Louis Tomlinson has told fans he has had a rethink about his career and is “turning a page”, just weeks after the death of his sister.
The One Direction star – whose 18-year-old sister Felicite died last month after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest – said he had been “mistranslating” what doing well means to him, and that he plans to “worry less about being defined on commercial success” and focus on making music he loves.
“Wanted to get this off my chest,” the singer told his 33.2 million followers on Twitter.
Wanted to get this off my chest pic.twitter.com/uoDHkByjxf
— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) April 22, 2019
“Someone recently said something very interesting about how so many people focus on the ‘end game’ without enjoying the doing.
“I’ve been thinking a lot more about what success means to me.
“I feel like I’ve been mistranslating it for the last 3 years.
“Everything I’ve ever known, in my career, is straight down the middle pop.
“My expectations and aspirations are all shaped around my experiences, as much as I try and stay realistic I couldn’t help but crave a ‘hit’ single.”
Tomlinson, 27, who has been working on solo music, continued: “It’s because of this that I’ve spent so long on this album, trying to fit into top 40 radio when in fact maybe I should start with what I love and work from there instead of trying to write to a more specific formulae.
“Over the last few weeks I’ve put a lot of things in to perspective and in fact what I should be doing is forgetting about perception and to a certain degree worry less about being defined on commercial success.
“I’m not here to compete with the likes, of drake and Ariana grande.
“I’m here to make music I love and make my fans proud to say they’re a fan.
“Turning a page today.
“Enjoy today and enjoy the ride! Don’t get lost on the way up.”
Tomlinson’s mother, Johannah Deakin, died from leukaemia in 2016 at the age of 43.