Louis Tomlinson fans had a mission, and they delivered. More than a week after asking for their help amplifying his new album, How Did I Get Here?, upon its release, the British singer thanked his listeners for propelling the LP to No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart.
Sharing a photo on X of himself holding his celebratory trophy, Tomlinson wrote on Friday (Jan. 30) that he was “absolutely mind blown.”
“The amount of hard work I’ve seen from every fan to support this record is a different class,” he continued in the post. “This is a fan base where every individual makes such a huge difference. Thank you to all of you!”
How Did I Get Here? came out Jan. 23, marking Tomlinson’s third solo album. Three days before it dropped, the One Direction alum wrote on X, “Going to need your help over the next few days to cut through the noise. Time to give this record the moment it deserves!”
His followers did just that, making How Did I Get Here? his second No. 1 album on the U.K. chart, after 2022’s Faith in the Future. The LP also followed Tomlinson’s Billboard cover story, in which he spoke about how his boyband background trained him to be locked into commercial stats — something he wants to do less.
“That’s the nature of the industry — it’s a numbers-based industry, and it’s competitive by nature,” he told co-chief content officer Jason Lipshutz. “Coming out of a band the size of One Direction, eyes are on you, and you’re expected to succeed instantly. Those things are normal to feel, but if you let it, it’ll steer you [toward] the wrong decisions. I’ve tried to come at this record with a bit more of a bird’s eye view.”
Notably, Tomlinson’s album is No. 1 on the U.K. at the same time his former bandmate Harry Styles has the No. 1 song in the territory, thanks to his Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally lead single, “Aperture.” Elsewhere in his Billboard cover story, Tomlinson said, “I always knew Harry was going to go on to do what he’s done — I’m sure he’s superseded his own expectations in the way that he’s taken over the world, but we knew he’s got everything it takes to be a great artist.”
