boy band from the early 2010s.
Actually, that's not such a bad way of spending the first half of a year, is it?
But I'm also about like 5 years too late now, right? lol
Okay so One Direction (also known as 1D, which is the cool way to say it) is pretty much unforgettable. They are/were this British-Irish pop rock boy band created on "The X Factor UK" by Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger consisting of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, who left the group in March 2015. The boys, who initially all auditioned as solo performers, were eliminated from the competition but were brought back as a group because they were just too good to lose, which I find pretty amazing. They were five VERY different boys, and when combined, somehow it WORKED. They managed to get on with each other well and together be this driving force to be reckoned with. They were this HUGE phenomenon from 2010 through 2015 and considered one of the most internationally popular boy bands of all time (if not THE most popular), so much so that I refer to them as the second coming of The Beatles (because they're British). There's got to be a reason for this, and it might be because they were the first major boy band to revive the idea after a dormant period apart from maybe the Jonas Brothers.
And they didn't even win the show! They came in third on "The X Factor"! I didn't know that!!
Boy bands are fun, but there also appears to be plenty of stigma attached to them and even liking them. This is especially evident when it comes to One Direction. Boy groups can be easily laughable and corny for some reason, even the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC from my day. I don't even know why. It just is. Even TV shows have their own parodies of boy bands. Maybe it's because they are more linked with adolescence, which is an awkward time in anyone's life.
When One Direction first became relevant, I was in college in my early 20s and they and their fans were teenagers, so for the most part, I felt too old to like them (mind you, this was before I found out that Louis is only a year younger than me, though I still sometimes feel this way, being in my late 20s now). In fact, back then I leaned more towards The Wanted (who were apparently their rivals I think?) because I thought that they were more age appropriate for me to like. (But let's get real. There's no competition there.)
(Now that I think about it, I'm closer in age to One Direction than I am to boy bands from my own childhood and some Directioners are to 1D...so...there's that! What am I worried about?? LOL)
I didn't understand the excessive attraction to 1D nor did I understand why their fans were so defensive of them. I have a tendency to not really like popular things nor do I really get that passionate over celebrities. During this time I was into "So You Think You Can Dance" instead.
...
I KNOW THAT'S SOMEWHAT THE SAME THING! SHUT UP! :P
So when Zayn chose to leave the group (I didn't blame him for doing so at all and in fact applauded his decision because the whole One Direction world looked completely bonkers and stressful) and they thereafter announced their "hiatus," I was indifferent. I felt bad for their fans to an extent, but I didn't really gather the 'travesty' of it either (although people were glad that they were taking a much needed break as well) because I was, after all, an adult now and too "grown up" for such things. I also kinda had a somewhat smugness about it too, like, "One Direction is finally over now? Ha. Ha. Oh well. They're never coming back!" Whenever I saw them or their names anywhere, even during their solo careers, I would instantly become a bit miffed and be like, "Oh. It's that guy from One Direction."
But now I think I owe One Direction and their fans an apology and benefit of the doubt. I was wrong, okay?! I have seen the error of my thoughts. Because I get it now. I have been converted. Yes, Hallelujah, Girl Almighty, I have seen the light.
See what I did there? ;)
I realize now that it's not One Direction themselves that I didn't like, but the hype and the overindulgence of the atmosphere surrounding them. They were everywhere and it was pandemonium every time. I never understood why girls would scream and cry over boys (i.e. "Harry! HARRY!!! NIAAAAALLLLL!!! OMG I LOVE YOU!!!!! AAAHHHHHH!!!!"). You would never really see a group of male fans shriek over female artists or throw underwear at them (at least, I don't think so). That just doesn't happen (thankfully!) and it makes me wonder why girls do this.
I also can't stand anything that is overhyped because when it's shoved in my face all the time, I get sick of it. I felt the same way about Twilight. When I read the first book in high school, I somewhat liked it and found the aspect of the upcoming movies kinda exciting. But when it was all I heard about for years to come, I began to despise it.
I never hated One Direction though. Let me make that clear. It's just that the whole thing got tiresome for me and I didn't get it. From the outside looking in, I just saw them as teenyboppers, not yet knowing what big, amazing personalities they have.
However, what comes to mind too is that the Broadway musical "Hamilton" also had its share of hype when it first opened, but it did not have as severe of a reaction or even backlash for this.
A common unofficial consensus is that it's okay to like stuff associated with boys, but not stuff associated with girls. You never see people making fun of guys (or even girls) for getting emotionally invested in sporting events. That's totally accepted.
There's also the factor of guys sometimes questioning whether or not it's okay for them to like boy bands. Here I am thinking about my small age difference when guys are worried about compromising gender expectations.
But though it's now considered empowering when boys embrace "girl things" and girls embrace "boy things," for some reason, when girls like "girl things," it somehow misses the mark...
Wow. You mean girls are actually attracted to boys sometimes and like the idea of them singing romantically or simply with praise to or about them and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that? MIND. BLOWN.
Basically, One Direction and the whole boy band concept is not understood by some simply because it wasn't designed for those people.
When "Drag Me Down" was released, I remember hearing it and seeing clips of the music video and appreciating how more mature, cooler, and overall different it sounded compared to their previous hits (in fact, much of their last album "Made in the A.M." is like this). I was just like, "Oh okay. I actually like a One Direction song. Cool."
Now that I recall, when I first got into Spotify back in September, I had recently interviewed and written about Dylan Hartigan from "The Voice" for BC The Mag and decided to put together a playlist comprised of his music. Because he didn't have a huge collection yet, I found that I had to include additional songs to make the playlist more complete, so I also added "Little Things" by One Direction because I felt that it was a similar genre to Hartigan's. This was another song of theirs that I had always fancied (thanks to YouTuber GloZell Green, a fellow older 1D fan whose presence in this actually helped me feel better about liking them lol). I then decided to revisit "Drag Me Down" because I remembered that it vaguely always reminded me of "Larger Than Life" by the Backstreet Boys with both songs addressing their supporters and including the outer space setting for the music videos. So then, "Little Things" and "Drag Me Down" were the sole One Direction songs I enjoyed when my Spotify playlists occasionally shuffled to them.
Then in January, I decided to check out more of their music, realizing that I did recognize a lot of their songs, and discovered that I actually *GASP* like their stuff! When I listen to them, I either just feel pure joy and serenity or get totally hyped. Kinda ironic.
Normally when I stumble upon a new interest in something, I call it a "kick." "I'm on a 'blah blah blah' kick right now." These "kicks" normally last a few weeks until I find something else that grabs me. However, my regard for One Direction has lasted all of these months now, so there's obviously something exceptional here.
Never in a million years would I have expected myself to become a One Direction fan. If you told me last year that I would be into 1D in 2019, I wouldn't have believed you.
I wouldn't say that I am now a Directioner (a collective term for their fans) because I wasn't a fan since the beginning or when they were active, but I do have a newfound respect for them.
As a self-proclaimed Honorary Directioner, I believe that I have now listened to all (or at least most of) their songs, and from what I see, their music is pretty 'wholesome and innocent' for the most part, at least in contrast to other music out there. This makes sense given their young target audience.
...
...Okay, okay. WAIT. Let me backtrack a bit here. There are songs and lyrics here and there that suggest some more adult oriented themes that get passed the radar (quite a few actually, the more I listen :P), such as "Perfect," "No Control," and others...many, many, MANY others...
But these, along with their music videos, are written and staged pretty tastefully, making them safe for family consumption as opposed to the vulgarity and bluntness we get nowadays. Also, their music doesn't sound very modern. I get some 70s, 80s, and 90s vibes from it! "Midnight Memories" is the one that really struck me as a 90s song. Listen to "Does He Know?" and try to tell me that it doesn't sound like "Jesse's Girl" by Rick Springfield. :P
I will admit that a lot of their stuff (especially the early days) does sound the same and generic (often referred to as "bubblegum pop"), like most boy band songs. But regardless, they have a LOT of great songs, you guys. They are SO GOOD!!! Their lyrics and melodies incorporate such phenomenal quality and they have a nice mix of slow and upbeat jams. I am actually working on a blog post ranking my Top 10 (or something) favorites and it's proving difficult for me. I can't narrow it down very well. I'm trying to figure out how I'm categorizing them and which make the cut and there's so much I want to talk about! Like literally every song and album that they have ever recorded is gorgeous and my favorites keep fluctuating. Every time I think that my list is settled...it's not. Even songs of theirs that I'm not crazy about I can still acknowledge are at least worthy of existence.
Here's another thing. You know how some songs have misheard lyrics because you can't fully understand the singer? I never really have this problem with One Direction. They are so articulate that I can easily follow along and learn the words. (If there's ever a time I misunderstand them, it's simply because of their accent pronunciations.)
I'm not the only one who noticed this either. One day when I was doing some cleaning in my room and playing One Direction in the background (as I do now), my mom asked me who they were, saying that they sound different from what I normally listen to. The song that was playing during this discussion was "Moments." I asked her what she meant by that, and she told me that I tend to listen to songs from which you can't make out the words and that 1D sounded more subdued.
Furthermore, unlike other boy band members that sound alike, these guys all have distinct voices that each bring something unique to the table.
And, finally, they are very authentic and natural while performing onstage and interacting with people, especially their fans. You can definitely tell how much they cherish them.
There is a massive amount of camaraderie involved with One Direction! Also, their shows look like a blast! :)
I am just really enjoying them lately. Coincidentally, I had been looking for a musical artist to follow, but I never expected One Direction and its members to be the ones. It's come to the point where I react whenever I hear or read the phrase "one direction" out of context or something reminds me of one of their songs.
LMAO I'm such a nerd.
Being a kid from the 90s, I will always be a Backstreet Boys fan, but I am preferring One Direction to them now...
I know, right???
So now all of a sudden I feel like I missed out, am sad that they aren't together anymore, and am mad at myself for not appreciating them more back when they were in their prime. But then again I'm also kind of glad that I wasn't a fan back then because I would have maybe gotten too attached at a younger age and been feeling the same withdrawals as their devotees this entire time. I'm not as affected by Zayn's departure and 1D's 'sabbatical' in the same way because I didn't live through the whole 1D experience as a fan.
They say "hiatus" and continuously promise a possible reunion maybe in 2020 (or maybe not), but I think they are just doing that to appease their fans. I don't understand why they said "hiatus" in the first place when they could have straight up just been honest and said that they were disbanding, which is clearly what they were planning all along, instead of giving their fans false hope. It seems to me that maybe they just wanted to test the waters, and if their solo careers didn't work out, then they would return to One Direction without the potential shame. The thing is though, their solo careers are panning out quite nicely, particularly Harry's.
When you hear "hiatus," that is usually the kiss of death when it comes to musical groups, and I don't think some fans comprehend this. I'm not expecting a reunion anytime soon.
However, I do agree that it is indeed possible that they would get back together on their own terms for a reunion show and others in the future like they’ve been saying (minus Zayn though probably, unfortunately). I mean, look at the Backstreet Boys. They're back together now (actually, did they ever even split up?) making more material and embarking on a tour. The Jonas Brothers have also reunited, New Kids On The Block released a new music video, and B2K is going on a reunion tour as well.
Basically put, there's still hope! I would love to see them together live and active again! :D
But even so, I don't think One Direction will ever be what they once were. They are maturing. They are too busy enjoying their freedom to create their own sounds and experiment with their individualities, and that's understandable. Anything they produce now on their own is entirely THEM without any supplemental influences, which is probably what they all originally strived for when they auditioned for "The X Factor" in the first place. They're taking control of their own artistries and destinies so it's highly unlikely that they would return to their roots because basically that is going backwards for them. One Direction was their starting point, a platform for them to ultimately build off.
Plus, it was a boy band. They're men now.
I liken One Direction's stint to school years. One Direction came of age together for 5 years, which is almost the same age range and amount of time as a high school or college career. By the time senior year hits, students anticipate graduation and moving onto other things. I'm gathering that 1D felt the same way towards the end.
I've read that Harry initiated this hiatus. (I'm also hearing that he catches flak for this sometimes whereas it is also said that all of the guys wanted this. But honestly, does it really matter who first brought up the idea? They're all clearly happier and healthier now, so the move was a good one in the long run.) Given how well he is doing on his own and how he is distancing himself from the whole boy band persona (even though he has genuinely expressed how much he loved that part of his life), I have a feeling that he would be the least willing to join forces with the other guys again (even though he does say never say never). I don't think he is even asked about it (as much) in interviews like the other three are.
But I think I may like these guys now BECAUSE they aren't a unit anymore constantly in the news. I like that they are more under the radar now because it makes me actually want to hear more about them. I like hearing about them now that I am actually a fan and I like it when I have to actively look people up to see what they're up to. Now that the hype has died down, I can value them more for who they were without the media frenzy always hounding them (as much), and are, for I'm also checking out their solo projects. I think they are the most comfortable and at peace where they are these days, as am I, and I like that. For this reason, I actually don't want them to reunite.
Obviously their solo songs aren't as 'clean' as the One Direction ones, but I love how each of them has his own style, especially Zayn.
One Direction was good with Zayn, it is/was good without Zayn, Zayn is amazing without them, and they are all great (and dare I say, better) by themselves. They're just all around gifted, charming, humble, grateful, stand up, top notch, down to earth guys and class act superstars (which I hope is real with the sincerest of intentions because you never truly know with celebrities unless you know them personally, though I'm pretty sure it is given how they normally conduct themselves). Come to think of it, I never really heard anything bad about them and how they treat people. There's absolutely nothing problematic about them, so therefore there's no legitimate justification for disliking them.
I'll even go as far as to say this. They are the only (or at least main) celebrities that I genuinely feel deserve fans and all of the success that they have achieved, especially Harry. There is something very special and different about him all around and I am just so impressed with him. I have never seen anyone like him before. He is truly one of a kind and never blends in. Based on what I have witnessed and heard about him, not only is he artistically brilliant and generally eccentric (among many other positive attributes), he is such a beautiful person inside and out. He inspires and motivates me to be a better person. He is aware of what an impressionable icon he is and he uses this to his advantage to spread love and kindness and influence others to do the same. I get emotional just thinking about it.
I just think they are IT. They are fantastic. I have never, ever cared about celebrities like this before, so that's saying something.
Whenever I see new boy bands show up, like Why Don't We and PRETTYMUCH, I always joke, "Are these kids the new One Direction?" But the truth is, no other boy band compares to these guys or has reached the level of impact that they have made. They certainly have earned the most loudest screams out of every group at award shows.
What I love about them too is that I've found that teenage girls aren't the only fans that they have. People of all ages and backgrounds attended their concerts and show their support for them. The fact that they were able to acquire a fanbase this widespread as maybe opposed to other artists and groups is a testament to them. As I have been seeing as an argument in favor of One Direction, good music is for everyone.
It's been fun being a fan of 1D. I feel like a teenager again, but with a more adult outlook. lol :)
It's nice too because although the hype has died down, people's admiration for them has not. I see so many recent comments all over social media about how much they are missed and inquiring about when they will get back together. And now lately these One Direction club nights are becoming more and more prosperous. I like that I can slip into this now without feeling behind because love for 1D is still, and seemingly always will be, current.
One thing frustrating about this though is that because One Direction is technically a thing of the past and not as common among people my age, it might be a challenge to find others like me with as much 1D enthusiasm as I have right now. One Direction is full of memories for their fans, whereas I am just getting introduced to everything for the first time.
But in the end, their music is just so therapeutic. I just feel like, hey, if listening to them is good for my mental health, then so be it! I'm going to keep listening to them nonstop! lol (I listen to other stuff too, of course, but One Direction is my most consistent right now.)
To put it simply, these dorks (and I mean that in the most endearing way possible) and their optimistic aura make me happy and relaxed. :)
I came across this video and found it so sweet. I don't know where and when it's from, but it captures how I feel about them pretty well. :)
I really like that Zayn is the one who says this too.
So if you were like me and totally dismissed One Direction when their fame skyrocketed and continue to write them off because of the whole juvenile boy band connection, I recommend checking them out again and giving them another listen nowadays. Even though things change, we can always treasure what was. :) It's easy to catch up with them now that they aren't making new music or appearances at the moment. lol
Get ready, folks. Plenty of One Direction material might be coming your way. They've inspired me. lol
By the way, are there any other Directioners/Honorary Directioners pushing 30 and older out there? I just read a fantastic Bustle article about this by Sage Young! This one from Vice is good too!
If so, I NEED TO FIND YOU! Let's unite! I need to fangirl with people (especially those who are late bloomers like myself) whenever one of them does something! LOL :D I mean, I was sitting during the live action Aladdin end credits by myself internally fangirling when I heard Zayn singing "A Whole New World." :P
I actually found out that some of my best friends are One Direction fans! I'm so excited now!! :D
...
Oh, who am I kidding? I'm just a full blown Directioner now, aren't I? :P
I have been working on this piece since January/February and kept wondering when would be the best date to finally publish it (because I kept prioritizing other things, revising it and being an overall perfectionist with it [still am], and wondering how much I really wanted to reveal my fondness for One Direction in blog essay form), and then I realized that today would be perfect. This is my first time celebrating this as a fan so I'm pretty thrilled. It started trending last night as the top trending topic (probably due to time zones).
See what I mean about love for 1D never dying? lol
Happy 9 Year Anniversary, One Direction! :D
*After I published this post, I had managed to meet so many great people on social media because of One Direction and Harry Styles, a lot of them fans that are around my age and older. A special warm shout out to all of the amazing friends I have made! You know who you are! :D*
But though it's now considered empowering when boys embrace "girl things" and girls embrace "boy things," for some reason, when girls like "girl things," it somehow misses the mark...
Wow. You mean girls are actually attracted to boys sometimes and like the idea of them singing romantically or simply with praise to or about them and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that? MIND. BLOWN.
Basically, One Direction and the whole boy band concept is not understood by some simply because it wasn't designed for those people.
When "Drag Me Down" was released, I remember hearing it and seeing clips of the music video and appreciating how more mature, cooler, and overall different it sounded compared to their previous hits (in fact, much of their last album "Made in the A.M." is like this). I was just like, "Oh okay. I actually like a One Direction song. Cool."
Now that I recall, when I first got into Spotify back in September, I had recently interviewed and written about Dylan Hartigan from "The Voice" for BC The Mag and decided to put together a playlist comprised of his music. Because he didn't have a huge collection yet, I found that I had to include additional songs to make the playlist more complete, so I also added "Little Things" by One Direction because I felt that it was a similar genre to Hartigan's. This was another song of theirs that I had always fancied (thanks to YouTuber GloZell Green, a fellow older 1D fan whose presence in this actually helped me feel better about liking them lol). I then decided to revisit "Drag Me Down" because I remembered that it vaguely always reminded me of "Larger Than Life" by the Backstreet Boys with both songs addressing their supporters and including the outer space setting for the music videos. So then, "Little Things" and "Drag Me Down" were the sole One Direction songs I enjoyed when my Spotify playlists occasionally shuffled to them.
Then in January, I decided to check out more of their music, realizing that I did recognize a lot of their songs, and discovered that I actually *GASP* like their stuff! When I listen to them, I either just feel pure joy and serenity or get totally hyped. Kinda ironic.
Normally when I stumble upon a new interest in something, I call it a "kick." "I'm on a 'blah blah blah' kick right now." These "kicks" normally last a few weeks until I find something else that grabs me. However, my regard for One Direction has lasted all of these months now, so there's obviously something exceptional here.
Never in a million years would I have expected myself to become a One Direction fan. If you told me last year that I would be into 1D in 2019, I wouldn't have believed you.
I wouldn't say that I am now a Directioner (a collective term for their fans) because I wasn't a fan since the beginning or when they were active, but I do have a newfound respect for them.
As a self-proclaimed Honorary Directioner, I believe that I have now listened to all (or at least most of) their songs, and from what I see, their music is pretty 'wholesome and innocent' for the most part, at least in contrast to other music out there. This makes sense given their young target audience.
...
...Okay, okay. WAIT. Let me backtrack a bit here. There are songs and lyrics here and there that suggest some more adult oriented themes that get passed the radar (quite a few actually, the more I listen :P), such as "Perfect," "No Control," and others...many, many, MANY others...
But these, along with their music videos, are written and staged pretty tastefully, making them safe for family consumption as opposed to the vulgarity and bluntness we get nowadays. Also, their music doesn't sound very modern. I get some 70s, 80s, and 90s vibes from it! "Midnight Memories" is the one that really struck me as a 90s song. Listen to "Does He Know?" and try to tell me that it doesn't sound like "Jesse's Girl" by Rick Springfield. :P
I will admit that a lot of their stuff (especially the early days) does sound the same and generic (often referred to as "bubblegum pop"), like most boy band songs. But regardless, they have a LOT of great songs, you guys. They are SO GOOD!!! Their lyrics and melodies incorporate such phenomenal quality and they have a nice mix of slow and upbeat jams. I am actually working on a blog post ranking my Top 10 (or something) favorites and it's proving difficult for me. I can't narrow it down very well. I'm trying to figure out how I'm categorizing them and which make the cut and there's so much I want to talk about! Like literally every song and album that they have ever recorded is gorgeous and my favorites keep fluctuating. Every time I think that my list is settled...it's not. Even songs of theirs that I'm not crazy about I can still acknowledge are at least worthy of existence.
Here's another thing. You know how some songs have misheard lyrics because you can't fully understand the singer? I never really have this problem with One Direction. They are so articulate that I can easily follow along and learn the words. (If there's ever a time I misunderstand them, it's simply because of their accent pronunciations.)
I'm not the only one who noticed this either. One day when I was doing some cleaning in my room and playing One Direction in the background (as I do now), my mom asked me who they were, saying that they sound different from what I normally listen to. The song that was playing during this discussion was "Moments." I asked her what she meant by that, and she told me that I tend to listen to songs from which you can't make out the words and that 1D sounded more subdued.
Furthermore, unlike other boy band members that sound alike, these guys all have distinct voices that each bring something unique to the table.
And, finally, they are very authentic and natural while performing onstage and interacting with people, especially their fans. You can definitely tell how much they cherish them.
There is a massive amount of camaraderie involved with One Direction! Also, their shows look like a blast! :)
LMAO I'm such a nerd.
Being a kid from the 90s, I will always be a Backstreet Boys fan, but I am preferring One Direction to them now...
I know, right???
So now all of a sudden I feel like I missed out, am sad that they aren't together anymore, and am mad at myself for not appreciating them more back when they were in their prime. But then again I'm also kind of glad that I wasn't a fan back then because I would have maybe gotten too attached at a younger age and been feeling the same withdrawals as their devotees this entire time. I'm not as affected by Zayn's departure and 1D's 'sabbatical' in the same way because I didn't live through the whole 1D experience as a fan.
They say "hiatus" and continuously promise a possible reunion maybe in 2020 (or maybe not), but I think they are just doing that to appease their fans. I don't understand why they said "hiatus" in the first place when they could have straight up just been honest and said that they were disbanding, which is clearly what they were planning all along, instead of giving their fans false hope. It seems to me that maybe they just wanted to test the waters, and if their solo careers didn't work out, then they would return to One Direction without the potential shame. The thing is though, their solo careers are panning out quite nicely, particularly Harry's.
When you hear "hiatus," that is usually the kiss of death when it comes to musical groups, and I don't think some fans comprehend this. I'm not expecting a reunion anytime soon.
However, I do agree that it is indeed possible that they would get back together on their own terms for a reunion show and others in the future like they’ve been saying (minus Zayn though probably, unfortunately). I mean, look at the Backstreet Boys. They're back together now (actually, did they ever even split up?) making more material and embarking on a tour. The Jonas Brothers have also reunited, New Kids On The Block released a new music video, and B2K is going on a reunion tour as well.
Basically put, there's still hope! I would love to see them together live and active again! :D
But even so, I don't think One Direction will ever be what they once were. They are maturing. They are too busy enjoying their freedom to create their own sounds and experiment with their individualities, and that's understandable. Anything they produce now on their own is entirely THEM without any supplemental influences, which is probably what they all originally strived for when they auditioned for "The X Factor" in the first place. They're taking control of their own artistries and destinies so it's highly unlikely that they would return to their roots because basically that is going backwards for them. One Direction was their starting point, a platform for them to ultimately build off.
Plus, it was a boy band. They're men now.
I liken One Direction's stint to school years. One Direction came of age together for 5 years, which is almost the same age range and amount of time as a high school or college career. By the time senior year hits, students anticipate graduation and moving onto other things. I'm gathering that 1D felt the same way towards the end.
I've read that Harry initiated this hiatus. (I'm also hearing that he catches flak for this sometimes whereas it is also said that all of the guys wanted this. But honestly, does it really matter who first brought up the idea? They're all clearly happier and healthier now, so the move was a good one in the long run.) Given how well he is doing on his own and how he is distancing himself from the whole boy band persona (even though he has genuinely expressed how much he loved that part of his life), I have a feeling that he would be the least willing to join forces with the other guys again (even though he does say never say never). I don't think he is even asked about it (as much) in interviews like the other three are.
But I think I may like these guys now BECAUSE they aren't a unit anymore constantly in the news. I like that they are more under the radar now because it makes me actually want to hear more about them. I like hearing about them now that I am actually a fan and I like it when I have to actively look people up to see what they're up to. Now that the hype has died down, I can value them more for who they were without the media frenzy always hounding them (as much), and are, for I'm also checking out their solo projects. I think they are the most comfortable and at peace where they are these days, as am I, and I like that. For this reason, I actually don't want them to reunite.
Obviously their solo songs aren't as 'clean' as the One Direction ones, but I love how each of them has his own style, especially Zayn.
One Direction was good with Zayn, it is/was good without Zayn, Zayn is amazing without them, and they are all great (and dare I say, better) by themselves. They're just all around gifted, charming, humble, grateful, stand up, top notch, down to earth guys and class act superstars (which I hope is real with the sincerest of intentions because you never truly know with celebrities unless you know them personally, though I'm pretty sure it is given how they normally conduct themselves). Come to think of it, I never really heard anything bad about them and how they treat people. There's absolutely nothing problematic about them, so therefore there's no legitimate justification for disliking them.
I'll even go as far as to say this. They are the only (or at least main) celebrities that I genuinely feel deserve fans and all of the success that they have achieved, especially Harry. There is something very special and different about him all around and I am just so impressed with him. I have never seen anyone like him before. He is truly one of a kind and never blends in. Based on what I have witnessed and heard about him, not only is he artistically brilliant and generally eccentric (among many other positive attributes), he is such a beautiful person inside and out. He inspires and motivates me to be a better person. He is aware of what an impressionable icon he is and he uses this to his advantage to spread love and kindness and influence others to do the same. I get emotional just thinking about it.
I just think they are IT. They are fantastic. I have never, ever cared about celebrities like this before, so that's saying something.
What I love about them too is that I've found that teenage girls aren't the only fans that they have. People of all ages and backgrounds attended their concerts and show their support for them. The fact that they were able to acquire a fanbase this widespread as maybe opposed to other artists and groups is a testament to them. As I have been seeing as an argument in favor of One Direction, good music is for everyone.
It's been fun being a fan of 1D. I feel like a teenager again, but with a more adult outlook. lol :)
One thing frustrating about this though is that because One Direction is technically a thing of the past and not as common among people my age, it might be a challenge to find others like me with as much 1D enthusiasm as I have right now. One Direction is full of memories for their fans, whereas I am just getting introduced to everything for the first time.
But in the end, their music is just so therapeutic. I just feel like, hey, if listening to them is good for my mental health, then so be it! I'm going to keep listening to them nonstop! lol (I listen to other stuff too, of course, but One Direction is my most consistent right now.)
To put it simply, these dorks (and I mean that in the most endearing way possible) and their optimistic aura make me happy and relaxed. :)
I came across this video and found it so sweet. I don't know where and when it's from, but it captures how I feel about them pretty well. :)
So if you were like me and totally dismissed One Direction when their fame skyrocketed and continue to write them off because of the whole juvenile boy band connection, I recommend checking them out again and giving them another listen nowadays. Even though things change, we can always treasure what was. :) It's easy to catch up with them now that they aren't making new music or appearances at the moment. lol
Get ready, folks. Plenty of One Direction material might be coming your way. They've inspired me. lol
By the way, are there any other Directioners/Honorary Directioners pushing 30 and older out there? I just read a fantastic Bustle article about this by Sage Young! This one from Vice is good too!
If so, I NEED TO FIND YOU! Let's unite! I need to fangirl with people (especially those who are late bloomers like myself) whenever one of them does something! LOL :D I mean, I was sitting during the live action Aladdin end credits by myself internally fangirling when I heard Zayn singing "A Whole New World." :P
I actually found out that some of my best friends are One Direction fans! I'm so excited now!! :D
...
Oh, who am I kidding? I'm just a full blown Directioner now, aren't I? :P
I have been working on this piece since January/February and kept wondering when would be the best date to finally publish it (because I kept prioritizing other things, revising it and being an overall perfectionist with it [still am], and wondering how much I really wanted to reveal my fondness for One Direction in blog essay form), and then I realized that today would be perfect. This is my first time celebrating this as a fan so I'm pretty thrilled. It started trending last night as the top trending topic (probably due to time zones).
See what I mean about love for 1D never dying? lol
Happy 9 Year Anniversary, One Direction! :D
*After I published this post, I had managed to meet so many great people on social media because of One Direction and Harry Styles, a lot of them fans that are around my age and older. A special warm shout out to all of the amazing friends I have made! You know who you are! :D*
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