A primer on surprising One Direction moments
Being a part of a fandom is pretty much strapping yourself to a rollercoaster of emotions, but boy, has it been an interesting few years for One Direction fans. In honor of yesterday’s momentous news, let’s reflect on some of the 1D fandom’s most shocking moments:
March 9, 2013: Harry Styles reveals a giant butterfly tattoo on his torso
Boy bander growing up and getting tattoos: Not that surprising, and now pretty much every member (and one ex-member) of One Direction has a slew of tattoos. But when Harry got a giant butterfly tattooed on his chest, it was a shock to Directioners. Little did they know what else was in store…
May 5, 2013: Liam and longtime girlfriend Danielle Peazer split up
Going into One Direction, it was a fact that Liam, Louis, and Zayn all had steady girlfriends, and it was kind of sweet to see that fame didn’t affect those relationships, until it did. Suddenly, brooding Liam was on every fan’s radar.
July 22, 2013: We got to see new sides of One Direction in their “Best Song Ever” music video
One Direction’s music videos started off pretty normal, but started to devolve into their own often wacky art forms. “Best Song Ever” kicked the trend off, featuring the boys dressing up as different characters and caricatures, including Zayn in very fetching drag.
January 18, 2014: Liam comes under fire for a tweet supporting A&E’s show Duck Dynasty
We get it, celebrities are real people and bring their own values and beliefs to the conversation. But when Liam (easily the most conservative member of the group) tweeted out his support for the cast of Duck Dynasty while they were being put under the public eye for racist and homophobic statements, it looked and felt like a betrayal for the diverse 1D fandom.
March 31/April 1, 2014: A cruel Internet death hoax circulates about Zayn
Celebrity death hoaxes are de rigeur for the Internet, as are stupid online April Fool’s Jokes. But when news of Zayn’s “death” began circulating, it left fandom in shambles — how could the band move on without Zayn? (Little did they know.)
September 30, 2014: Hayley Williams of Paramore accuses One Direction of plagiarism
“Steal My Girl” was the first big hit off Four, but the song invited plenty of plagiarism criticisms, namely to Journey’s “Faithfully.” However, Williams blasted the band for ripping off New Found Glory’s 2006 song “It’s Not Your Fault,” and put the band on public notice.
October 24, 2014: One Direction’s video for “Steal My Girl” drops and features… Danny DeVito?
Okay, there’s a lot happening in the “Steal My Girl” video, but perhaps most surprisingly… Danny DeVito’s a Directioner?! Who knew.
November 21, 2014: Our dream One Direction dates fall flat for the “Night Changes” video
A romantic night out with Zayn; a night at the fair with Liam; a scenic drive with Louis; a cozy night in with Niall; ice skating fun with Harry. Sounds like an absolute dream, but like a certain ex of Harry’s once said, it was a nightmare dressed like a daydream.
Early March 2015: Louis and longtime girlfriend Eleanor Calder split
And just like that, Zayn was the only band member in a longterm relationship. But 2015 has been a wild ride for Directioners, and this split was just the beginning…
March 25, 2015: Zayn leaves One Direction
Oh, there were tears. Seriously, fans were so sad that some were requesting compassionate leave to deal with the loss.
July 14, 2015: Louis becomes a father
Though Liam has the nickname “Daddy Direction,” it’s Louis who’s actually about to become a dad! The announcement, revealed through People, was a shock to 1D fans and casual pop culture observers alike, but congrats are due to both Louis and the mother, stylist Briana Jungwirth.
As One Direction gets older and its members possibly branch out into other pursuits, it’ll be interesting to see what the band and its members/ex-members do next. One thing’s for sure: It’s never boring being a 1D fan.
Why we are still not over One Direction
