As someone who was a teenager in the late 2000s and early 2010s, I obviously saw the massive impact of One Direction. They were easily among the most popular and successful artists of their era, and it was impossible to escape their music. I always felt their last two albums in particular, are some of the premier pop releases of their time. Admittedly, though, I have not followed much of the solo music from the One Direction members. I did listen to Zayn a little when he first went solo, and I have also paid attention to Harry Styles’ solo work(I actually have really enjoyed Harry’s last two records, and am excited about the new one). I do not think I have really heard much of the solo stuff from Niall, Liam(RIP), and Louis, though. Recently, I saw that Louis is coming to do a concert in Milwaukee, though, and I was interested in checking out his new record. From what I understand, he has released two solo projects before now. He dropped one called Walls in 2020, and he put out Faith In The Future in 2023. Louis Tomlinson’s third solo record, How Did I Get Here?, came out last week. Below, I wanted to go over some of the topic tracks, as well as give some overall thoughts. Please let me know how you feel about this one below!

ON FIRE

‘On Fire’ is a song with a very positive and light sound. This is the kind of song that can just naturally make the listener feel good when they hear it. It actually sort of reminds me of the muisc that Harry Styles’ Harry’s House album. This song has a retro Pop-Rock sound that definitely feels equally inspired by the 1970s and the early 2000s. The song is driven by a very bright and sunny-sounding keyboard riff that sets the basis for this track. The guitars and synths in the background totally add to that super bright sound of the track. The drums on this song are pretty upbeat, which adds to the cheery feeling of the track. Louis’ vocals on this song are very solid. He sings with a lower tone on the verses, while hitting higher notes on the hook. His vocals on the hook really give the track energy. In On Fire,’ Louis Tomlinson sings about finding someone who gives him life when they hang out. 

SUNFLOWERS

Speaking of Harry Styles, the next track on the record, ‘Sunflowers,’ obviously has some relation to him as well. ‘Sunflower’ is probably one of my top Harry tracks, so this is pretty ironic and funny to me. Now, the sound of Louis Tomlinson’s ‘Sunflower’ is nothing like that of his former bandmate. This track has a slow and warm feeling to it that definitely feels inspired by 1980s New Wave Synth-Pop music. When I hear this one, I think of songs by groups like Player or even Spandau Ballet. ‘Sunflowers’ is driven by cozy and full synths that give the song a very all-encompassing feeling. There are atmospheric sound effects that come in and out as well, which definitely add to the ambiance of the track. Vocally, Louis Tomlinson does not do anything game-changing. I do like how his lower and raspy tone contrasts with the brightness of the synths, though. On ‘Sunflowers,’ Louis is pleading for his partner to help him get away from the stress of his life. 

LAST NIGHT

‘Last Night’ is another song with a title that pays homage to an artist I really enjoy. This one sonically also provides that callback. If you are a fan of early 2000s Indie Rock at all, you most likely know the song ‘Last Nite’ by The Strokes. Not only does Louis’ ‘Last Night’ have a similar name, but it also feels inspired by that track. ‘Last Night’ is probably the most Rock-sounding song of the project. It does have a bit of a Poppy feeling, but it is a bit harder than the rest of the record. This song is driven by a fun and upbeat guitar riff with an Alternative feeling to it. This song has that kind of upbeat Indie Rock sound that will provide some nostalgia. Louis’ vocals actually work really well for ‘Last Night,’ as his tone kinda matches the original tone by The Strokes. On ‘Last Night,’ Louis sings of how an interaction with his partner is making his whole world better. He is worried he will lose this person and that his world will crumble.

IMPOSTER

‘Imposter’ feels like one of the more unique songs here sonically. Most of the rest of the songs have a more cookie-cutter feeling to them, but this one definitely stands out. This song has a Pop Rock sound with a Halloweeny feeling to it that is pretty cool. The melody is driven by a groovy bass line complemented by some synths. The synths that help out this one have a pretty sleek feeling that is honestly kind of creepy. I really like how the tone of this instrumental stands out. The beat is fast and pushy, making the listener want to dance. ‘Imposter’ has one of the better vocal performances here as well. I feel like Louis’ range and style fit this track well. On ‘Imposter,’ Louis sings about how he is trying to build up walls, as he is afraid to let his guard down with his new partner. 

IMPOSTER

Judging by Louis’ vocal style, I was waiting until he got on a true Funk track in the record. ‘Jump The Gun’ is a moment where we finally see that happen. ‘Jump The Gun’ is a track that definitely has a Groovy old school feeling to it. The instrumental for this one is definitely harsher and darker than pretty much anything else. The melody is driven by a dirty bassline that is complemented by an equally dirty guitar riff that is put over it. The drums on this one hit pretty hard; the best certainly matches the fervor of the melody. I like the emphasis that Louis sings with in ‘Jump The Gun’ as well. His tone is kind of perfect for this kind of track. I feel like it brings out the best in him. On ‘Jump The Gun,’ Louis sings about his trepidation of moving too fast. 

As I stated, going into this record, I really did not have any expectations. Not only was Louis the artist I paid attention to the least while he was actually in One Direction, but I knew nothing about what he would do as a solo artist. I am not going to lie and say How Did I Get Here? blew me away in any capacity. In fact, I feel like it was pretty tame and safe. I do think it does a decent job at what it is trying to do, though. In this record, Louis Tomlinson is exploring many different types of Pop music. The album is pretty diverse in its sound and has a lot to like for fans of different styles of the genre. Nothing really pushes any boundaries or does anything exceptionally riveting. This is part of what makes it enjoyable for a wide range of people. Nothing here will ruffle feathers, and it all feels pretty nice to listen to. I think there are a couple of moments that especially stand out, and they are the Funk or Alternative Rock-influenced tracks. These moments seem to fit Louis’ vocal style well. Speaking of Louis’ vocals, I kind of feel the same way about them as I do the instrumentals. Louis is definitely a more than solid vocalist, and he adapts to each song’s style well. As I said, some songs do fit him better than others, but he does not ever sound out of place. I wouldn’t say there are any performances that take a song over the top, but there also aren’t any that drag a song down. Lyrically, I don’t have a ton to say about this record. The lyrics actually fit into my feeling of the album’s sonic elements. They aren’t thought-provoking in any way, but they also aren’t bad. Overall, Louis Tomlinson’s How Did I Get Here? feels okay. It tries to tackle a wide range of Pop sounds, and does it mildly successfully. I don’t know if I will come back to this one, but I also hold no disdain for it. And I am appreciative of now knowing what Louis Tomlinson is up to as a solo artist.