If you are anything like me, you have been waiting for January 23, 2026 since September. The reason? Louis Tomlinson announced he will be releasing his third solo studio album and going on tour in 2026. The album is called “How Did I Get Here?” and the tour is “How Did We Get Here?” “we” being him and the fans.
Tomlinson auditioned for X-Factor at 18-years-old, and was put in the band “One Direction” with four other boys, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Liam Payne. From there, his career took off. By just their second album, they were already selling out arenas all over the world and had garnered a huge fanbase from every nook and cranny of the world. They broke many records and are considered one of the greatest boy bands of all time. No matter how cringy you think their songs are, you can’t deny the numbers.
One of the things Tomlinson is most proud of from “One Direction” is that he has the most writing credits. He was never seen as the head of the band or the strongest singer, but he stepped up in other ways. After the band went on an indefinite hiatus (9 years and counting) in 2016, he was able to use these songwriting skills for his solo albums “Walls,” “Faith in the Future,” and now his newest album.
As soon as the presale came out for the tickets, I got on Ticketmaster to see how much they were. I got three tickets (two for friends) on the first level above the floor for around 200 dollars. Tomlinson is coming to Dickies Arena on June 21, and The Aces will be opening for him.
As you’ve probably noticed, the date is now past January 23 which means his album has finally been released. Before releasing the album, he put out three singles: “Lemonade,” “Palaces,” and “Imposter.” He has also done several interviews and live performances including “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “The Zane Lowe Interview Series,” and a live performance at the F1 Grid Digs at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Now it’s time to get into the album. There are 12 tracks lasting 36 minutes in total. For some songs, Tomlinson has leaned into a more rock sound, while other songs are more pop and indie. “How Did I Get Here?” is different from Tomlinson’s other albums because it has a rock sound with indie influence, while the others are more pop with a little bit of rock influence.
Track 1: “Lemonade”
This was his first single that he released and it set the tone for the whole album. Even though it came out in January, the album is very fun and definitely one to listen to during the summer. I fell in love with “Lemonade” the first time I heard it. It was a school day and I was in the library after lunch. (A side note: this dropped around the same time all of the rumors were circulating about ZAYN being featured on Tomlinson’s album. If you are not aware, they were both in “One Direction” but supposedly have not talked to each other in years until last year. This was a big moment for fans and they, myself included, were/are convinced it is ZAYN’s voice in the bridge of “Lemonade.”) I put in my air pods and sat there giddily trying to breathe in every lyric like I needed them in order to survive. I probably listened to the song at least eight times that day (not an exaggeration). Overall, the song is very poppy and it has a great beat that makes it almost impossible to resist dancing in the seat of your car.
Track 2: “On Fire”
To be honest, this is not one of my favorite songs on the album. Actually, I think that the second half of the album is better than the first, but I still really like the first few songs. I haven’t listened to “On Fire” enough to really know what it’s about, but the chorus is just the lyrics “you set me on fire” over and over again, so I’m not sure there’s that much meaning to it. But besides that, it is a very catchy song (I have the chorus stuck in my head right now) and also has a good beat.
Track 3: “Sunflowers”
This is a more mellow sound, and I interpret it to be about feeling stuck and not really knowing where you are headed. Even though the lyrics are more solemn, the beat makes the song sound uplifting and not that sad.
Track 4: “Lazy”
This is an interesting song. There is a lot of voice manipulation, but not in a bad way. It’s kind of hard to describe, so you just have to listen to it. The song definitely feels like a hot summer day spent indoors laying on the couch with a bag of potato chips and a coke. If that doesn’t paint a picture for you, then you’re just going to have to go listen to it.
Track 5: “Palaces”
This was Tomlinson’s second single that he released, and it is one of the rock songs. It’s fast and very catchy. It’s a scream at the top of your lungs with the windows rolled down kind of song. Tomlinson has explained in an interview that it is a love song for his hometown: Doncaster, England. Overall, it is a great song and I highly recommend listening to it.
Track 6: “Last Night”
This might be my favorite song on the album. I can’t really explain why, but the way it starts out and the upbeat tone of the song makes me so happy. It definitely has summer written all over it. This song is another love song about the beginning of a relationship where Tomlinson wonders where it will lead. It is a purely joyous song, and I think it could be tied to any type of relationship. Please, please, please listen to this song. It gives me chills because I love it so much.
Track 7: “Broken Bones”
This song is about him literally breaking his arm. I think it’s supposed to suggest that he would go through the experience again (breaking his arm) because he was able to persevere through it. I’m not quite sure how much he had to persevere as it was only a broken arm, but he was preparing for a world tour at the time.
Track 8: “Dark To Light”
This is by far the saddest song on the album. It is about Liam Payne, a former bandmate in “One Direction.” He passed away on October 16, 2024. The song is very lyrically similar to Lewis Capaldi’s “Before You Go.” Tomlinson asks if there was anything he could do to make him feel better and that he wishes Payne could have seen how he looked in Tomlinson’s eyes. The bridge might be my favorite part because while it is still sad, the beat is very hopeful. I definitely shed a few tears the first time I listened to it.
Track 9: “Imposter”
This was Tomlinson’s third single that he dropped. This is another fun and very catchy song. The song is what you would think based on the title. It’s not one of my favorites, but I still like it.
Track 10: “Sanity”
When I first heard this song, it was a complete jump scare. I know I have been saying “catchy” a lot, but if there was ever a time to use it, it’d be now. I don’t know what it is, but I feel forced to sing along and wiggle my shoulders. It starts out normal, but just wait until you get to the pre-chorus. It sounds normal now that I have listened to it a few times, but it absolutely did not the first time. It’s just a fun song to sing and dance along to. But don’t listen to it before any kind of test or presentation because it is sure to get stuck in your head.
Track 11: “Jump The Gun”
The beginning of this song sounds like a Red Hot Chili Peppers song. It definitely has the heaviest rock influence out of all the songs. I’m not completely sure what it’s about, but I think it might have to do with being careful about going too fast or making rash decisions.
Track 12: “Lucid”
This was a big surprise when I first heard it. I would describe “Lucid” as a ballad compared to the other songs. While Tomlinson has ballads on his other albums, there are very very few. There’s only one I can think of that has the same mellow sound which is “Only the Brave” from his solo debut album “Walls.” While it was a surprise, I cannot think of a better way to end this album. It is absolutely perfect and right when you think it’s over, he starts singing “How Did I Get Here?” in a very hopeful tone. I could go on and on about how good this song is. It shows his songwriting skills and his vocal range. Please listen to this song. I know I am biased but it is genuinely so good and so heartfelt.
If you haven’t noticed, 2026 is the year of music. Just in the first month, we have a Louis Tomlinson album, an upcoming Harry Styles album, plus a residency tour (30 nights at Madison Square Garden is actually insane). On top of that, Niall Horan confirmed his album is almost done, and we get a song with him and Myles Smith February 6 called “Drive Safe.” ZAYN is currently performing his Las Vegas residency, Noah Kahan dropped his single on January 30th with an album on the way, Bruno Mars is back and going on tour, Charlie Puth is going on tour, and many more to come. Also, this is just what I am aware of, but there is probably a lot going on in other genres too.
Because of all the things I just listed, I seriously need to get a job. Those tickets are not going to pay for themselves and I think my parents might have found a way to prohibit their credit card number from being entered into Ticketmaster. But I will leave you with a bit of manifestation.
I believe that in the year 2026 you will be able to afford all the concert tickets you wish for. You WILL win the Ticketmaster wars, no matter how expensive those Harry Styles tickets are. When you enter the queue, you will be first in line—instead of 698,968th. Your favorite artist(s) will release new music and/or go on tour.
In the meantime, remember that music is a gift that we are so lucky to have. We get to experience and listen to people who are brave enough to share their talent with the world. I know that music has and will continue to change my life, and I hope that you are able to have that same experience. With that, I will remind you to stay vigilant, stay nimble, and most importantly, don’t reload the tab.
