Entertainment

Is '1D' Over Forever Now That Harry Is Solo?

by Alexis Rhiannon

I can't believe it's come to this, and this is a question I have to ask, but is One Direction over now that Harry Styles is going solo? Guys, seriously, be honest, I can take it. (No I can't, that was a lie. Please, someone go get an adult.) I'm a pretty strong-willed person, so even when the lads of 1D announced they were taking a hiatus, I was able to power through and convince myself that they weren't really breaking up with me, we were just taking some space; getting to know ourselves and maybe seeing other people. But it was all because we were ultimately concerned about the health of the relationship. After all, if we could survive Zayn Malik's departure, then we could pretty much make it through anything.

But that was then, and this is now, fresh off of Harry Styles reportedly signing a solo deal with Columbia Records. Which you have to understand is very confusing for me, and for all of us, because I never wanted to be anything but excited when I found out that any of these beautiful baby boys were putting out their own music. But my excitement here is bittersweet, because the further into this hiatus that we get without an announcement of an end date, and the more the lads branch off to pursue their own projects, the less likely it feels to me that they'll ultimately reunite.

Except, no! What am I saying? I'm supposed to be an eternal optimist when it comes to these crazy kids, so I can do better than this when it comes to predictions for the future of One Direction. Maybe the more time the foursome spends apart doing their own thing, the more they'll value that special bond they had with 1D, and start to miss recording and touring together. Maybe it's like how they say that before you take on the responsibility of being a parent, you should pursue your own dreams and goals, so that you aren't resentful of your kids when things inevitably get sidetracked by you needing to put their goals before your own. In this situation, One Direction is the mamas and the papas, and we the fans are their kids, clamoring for what we want, which is more music and our parents to stay together.

And we're trying to make that happen the best way we know how — on Twitter. Whether it's those who are skeptical of the band making it through, the faithful, who keep insisting that they promised us they'd be back, or the cautiously optimistic who fall somewhere in the middle, everyone is speaking up with the hashtag #1DStayWithUs, pleading with the lads to make it work.

Honestly, I started this post pretty down and sure that the 1D era of our lives was over, but now I've talked myself all the way back around to optimism, and I feel like Harry Styles doing his own thing and making that sweet sweet solo music for our ears is the best possible thing for the future of One Direction.

Images: Giphy