After One Direction 20 Ways The Boys Have Moved On Since They Split

It has nearly been three years since One Direction performed together as a band. 2015 was a bittersweet year for Directioners-the boys released some of their most honest and raw music yet. But the band also announced they were going on an extended hiatus the following year, following the departure of Zayn Malik.

In early 2016, US Weekly published a report revealing that the hiatus had turned into a permanent split, and not one of the remaining four members had renewed their contracts. Reps for the band denied the rumors, maintaining that nothing had changed from their initial plans to take an 18-month break. While there's been no confirmation that the group has officially split, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson have yet to reunite.

Though fans miss the good old days, each member of the band has embarked on an exciting journey of his own. The fate of One Direction as a group may be floating in limbo, but as individuals, the boys have had the chance to shine, create music that's meaningful to them, and perhaps discover who they are beyond the confines of mainstream pop music.

Read on to find out what 1D has been up to since the split!

20 Louis Became The First 1D Father

The 1D boys aren't boys anymore-now they have boys of their own! Louis was the first member of the band to have a baby and pass his talent onto the next generation. Briana Jungwirth announced her pregnancy to Louis in 2015 while the band was still together and gave birth to Freddie Reign on January 21, 2016.

Though Louis and Briana are not in a relationship, Louis still gets to see his son.

Every now and then he blesses fans with snaps of Freddie on his Instagram, so we're grateful for that! If 1D does reunite, they may have to swap the backstage fridges of beers for fridges of milk bottles.

19 Zayn Became Part Of A Power Couple

During his time in the band, Zayn had a very high-profile relationship with Little Mix's Perrie Edwards. But a lot of things had changed by 2016. It was reported that Zayn broke things off with Perrie after leaving 1D, and was confirmed to be in a new, even higher-profile relationship with model Gigi Hadid. Gigi appeared in the music video for Zayn's single “Pillowtalk," and the couple was featured together in a Vogue photo spread in April 2016, which was shot by Mario Testino. The relationship has faced a lot of scrutiny, but the genetically blessed duo isn't afraid to get real about their strong feelings for each other in public.

18 Zayn Was The First To Release New Music

It makes sense that since he was the first member to leave the band, Zayn was also the first to break the ice and release new music as a solo artist.

His debut solo album Mind of Mine was released in March of 2016, close to a year after he'd departed the band.

Throughout that year he released a collaboration with rapper M.I.A. called “Freedun” and a collaboration with Taylor Swift for the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack called “I Don't Wanna Live Forever." As soon as Zayn came out with new music, it became clear that his personal style is vastly different from the kind of music he was making with 1D.

17 Niall Took His Sound In Another Direction

See what we did there? Zayn wasn't the only one whose musical taste and style may have been set aside while he worked on mainstream pop with the band. Niall released his debut single as a solo artist called “This Town” on September 29, 2016. His next single “Slow Hands” arrived in May 2017, and his full album "Flicker" came in October. Though you could still call his sound pop, there's no doubt that Niall is now taking his music in a more folk-inspired direction. Being a solo artist has also given him the chance to perform with his guitar for entire sets, rather than just on one or two songs.

16 Despite Being The First To Leave, Zayn Confirmed He Was Proud Of The Band

In the initial period after Zayn left 1D, there was a lot of speculation about bad blood and tension coming between him and his former bandmates. There were even a few questionable tweets thrown back and forth.

And even though Zayn's image and musical style is now universes away from what he had with the band, he confirmed in his 2016 autobiography that he is proud of his past with 1D.

“I'm not sure people realize that, but I am,” he wrote. “I've got the memorabilia-the platinum discs we received with every album-all over my house. I have a wall dedicated to displaying them.”

15 Louis Lost His Mother To Sickness

2016 was a year of challenges and changes for Louis. Though he gained his first son in January, he lost his mother, Johannah Deakin, in December, not even a full year after his final performance with the band. She was diagnosed with leukemia in 2016 and left behind seven children and one grandchild. Not long after her passing, Louis appeared on The X Factor to give a performance with Steve Aoki which he had previously committed to. He received a flood of support from fans from all over the world and later honored his mom with an Insta post.

14 Louis Ran Into Trouble At LAX

By 2017, Louis was back with ex-girlfriend Eleanor Calder. The two became entangled in an altercation at LAX on March 3. Louis was arrested after a scuffle with a photographer.

Fans rushed to his defense once the video was posted online, arguing that Louis was trying to protect Eleanor, who was being swarmed by fans and paparazzi.

Louis was later released on bail. It was a tough few months for him following the passing of his mother and the trouble at the airport, but in July of that year, he released his first official single as a solo artist.

13 Liam Became The Second 1D Member To Become A Dad

There isn't just one 1D baby to celebrate, but two! On March 22, 2017, Liam welcomed his first child with Cheryl Cole-a son called Bear. Posting a snap of himself cuddling the new little cub on Insta, Liam wrote, “I'm incredibly happy to welcome our new baby boy into the world, it's a moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life and my favorite memory I have so far.” Interestingly enough, Liam and Cheryl first met when he auditioned for The X Factor, where she was a judge. Though the two are no longer together, Liam still gets to see Bear, who lives with Cheryl.

12 Harry Is Totally Open To A Reunion

The one thing most Directioners would give their right arm to know is whether or not the boys will ever unite again to create music, or at least come together for a one-off reunion performance.

In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Harry revealed that he's definitely up for it if everyone else is.

“I love the band, and would never rule out anything in the future,” he said. “The band changed my life, gave me everything.” Well, that's good news for fans, who have been longing to see the boys perform together since their last televised performance in December 2015.

11 Harry Emerged With A New Image And Solo Album

Like his former bandmates, Harry came out with new music in the years following the hiatus. It wasn't until May 2017 that he released his debut solo album, Harry Styles, but it was well worth the wait for fans. And like his former bandmates, Harry went in a completely different direction (couldn't resist) from the style of the band. Leaving the mainstream pop sound behind, Harry emerged as a rock star. Not only did his music get a total makeover, but Harry himself returned to the scene with a totally new look featuring Gucci tartan trousers and candy-pink suits.

10 Also, Harry's A Film Star Now

Harry's been doing more than music since the band went their separate ways. In July of 2017, the superstar from Cheshire made his acting debut in the Christopher Nolan film Dunkirk. In the historical flick, Harry plays Alex, a young private in the Army of Britain during the Second World War. For the role, Harry had to chop off his famous locks.

Though he doesn't get a huge amount of screen time, Directioners still flocked to see the movie when it was released.

Christopher Nolan maintains that he had no idea Harry was so famous when he cast him in the role.

9 The Boys Followed In The Beatles' Footsteps With Solo Success

Fans of 1D have often compared the boyband to the Beatles, citing their huge success, hordes of screaming fans and the promotion of UK culture in the United States as points of similarity. It seems that the boys are comparable to the Beatles as solo artists as well-Niall, Zayn, and Harry all had their solo albums debut at number one. The only other group to have three members' solo albums debut at number one is, you guessed it, the Beatles. And the band members who are yet to release entire albums are definitely happy for the ones who have-Louis congratulated Niall on his success via Twitter.

8 Harry's Fans Got Out Of Control At The Hollywood Bowl

One Direction fans have been known to get rowdy at concerts and go to extreme lengths to even catch a glimpse of their idols in hotels, restaurants, airports, and clubs.

So it's no surprise that fans of the boys as individual artists have also been over the top.

During his October 2017 performance at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the We Can Survive benefit concert, Harry Styles was grabbed by a fan while on stage. This prompted the hashtag #RespectHarry, and thousands of fans calling out the handsy fan for their inappropriate behavior.

7 As A Result Of Harry's Fans, There Was A Ban On The Sale Of Kiwi Fruit

To say that Harry's fans can get overexcited in his presence is a bit of an understatement. Following the success of his album, Harry embarked on a world tour in 2017. In November, an audience member threw a kiwi fruit at him while he was on stage in London, which he slipped on. Following this incident, it was reported that a grocery store in Manchester refused to sell kiwi fruits to young women under the age of 25 in order to protect the singer. The fan chose kiwi fruit in particular because of the song “Kiwi” on Harry's album.

6 The Trailer For Fan Fiction 'After' Dropped, Portraying Harry In A Questionable Light

The book series After began on Wattpad as 1D-inspired fan fiction. Now a series of best-selling YA romance novels, the first installment has been adapted into a movie. The story follows the journey of Tessa, who is led away from her good-girl persona by a bad boy called Hardin, who has a “cocky accent” and many tattoos.

It's no secret that the character was inspired by Harry, but fans were left feeling a little attacked after the trailer, which dropped in 2018, portrayed Hardin in a questionable light.

Loyal fans are now adamant about making it clear to the world that Harry and Hardin have nothing in common but tattoos.

5 Niall And Harry Supposedly Signed Up For The Elite App, Raya

Ever secretly hoped that you'd stumble across someone famous while swiping through Tinder? Well, you might have to keep hoping, since celebrities prefer the elite dating app Raya. It was recently reported that both Niall and Harry have signed up for the app, which is also used by Cara Delavigne and Khloe Kardashian. Jesse Johnson, brother of Dakota Johnson, created the app as a Tinder for A-listers. In order to join, you have to be sponsored by two existing members. You also have to hand over your Insta and other social media information to prove that you're the big deal you say you are.

4 Louis' Son Freddie Is The Spitting Image Of Him

It seems like only yesterday that Louis became a father, so it's hard to believe that Freddie will be three years old in a little over a month! Every now and then his parents share a cute photo of him on social media, and all we can say is he's the spitting image of his famous father.

In the past, Louis has shared pictures of Freddie and all the things he loves, including Freddie appearing to kick a football and Freddie with a guitar.

It's probably too early to tell whether or not he'll follow in his father's footsteps, but we're sure his future is bright either way!

3 Liam Is Modelling Sweatshirts For Charity

Ever the sweetheart (but also a total hunk), Liam recently modeled a sweatshirt to raise money for the Save the Children charity. He posted a snap of him wearing the sweatshirt for Christmas Jumper Day, writing, “Christmas is all about spending time with the ones you love, and I'm spreading the LOVE this year by buying a jumper from the Selfish Mother Collection for Save the Children. They do such incredible work and you can help by buying one too.” Other celebrities to model for the cause include Hilary Swank, Kate Moss, Luke Evans, Annabelle Wallis, and Daisy Lowe.

2 Niall Recently Couldn't Stand To Watch Footage Of Himself Performing In One Direction

Personally, we love re-watching old 1D footage. But Niall might feel a little differently. We guess for him it's like looking back at old photos and videos of yourself from when you were a completely different person.

He recently said that he had to stop watching the footage from the 1D concert at San Siro stadium in Milan, because he was cringing too much.

“We released a show of us playing the San Siro in Milan-I got embarrassed after ten minutes, I had to turn it off,” said Niall. “I don't know, just looking at myself with this big blonde fringe-looked like Jedward or something.”

1 Zayn Malik Revealed That He No Longer Identifies With Parts Of His Past

Growing up in a UK family of Irish and Pakistani descent, Zayn was raised with certain beliefs and values. And while he mostly held onto those during his time with 1D, he has recently revealed that he no longer identifies with particular traditions and beliefs from his past. Today, his beliefs are a little simpler. “I don't believe you need to eat a certain meat that's been prayed over a certain way,” he said. “I just believe if you're a good person, everything is going to go right for you.” Zayn also said that he respects whatever religious beliefs others have.