One Direction is an Anglo-Irish pop boy band from London. The group includes Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Harry Styles. After meeting and finishing in third place on The X Factor during the 7th season of the British singing competition in 2010, the group signed with Syco Records, Simon Cowell's label. They have achieved international success through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Their three albums, Up All Night, Take Me Home and Midnight Memories, topped the charts worldwide, as did their hit singles, including "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Story Of My Life" (Dare to Dream, 4 ). Louis William Tomlinson, originally known as Louis Troy Austin, was born on December 24, 1991, in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. His parents, Johannah Poulston and Troy Austin, divorced when he was young. After his mother remarried Mark Tomlinson, Louis changed his last name. He has five younger half-sisters and attended Hall Cross School and Hayfield School. Louis appeared as an extra on the British television show Fat Friends and later attended drama school in Barnsley. He played minor roles in a TV film called If I Had You and the BBC's Waterloo Road. Louis worked in a variety of jobs, including in a cinema and as a waiter in the hospitality suites at Doncaster Rovers football stadium. During his time at Hall Cross he took part in several musical productions, including the lead role of Danny Zuko in the school's production of Grease, which inspired him to audition for The X Factor. Louis cited British actor Robbie Williams as his biggest idol (Dare to Dream, 21-22) and praised singer Ed Sheeran, calling him "phenomenal" (Maerz, 59). Zayn Javadd Malik was born on January 12, 1993, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Her father, Yaser Malik, is of British Pakistani descent and her mother, Tricia Malik, is of Irish and English descent. He has two younger sisters, Waliyha and Safaa, and an older sister, Doniya. Zayn grew up in East Bowling and attended Lower Fields Primary School before moving on to Tong High School. Due to his mixed heritage, Zayn felt like he didn't fit in at his first two schools..