Louis Tomlinson: "The Room Was Cold That Day". When The Police Knocked... I Just Knew

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

FlightStory

Society & Culture, Business, Education

4.6 • 13.2K Ratings

🗓️ 9 October 2025

⏱️ 119 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Louis Tomlinson, former member of One Direction - one of the most successful and era-defining bands in history, opens up about X Factor fame, the band’s split, the loss of Liam Payne, fatherhood, grief, and life after global superstardom for the first time, revealing the highs and lows that defined his journey. As a solo artist, Louis has released two chart-topping albums, amassed over 4.5 billion streams, and recently dropped his new single “Lemonade” ahead of his upcoming album “How Did I Get Here?”. Beyond music, he’s carved his own path as the founder of the self-curated Away From Home Festival and the unisex streetwear label 28 Clothing. In this powerful, candid conversation, he reveals: ◼️How he finds strength through loss, following the deaths of his mother, younger sister, and former bandmate, Liam Payne. ◼️How he rebuilt his self-worth after feeling like he wasn’t good enough ◼️Why a promise to his mother still drives everything he does today ◼️Why becoming a father changed how he sees life, pressure, and legacy ◼️His journey re-defining success and identity after reaching the pinnacle of the music industry. ◼️His upcoming album, 'How Did I Get Here', and his newfound happiness as inspiration. (00:00) Intro (03:40) Your Mother's Role in Your Life (04:27) Louis' Siblings (05:21) Do You Think Fame Changed You? (11:29) Boot Camp (13:16) Reflecting on One Direction (17:44) Having the Confidence to Push Back Against the Record Label (26:29) Relationship With Alcohol (28:12) What Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self? (29:42) Feeling Like the Weak Link in the Band (33:23) Solo Record Label After the Band Split Up (34:34) The Impact of Your Success on Your Family (37:46) Zayn's Decision to Leave the Band (41:41) Grieving the End of One Direction (42:28) The Meeting That Ended the Band (45:10) Career Decline After One Direction (48:01) Dealing With Comparing the Past to Now (54:09) Ads (56:11) Balancing Career and Personal Life (57:22) Your Mother's Death (59:40) Finding Out Your Mum Was Sick (1:02:38) Going on Stage After Your Mum’s Death (1:06:45) Advice for People With Grief (1:09:15) Experience With Anxiety (1:10:47) Remembering Louis’ Sister (1:11:18) Moving Through Grief (1:18:31) Felicite's Struggles (1:20:42) Why He Doesn't Speak About These Tragedies Often (1:25:38) Your Relationship With Liam Payne (1:29:41) Liam's Death (1:39:43) Challenge With Having Children When Famous (1:44:08) Ads (1:45:16) Louis’ New Music (1:47:46) How Much Does Love Come Into Your Album? (1:50:01) Where Are You on Your Journey of Happiness? Follow Louis: Instagram - https://bit.ly/3KG2uDG X - https://bit.ly/435ovlC Facebook - https://bit.ly/47aMx14 TikTok - https://bit.ly/48lj1qu YouTube - https://bit.ly/4q0bh3q You can listen to Louis’ new music, here: Lemonade Out Now - https://bit.ly/3KWsBX0 How Did I Get Here? - Album out 23rd January - https://bit.ly/3WpcAeH US + EU + UK Tour - On sale Friday 10th October - https://bit.ly/4o9psSd The Diary Of A CEO: ◼️Join DOAC circle here - https://doaccircle.com/ ◼️Buy The Diary Of A CEO book here - https://smarturl.it/DOACbook ◼️The 1% Diary is back - limited time only: https://bit.ly/3YFbJbt ◼️The Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards (Second Edition): https://g2ul0.app.link/f31dsUttKKb ◼️Get email updates - https://bit.ly/diary-of-a-ceo-yt ◼️Follow Steven - https://g2ul0.app.link/gnGqL4IsKKb Sponsors: 1Password - Find out more at https://1password.com/doac    SimpliSafe - https://simplisafe.com/DOAC to save 50% on a SimpliSafe home security system. Adobe Express - http://ADOBE.LY/STEVEN

Transcript

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0:00.0	I want to see more of the world, so I need my investments to do the same.
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0:10.3	from the UK to the US and Asia, all through one simple investment.
0:15.0	So when it's time to say goodbye work, I'll be saying, hello world.
0:19.3	Find F&C on all major investment platforms. It's smart to start with FNC. Capital at Risk. This FNC Investment Trust advert is approved of distribution by Columbia Threadneed or Management Limited February 2025.
0:30.3	Not really ever spoke about it in depth like this. Nothing prepares you in life for those kind of situations.
0:38.2	But I felt like I'd failed at the time.
0:40.7	That's the truth.
0:42.2	And it's still something that I'm unpacking still, to be honest.
0:45.3	Louis, well, you spoke to your sister, Lottie, about this.
0:49.1	Would you like to see it?
0:51.5	Louis Tomlinson!
1:28.1	I didn't spend my life as a young lad thinking I was going to be a singer. Like I grew up in a working class town. Seven of us living in a three bed. My mum used to work a lot of nights. She had to play dad as well. So I would have to get my sisters ready for school. So people in Doncaster didn't get those opportunities. And then the X Factor came along. I auditioned three times. First time I failed. The second time I failed. I remember thinking, this is utterly crushing, just sobbing to me more. But she made me feel like I could do anything. So instead of running away, it was like, I know I deserve it, I know I can. So how do I relearn confidence and go through a third time? When I think about what happened in the preceding five or six years, it is crazy.
1:32.3	Yeah. And the toughest thing to deal with is just the lack of normality. And part of growing up
1:37.0	in a working class town, I have this like guilt for the success and money that I've earned.
1:41.1	And then personal work within the band, I really, really struggled with. But you co-wrote 15 platinum singles. But I wanted to do more. But mostly for me, I didn't realize the value of family time. And the more time I spent the band, the more time I've spent away from home. Like two of my sisters who are identical twins. I've never told them this thing. But I wasn't confident enough to tell her pop. That shows
2:01.6	just how little I was at home. And then it ends. And what was really strange was being 24 years old,
2:09.0	realizing that the only way is down from it. Louis, there's so many things that happened in your life.
2:14.8	How does a young man grieve? It's not really something I speak loads about,
2:18.7	but I'm happy to because I cannot have that defying me. The floor is yours.
2:29.6	Just give me 30 seconds of your time. Two things I wanted to say. The first thing is a huge thank you for listening and tuning into the show week after week.
2:37.8	It means the world to all of us.
	...

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