Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan recently unfollowed Simon Cowell on Instagram after he expressed regret in a recent interview for managing One Direction. The music mogul created the boy-band in 2010 on The X Factor, consisting of Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson. Simon disclosed his regret of not owning the One Direction name, which hindered him from continuing the band’s legacy after they disbanded. Louis and Niall decided to cut ties with their former boss following this revelation, as reported by The Sun.
Simon mentioned in a podcast interview that he should have owned the name ‘One Direction’ in order to create more content related to the band. He even expressed his willingness to buy the rights back from the members. The pop stars, who were signed to Simon’s label Syco Music after The X Factor, had control over the name, which limited Simon’s ability to develop new projects featuring the band without their approval. Despite not recalling the exact ownership arrangement, Simon admitted his naivety in not securing the band’s name and vowed to avoid making the same mistake in the future when creating a new competition to find the next big boy-band.
After Zayn left One Direction in 2015 to pursue a solo career, the remaining members eventually split up in 2016. Simon expressed his regret over not owning the band’s name, which prevented him from fully utilizing the brand’s potential post-breakup. He acknowledged the success of One Direction, calling them the perfect group who made a significant amount of money. Simon disclosed the advice he gave to the band members, including not complaining about the paparazzi or invasion of privacy, as it came with the territory of fame and success.
Following his podcast interview, Simon was seen putting up a giant billboard of his own face to promote his new show aimed at finding the next big boy band. The surprise stunt in London signaled the launch of his nationwide search for future megastars. The show’s filming was reported to have begun in the UK in partnership with production company Box To Box films. Simon was engaged in a bidding war with streaming services like Apple, Prime Video, and Netflix to secure a deal for the show, highlighting his commitment to creating the next successful boy band.
Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan’s decision to unfollow Simon Cowell on Instagram after his interview reveals their apparent displeasure with his handling of One Direction’s legacy. Simon’s regret over not owning the band’s name has impacted his ability to explore various opportunities related to One Direction post-breakup. Despite the initial success of One Direction, the lack of ownership has limited Simon’s freedom to capitalize on the brand’s potential. As Simon prepares to launch a new competition to find the next big boy-band, he is determined to avoid repeating his past mistake and ensure he retains ownership rights this time around for future endeavors involving the band’s legacy.
