An Open Letter to the Former Members of One Direction
To my dearest Harry, Louis, Niall, and Liam (not you Zayn),
Even seven years after your founding on July 23rd, 2010, you have me absolutely hooked—Truly, Madly, Deeply.
Your meteoric rise to international fame spans the entirety of my adolescence and young adulthood; my memories of my life pre-One Direction are hazy and forgettable. As a twenty-year-old, my love for the band means that, sometimes, people don’t take me seriously. Annoying as that might be, I’m not too bothered. I have a veritable arsenal of poppy summer bops saved to my phone, and I’m just a few taps away from being told that I’m valuable and beautiful (even if I don’t know it).
For years, my friends and family have ragged on me for loving you. I’ve been told that your music is shallow, that you couldn’t possibly compare to other artists of your time. Even so, I am not to be deterred. I know your music isn’t meant to be all that profound. If it was, I wouldn’t be able to use it to turn my mood around on a bad day. Consider the triumphant chorus of “Happily.” You’d be hard pressed to find someone whose mood doesn’t improve when they hear that little ditty.
I’ve been told that my persistence in remaining a 1D fan nears heroism, but I’m not one to brag. I know that I’m doing God’s work. If bringing the boys of 1D back together means that I have to throw “No Control” to the Chromecast during every social engagement I attend for the rest of my life, so be it. It’s a small price to pay.
Boys, I know that you are all involved in your own respective solo projects. I’m happy for you—really, I am. Harry, I think I account for at least half of the streams of your album on Spotify. And Louis, who can deny that “Just Hold On” is a bop? Surely not I. But I do believe that you are better together. I know you’re going to go your own way for a bit. I know that you might even feel like your split was for the best—just look how you’ve all grown! But we, the fans, know better. When you are ready to return to making feel-good music that shaped a generation, we’ll be ready.
Warmly,
Carly Ogletree