Louis Tomlinson Carves His Own Path on ‘How Did I Get Here?’

Three albums into his solo career, Louis Tomlinson has hit his stride in the latest release How Did I Get Here? With a balance of tracks inspired by ‘90s britrock and ballads that show off lyrical abilities, Tomlinson has found a groove that pays homage to his boyband past, but looks to the potential of the future. 

The second single off the album, “Palaces” opens with loud percussion and guitars, not holding back and definitely making this tune a future stadium anthem. The guitars and bass throughout the song help to create a feeling of less gritty early- to mid-2000s britrock. From verse to chorus, Tomlinson’s vocal style shines and allows him to utilize his higher vocal range to blossom into the chorus. 

“Dark to Light” is a good representation of the stripped back songs on the album. It starts off with Tomlinson and an electric guitar, giving listeners the space to pay attention to the lyrics about loss – “No phoenix in the flames / There’s only empty photographs.” As the song progresses, it ends on a strong note by introducing drums and synths to create a spacious feeling that creates a tight resolve. 

In the final few tracks, “Jump the Gun” leans into the ‘90s SoCal rock sound with a short, staccato guitar accompanied by a similar singing style from Tomlinson. With the faster pace from all the other instruments, the bass notes are longer and lazier, creating a nice sonic contrast. 

With each of the former One Direction boys taking on their own musical careers, it can be easy to compare them and see who is the most “successful” or who is creating the “best” music. However, listening to How Did I Get Here? makes the argument seem like comparing apples and oranges. Tomlinson has carved out his own sound, giving him space within the pop realm to be compared against his own work. 

Through looking at Tomlinson’s past projects into his latest one, there is a natural progression and growth in the artist’s evolution, but it also feels like Tomlinson has finally landed on a sound that he feels comfortable in. When Tomlinson announced his solo career, something like How Did I Get Here? was what I had in mind. 

This newest project gives fans a vision for the kind of music they can continue to expect from Tomlinson — solid pop rock and heartfelt ballads that detail life’s struggles.