ONE DIRECTION. From hero to zero?
After Justin Bieber and other misbehaving young stars, it’s One Direction’s turn to go through the first Dickensian rite of passage in its eventful four-year career. For years, the wholesome, squeaky-clean boys from “X Factor” were too cute and talented for teens and tweens to resist!
When Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik’s third album, “Midnight Memories,” was released last November, the pop heartthrobs made recording history by becoming the first group to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with all of its first three albums. Six months later, the collection is still in the top 100 (at No. 72).
To cash in on the hysterical screaming, crying and swooning that greeted the announcement that the boys’ “On The Road Again” tour has decided to take an unplanned side trip to Manila next year, Sony has released the quintet’s latest CD single, which features four versions of the power ballad, “You & I.”
Unlike “Story of My Life,” the song itself isn’t all that memorable, but it has the sort of melody that grows on you—from its moody first part to its edgier, rock-tinged second half. (A cleverly conceived “duet version” of the track allows fans to sing with Harry and company.) More than that, if you want to hear well-distributed solo sections that astutely show off the boys’ strong pipes—from Niall to Liam to Harry to Zayn and Louis, in that order—this is the 1D tune to listen to.
The release comes at the best and worst times for One Direction—especially after the incriminating, five-minute video recently leaked by The Daily Mail that shows Louis and Zayn smoking what appears to be weed during the group’s trip to Peru.
Their inventive music video of “You & I,” directed by Ben Winston, is just as controversial as the singers themselves. As they take turns singing the love song, the boys are seen stylistically morphing into each other before we see them replicating into clones of themselves!
Unfortunately, the presentation and special effects used in their video looks too similar to Clubfeet’s 2013 J Award-winning music video for “Everything You Wanted,” directed by Josh Thomas.
How will recent controversies and scandals affect the group’s popularity? After all, Liam and company can’t expect their admirers to just look the other way! Will pop music’s premier boy band go from hero to zero? Let’s wait and see.