Entertainment Music Louis Tomlinson Says Harry Styles' Success Used to Bother Him: 'I'd Be Lying If I Said It Didn't' "But it's not surprising to me that Harry's the most commercially successful because he really fits the mold of a modern star," the former One Direction member recently told The Telegraph By Jack Irvin Jack Irvin Jack Irvin has over five years of experience working in digital journalism, and he’s worked at PEOPLE since 2022. Jack started in the industry with internships at Rolling Stone and Entertainment Tonight, and he worked as a freelance writer for publications including Bustle, MTV News, Shondaland, L’Officiel USA, Ladygunn, Flood and PopCrush before joining PEOPLE. In his current role, Jack covers daily music news and has interviewed both up-and-coming and established artists including Dolly Parton, Michelle Branch, Ashanti, Cyndi Lauper, Normani, Carly Rae Jepsen and Coco Jones. People Editorial Guidelines Published on November 10, 2022 03:25PM EST Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles. Photo: Noam Galai/Getty, GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Louis Tomlinson is opening up about how it felt to see Harry Styles experience extreme solo success after their days in One Direction together. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me at first," the 30-year-old singer-songwriter told The Telegraph in a recent interview to promote his new album Faith in the Future, out Friday. One Direction announced an indefinite hiatus in January 2016, and Tomlinson debuted his first solo single, "Just Hold On" with Steve Aoki, in December of the same year. The song found success, charting at No. 2 in his native U.K. and a more modest No. 52 in the U.S. — but the musician wouldn't release his first album, Walls, until January 2020. Styles, 28, on the other hand, debuted with "Sign of the Times" in April 2017 and achieved major success, reaching No. 1 in the U.K. and No. 4 in the U.S. before going on to become certified multi-platinum in both territories. His debut self-titled album was released the following month and became the ninth best-selling album of the year worldwide. One Direction. Christopher Polk/Getty Images Harry Styles Says He's 'Lucky' to Have Toured with One Direction Bandmates: 'We Always Had Each Other' Speaking to The Telegraph, Tomlinson explained that he felt bothered by Styles' success "only 'cause I didn't know where to place myself, and really my only point of reference was other members of the band." He added, "But it's not surprising to me that Harry's the most commercially successful because he really fits the mold of a modern star." Since his debut, Tomlinson has continuously released music and toured around the globe, albeit in smaller venues than Styles. However, he hasn't branched out into other sectors of entertainment like his former bandmate, who's starred in the films Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman this year. Harry Styles Postpones 3 More L.A. Shows After Getting the Flu amid 15-Night Residency: 'Devastated' "He's not just doing music, he's got film as well, and the tour he's done is unbelievable," said Tomlinson of Styles. "It took me a while to work out where I stand." Elsewhere in the candid interview, Tomlinson assured fans there's no lingering hard feelings about their career differences. After all, the musicians spent six years in a band together. "I look on Harry like a brother, man," said the "Bigger Than Me" performer. "I have a lot of pride for what he's doing."