Do the words carrots, cats, Nando’s, spoons, and mirrors hold special meaning in your heart? Does blonde hair, curly hair, and quiffs mean anything more to you than just some more hair styles? If so, then you might just be a Directioner. People who are major fans of One Direction. One Direction is a British/Irish pop band that began on the X-Factor. They finished in third, but Simon Cowell signed them to his record label Syco.
The band consists of five members (four from England, one from Ireland). Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, and last but not least Niall Horan. After winning three VMA’s, one Brit (British Phonographic Industry’s annual pop music awards and the equivalent of the American Grammy Awards), performing at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics, two Teen Choice Awards, and the first band ever to get over 1,000,000 views on YouTube in less than a year, it’s no wonder that they’re taking over.
Or at least to me they are. I love each one of them, but just like most of the girls out there, I have a favorite–Niall. They really are just a group of teenagers who are hanging out with friends. They aren’t trying to be anything special. They goof around, they play pranks, they love hanging out. They aren’t trying to be anything that they aren’t. It’s just like another group of guys. Extremely attractive guys anyway.
Yes, they are pop and sure if you hear their song too many times on the radio you’re going to hate it, but you can’t base an entire band, their albums, and their fans all on the one and only song you’ve heard. Something else you’ve probably noticed is that a lot of the fans are real jerks. They seem to think that they own the band and that new fans can’t come aboard, this is a lie. Don’t base your opinion on a couple fans that you’ve met that have been jerks to you. Just accept the fact that some teenage girls can be jerks and move on. If you like them then go ahead and like them. Who cares what everyone else has to say about you or anything. Give them a chance. They are not just another band. They’re THE band. Their songs speak to me. It isn’t even just their looks that have captured my heart. It’s really THEM. Their personalities, their jokes, the way they dress, that they’re constantly laughing at themselves. It’s impossible not to fall in love with them if you’ve seen their video diaries. To know them is to love them.
There are many girls out there who do actually love them. And at most times, we feel like we’re the only ones out there who love the band. Mostly because people in school hate them and they have no one to talk about them with. But, to all you girls out there, you’re not the only one. People have Tumblrs, Twitters, and Pinterest accounts dedicated solely to them. Sure people at school hate them, but the rest of the world? Girls everywhere have done exactly what you do. Cry over them, laugh with them, and even spent so much time just trying to get their attention.
Now, even though I’ve never met them I definitely feel like I know them. It’s hard to think back when I wasn’t fangirling over them for some reason. They’ve become a big part of my world, and even though the more famous they get, the more my chance of meeting them shrinks, I will always be proud of everything they’ve accomplished. Not every band has a name for the dedicated fans. I am one of those dedicated fans. A Directioner, if you will. And I’m proud of it. Nothing will make me stop loving them.
Hillary Brown
