#5yearsofOneDirection: relive their first performance as a band

Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik became 1D five years ago today at a certain Mr Cowell's Marbella pad...

Emma Daly

Published: Thursday, 23 July 2015 at 11:35 am

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Five years ago today, One Direction came into being as they performed for the first time as a band on 2010's seventh series of The X Factor.

It was a pretty glamorous affair: band members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson had been zipped off to Marbella to sing for mentor Simon Cowell (and Sinitta, obviously) at Judges' Houses.

They'd all started off as solo artists in the competition, but the judges spotted potential for them as a band. And, well, suffice to say their instincts were correct.

Since then we've had worldwide tours, awards, movies, mugs, t-shirts, pens, bedspreads... you name it, 1D have got their name on it.

OK, so Zayn has since left the band but today's not the day to talk about that. Today's the day to remember the first time they performed, with Louis nursing an injury on his foot thanks to a sea urchin, no less.