Tomlinson on tour with One Direction in 2012
Louis William Tomlinson (/ˈluːi ˈtɒmlɪnsən/] born Louis Troy Austin; 24 December 1991) is an English singer, songwriter and television personality. He rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction after beginning his career as an actor, appearing as an extra in ITV drama film If I Had You and the BBC drama Waterloo Road. In 2010, he auditioned as a solo contestant on the British music competition series The X Factor. He was eliminated as a solo performer before he was put into a group with four other contestants, forming One Direction. The band has released five albums, embarked on four world tours, and won nearly 200 awards.