Little Things: Revisiting One Direction’s best moments through the years

The death of Liam Payne from One Direction has sent shockwaves through the internet. After the British singer tragically passed away in Buenos Aires at the age of 31, tributes began flooding in from all over the globe. The outpouring of grief isn’t surprising for a member of a band that once commanded arguably the biggest fandom in the world. As friends, family, and fans remember the little things from Liam’s extraordinary life, we revisit some of the best One Direction moments in his honour. Below, the story of their lives.

In 2010, Simon Cowell made the exceptional choice of putting together five auditionees of The X Factor — Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik — to form a boy band that would one day take over the world with their sensational pop music and charming smiles. It took One Direction only five years to sell 50 million records, rake in over 200 awards, create five chart-topping albums, and garner an enthusiastic collective of admirers. Indeed, it can be said that much of the group’s enormous fanbase ‘grew up’ as they did. Naturally, when the tragic news surrounding the death of Liam Payne broke on the internet, it left fans and the music industry devastated by the loss.

Remembering Liam Payne: 7 best One Direction moments

The moment One Direction was born

Unseen footage of how One Direction came to be was released by The X Factor 12 years after their formation in 2010. As it turns out, the group might not have existed without singer Nicole Scherzinger, who said, “They’re just too talented to get rid of. They’ve got just the right look and the right charisma onstage. I think they’ll be really great in a boy band together.” When Simon Cowell expressed his uncertainty regarding Liam Payne, Scherzinger backed him up by saying “I think that he would definitely shine. He could actually maybe be the leader.” The quintet went on to find unparalleled success together with multiple Billboard hits under their belt. In the video, check out the group’s priceless reaction when the formation of One Direction was announced.

The lads’ first music video is released

Zayn’s signature high fade hairstyle, Harry’s “baby you light up my world like no body else”, Liam’s magnetic smile, and the boys insouciantly playing football on a beach all propelled One Direction to the kind of fame that only The Beatles had known. Fourteen years on from its release, this video has racked up over 1.5 billion views and makes for the perfect summer anthem even today.

When the quintet won their first award

It’s not every day that an artist wins their first major award for their debut single — especially when they’re up against the most impressive artists of the time, Adele and Jessie J. One Direction reaffirmed their talent by winning the Best British Single of the year for “What Make You Beautiful” in 2012; however, all that fans could talk about (apart from their dashing looks and impeccable fashion sense) was Louis’ humorous reaction when Liam said “Modest” in his speech.

When One Direction launched a perfume

In this enticing behind-the-scenes footage of One Direction’s perfume campaign, the lads were asked to transform into seeds and flowers to mimic the fruity and floral notes of their newly-launched scent. The result was a 7-minute video of Harry trying to hold back his laugh, Liam showing up as a professional model, and “Z-Z-Z-Z-Zayn” getting screamed at while trying to “grow into a flower.” Although the video was a comical reminder of why One Direction should stick to singing, no true fan could be mad about watching the boys indulge in shenanigans for seven full minutes.

The quartet at The Late Late Show With James Corden

When One Direction, minus Zayn, appeared at the Late Late Show, host James Corden engaged them in a little game he liked to call ‘Tattoo Roulette’. In simple words, if you lose, you get a tattoo. One would think it was all a skit until Niall’s hands started shaking from the fear of losing and being forced to get a tattoo. Liam was the first one to be declared “SAFE”. The loser, for better or for worse, was Harry, who got ‘Late Late’ inked on his arm. Fun fact: The Grammy Award winner has the tattoo even today.

Carpool Karaoke

Later on in the show, the group joined James Corden for an iconic Carpool Karaoke session. The lads sang some of our favourite songs while ordering take-out from McDonald’s. With upwards of 200 million views, One Direction’s Carpool Karaoke session is one of the most-watched videos from James Corden’s highly popular show. In a similar vein some time later, Corden roped in the band for an epic dodgeball game. These videos make for the best One Direction moments that fans keep going back to re-watch, even nine years after the group’s disbanding.

The final performance

In 2015, One Direction performed together for the last time as a group at The X Factor’s season finale — the same show where it all started for them. The group sang an emotional rendition of “History” as a medley of pictures from their five years together played on the screen behind them. The band bid farewell to their fans and thanked them for being “the most dedicated people” they’ve ever seen in their lives.

While One Direction announced an “indefinite hiatus” in 2016, fans never stopped hoping for a reunion. Sadly, with the death of Liam Payne, a One Direction reunion will not be the same.

(Main image: @onedirection/Instagram; Featured image: @harry_styles/X)

This story first appeared here.