It’s time for another Pop Off episode, the ultimate music showdown, and this episode’s contestants are none other than the members of One Direction and their debut solo singles! Chris and Chantel Nicole dive deep into the songs, music videos, and performances from each 1D member’s first solo effort. Who will rise to the top and take the solo crown? Viewer discretion is advised...your fave will be criticized! Contestants: Zayn – "PILLOWTALK" Niall Horan – "This Town" Louis Tomlinson – "Just Hold On" (with Steve Aoki) Harry Styles – "Sign of the Times" Liam Payne – "Strip That Down" feat. Quavo
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References:
ZAYN - “PILLOWTALK” MV https://youtu.be/C_3d6GntKbk?si=PwY-xs7j6yHOMsr1 ZAYN - “PILLOWTALK” Fancam Live 2024 https://youtu.be/Oqjs81NiYMs?si=VGWqpfho5pGFq-va Niall Horan - “This Town” Live at Madison Square Garden https://youtu.be/zQ3NBi9sLxY?si=oVN8KieKHWB7MCkn Louis Tomlinson & Steve Aoki - “Just Hold On” MV https://youtu.be/Vt4Tq89R8u0?si=yylO1HkxCwXrDIxB Louis Tomlinson & Steve Aoki - “Just Hold On” (Live at The Late Late Show) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS3RcA_7d6s Harry Styles - “Sign of the Times” MV https://youtu.be/qN4ooNx77u0?si=pJ_U9aG58sxOkUbT Harry Styles - “Sign of the Times” Live at the BBC https://youtu.be/fc1xsOr9Zek?si=S-Vt779F552wAQ4T Liam Payne - “Strip That Down” feat. Quavo MV https://youtu.be/vSW2M-BB1NE?si=i9ZexgirWGt0Bqe3 Liam Payne - “Strip That Down” Live on Graham Norton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzOwFPSY9Jo00:00:00 --> 00:00:15 70 million albums sold worldwide, and that doesn't even include solo material. One Direction is one of the biggest wave bands in the world, and we are finally talking about them on our show. It is time for the One Direction pop-off solo debut edition.
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00:00:54 --> 00:01:23 That's right. So here in our pop-off series, the songs battle it out in our song, video, and performance rounds. And we do know that one of the members did pass, so we're not going to be super negative, of course. So remember that this is meant for pure fun, so please do not take it to heart or take it too seriously. We're all just trying to have a good time with pop music. Come join us and let us know what wins for you in the comments, Directioners. Yes. So yes, this is our first time doing One Direction. So what's your experience with this group? Were you a fan of them? Are you a fan of the solo stuff?
00:01:23 --> 00:01:41 All right. Okay. So hear me out. Right. I did not know nothing about this group. Like X Factor came and went in America. So I kind of have an inkling of what was going on. So them being formed on a show. Cute. Love that for them. But was not paying attention. I was into K-pop at the time. So like my boy group focus was like coming from.
00:01:41 --> 00:02:09 Asia. Like, yes, it was overseas, but it was, like, not Europe. So, yeah, I think my first interaction with the group being like, oh, wow, they're kind of cute, was an iCarly episode when they had the guys on. After that, I didn't really pay attention to much, but I do know they're singles, strangely enough. And I think I want to say Zayn was always my favorite because he was just like, oh, he's so hot. He's kind of like, he dresses kind of cool, like hip-hop. So, yeah, I mean, as I've gotten older, I think I've
00:02:09 --> 00:02:38 know I know their voice is a little bit better now and I can appreciate like the effect they've had over pop music because we didn't have a boy group at the time yes for as long as they were around like we didn't have a strong one so thanks thank you so much for something yeah I'll be honest I don't really know too much about them either I did watch the x-factor UK season where they were put together and won and yeah I definitely know the singles and stuff just because they were so huge that I mean it was impossible to not hear those songs and see those music videos and
00:02:38 --> 00:03:05 stuff and I've definitely seen random performances and stuff they've done over the years. I do know Zayn's first album quite well because actually I was working for his label at the time. I just joined actually the record label when we were working on his album. So yeah, other than that, I love Harry's albums. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm a big fan. But yeah, I actually I'd heard these solos tracks before, but never really ever.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:16 like dove into them properly. So it's exciting to talk about them. Yeah. Yeah. Same, same, same. So let's get into it. Let's get ready to rumble. Round one.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:38 Starting with player one, we have Zayn with Pillow Talk. And this was done by Levi Lennox, Michael Hanidas, Anthony Hanidas, and Zayn. Okay. Yes. And the first round is all about the song itself. So the production, the vocals, the melody, the hooks. What do you think of Pillow Talk?
00:03:38 --> 00:03:59 I remember when this one came out, Zayn was seen as the hottie because he left the group. And when you leave a group before it's time, people want to see what you're going to do. And the expectation is pretty high. So yeah, I mean, you went off to do your own thing, so anticipation was super high. I think with this one...
00:03:59 --> 00:04:25 I want to say it's kind of expected, but not really. It's kind of tough because The Weeknd was kind of popping at the time as well. So that whole moody, sensual R&B thing was all the rave. But he doesn't sound like The Weeknd here, which I'm so happy about. Because, honey, that could have happened. And honestly, I don't think The Weeknd can sing as well as he can. I don't think so. Because Luffy Royer, he was belting a little bit here and there. A lot of it. It's very atmospheric. Yeah.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:40 And it's interesting because, like, the song reminds me a little bit, like, of, like, a toxic relationship where, like, you know, we use, like, physical intimacy to make up, which I'm not a fan of that. I'm like, don't touch me. If I'm mad at you, don't touch me. But, you know, the...
00:04:41 --> 00:05:06 This kind of topic in songs is depicted in movies like the After series. I'm not sure if you've seen the After series or even like that show we watch Boy Toy with dramatic romances. So I feel like the whole enemy ally line and the whole second verse embodies that push and pull that comes with a little bit of a tumultuous relationship that's kind of figuring itself out. And I think in the beginning it sounds so commanding. I like the way he sings it.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:30 I feel like maybe in One Direction, he didn't really get a chance to, unless you're like listening to B-Sides or album cuts, he wasn't singing the way he is here except to do some ad-libs, right? So I think he sounds commanding, but that pre-hook is really tender. So when the chorus comes and you have that really good tension, I do wish we would have gotten a proper bridge. Y'all are going to hear me say it the whole episode, and I don't care. I mean, like...
00:05:30 --> 00:05:59 if R&B is your influence, I really wish they would have explored that. Like he definitely has the influences there. Why not explore? Like if I had written, if I had written a song and if you are new here, I am a songwriter. If I had written the song, I would have given something with harmonies to build around that climax to really, you know, hammer that song in all puns intended, like something simple or maybe something big either way. Like, I feel like the song would have just gone somewhere else with the bridge as opposed to like the repeated war zone, war zone part. Yeah.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:21 Yes. Yeah. I really like this song. Like I said earlier, it does bring back a lot of memories because I was just joining the label. So I was actually one of the very first people to ever hear this song because I was working on distribution at the time. So I had heard it like a few months before it came out. And I thought it was cool, like from the very beginning. You know, that whole kind of sexy electro R&B thing. Yes, it was quite cool.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:44 prominent at the time with a lot of music yeah i think you're right it's his voice like his tone is so good it's so full yes because i feel like a lot of r&b singers that were using this type of sound have the kind of thinner tone that the weekend kind of has but zane is super full he's got that rasp he knows how to use his vibrato really well and so yeah
00:06:44 --> 00:07:08 And it's very distinctive, actually. Like, now I can hear any song, even with the newer stuff that he's released. Yes. I'm like, oh, it's Zayn. Yeah. You know? And I barely even knew him, like, from One Direction. So I think that's awesome that he has such a commanding and recognizable voice like that. But yeah, I think the production is cool because even though it is very kind of synth-heavy, there are some organic instruments in there. Like, the guitar comes in.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:25 the percussion feels more organic by the end of it. Yeah. As it gets more intense there as well. So yeah, I think that's really cool. And then, yeah, I think it's catchy enough. I think as a, it's a great bridge between his like pop stuff and then going more mature.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:41 Because, you know, that's always also the goal, right? Like when you leave a group, you want to show that you're cooler than what you got to do in the group. And all five of them kind of do that in different ways, which is pretty funny. And this did feel on brand with him as well. Because he was kind of the bad boy.
00:07:41 --> 00:08:01 You know? And so him kind of making some Smexy lyrics and stuff, it does make sense. I do want to shout out the Living Room Session acoustic version, because he uses his head voice more in that one. Like, he sings a chorus in his head voice. Yeah. Really, really, really beautiful. And then there's a Lil Wayne remix, too, which, again, is just really smart.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:17 But just on the commercial side, it's so smart because, again, you're trying to just appeal to people that maybe would not have paid attention to earlier. And I am not a fan of Lil Wayne personally. I just don't like the way his voice sounds. But I like the actual production of the remix. I think it's cool.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:43 Respect, respect. Okay. Moving right along to player two. And that's Niall Horan with This Town. So this was done by Niall Horan, Jamie Scott, Mike Needle, Daniel Breyer, and Greg Kirsten. Yes, we love Greg Kirsten. He's done some of my favorite pop songs ever. So that's cool to have him in here. Yeah, this one's pretty. It has very simple acoustic production. I do appreciate the kind of folk music.
00:08:43 --> 00:09:01 direction that Niall went. It does set him apart from the other four. And it fits his voice well as well. Like, I'm gonna be honest, I don't think, and please directioners, correct me if I'm wrong, he very rarely had lead vocals in one direction. It was usually Liam and Harry and then Zayn got a little bit here or there, but the other two, like,
00:09:01 --> 00:09:27 didn't do as much so he was a surprise like when he came out i think because he was the first of the you know the remaining one direction members right i i remember not having much expectation but i remember just being very pleasantly surprised by his vocal ability actually yeah because he emotes very very well like this kind of crooning thing kind of campfire-esque kind of kind of yeah you know feeling behind all of this it works for him it totally works for him
00:09:27 --> 00:09:57 And I love the way he emotes, actually, because he almost gets to the point where it feels like it's almost about to crack. And I mean that in a good way. Like it feels vulnerable. Yes. And I love that, actually. I will say, though, I much prefer the live versions that were released of this song. Because the strings get amped up. The backing vocalists kind of come in and really elevate it, too. There's also the TSO remix, which is actually amazing as well. So yeah, this was a pleasant surprise for me.
00:09:57 --> 00:10:19 okay so we didn't mention it before but zane's pillow talk actually debuted at number one on the u.s billboard and then for this town it um peaked at uh 20 number 20 on the u.s billboard hot 100 but on uk single target it peaked at number nine so it's not bad i mean for him to be kind of like one of the other members that are like
00:10:19 --> 00:10:39 I wouldn't say like slotted, but it's almost like with NSYNC, you think of Justin, JC, and then you kind of have to figure out where the other ones go. It's the same thing here where you're thinking Harry, Zayn, and you have to kind of figure, you have to file that out. And I think in terms of all of the solo tracks, his one was the...
00:10:39 --> 00:10:56 one at the time that made me go, who the heck is this? Because really, I did not know who it was. And that's my fault. I didn't recognize this guy's voice. And I think it's because I didn't listen to anything outside the singles. And even when I did, I wasn't listening to get to know the gentleman. I was listening for the sake of like, okay, what's this boy group doing? You know, nothing's...
00:10:56 --> 00:11:24 seriously invested um again i was also into k-pop so i was several continents removed um that being said i thought the song was easy listening and had good melodies um it did sound like a track that would be like amazing in a book to movie adaptation or like a rom-com or what you know like those cute little slideshow videos for like a couple's like oh it's like a sweet ballad but the lyrics are so sad and i think that stood out to me too because i remember listening to the song and i was like oh dang you let her oh you let her get away
00:11:25 --> 00:11:43 You let her get away. But yeah, the line about like, she's with another guy in the pub where they first met. Like, ooh, boy, he needs to move out of that town. He needs to move out of the town quickly. Unfortunately, again, the song does not build up really crazily in that middle eight. Like, there's no true bridge.
00:11:43 --> 00:12:09 But darling, do I feel something happening? I feel something starting to develop and warm there, but it just doesn't take flight. And I'm like, dang it. Because this is a song that would have been, oh my God, it would have been so much more, like, even more than Zayn's. I feel like this one could have been something, more guitars, maybe some introduction of a different instrument to kind of build. Again, it's really important because what's so important about a bridge?
00:12:09 --> 00:12:37 Honey, think about the early 2000s. You can sing every Destiny's Child's Bridge. You can sing every Britney Bridge. Why? Because it was just like, it's just fun to, you need it. Yes. It gives energy. It's how you get to the climax. Yes. I mean, this is very like campfire. Like it's very chill. Yeah. But I agree with you. And maybe that is why I like the live versions more because you get more elements to at least bring it. I don't know. Just give it a little bit more. You made a good point there. I know you're so valid with that. Okay. Yeah.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:55 All right, moving on to player three, we have Louis Tomlinson with Just Hold On, which was done with Steve Aoki. And this was written by and produced by Steve Aoki and also Sasha, Alex Sloan, Sir Nolan, Louis Tomlinson, Eric Ross, Julian Bunetta, and Jay Pryor.
00:12:55 --> 00:13:23 Yeah, this one's interesting for sure because it's like, so this one debuted at number two on the singles chart and number 52 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. So in different countries, depending on the, you know, like the members' chart placement matters, but it's like Zayn was number one. So I was like, ooh, does he have someone who's going to like kind of match him here? So yeah, this one is interesting, right? So you have Steve Aoki who, again, he's collecting pop stars out here like Pokemon. This man has pop stars.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:51 K-pop, U-K-pop, everything between. Goodness, just like our show, okay? Which is, yes, it's a shameless plug, y'all. I'm not going to lie. That was a shameless plug. I'm inviting you to join the CCTV crew right now. Subscribe, hit that button. We're almost at 5K. Come join our pop conversations. And even here, you can tell us what you feel and love about One Direction, all that good stuff. But we have to talk about a lot of other pop artists, too, on our shows. But, yeah, going back to Steve and Louis's...
00:13:51 --> 00:14:13 collab track louis his voice is interesting right so a lot of people don't realize it maybe because he does not stand out in terms of star quality um but his voice is high and i would say like the purest tone in the group like he carries the chorus is that whole high the highs and uh that makes you beautiful live while we're young the highest voice like the more like the
00:14:13 --> 00:14:41 the melody of the chorus, it's him. Everyone else is kind of filling up around him. If you watch any kind of like acoustic performance that they do or like any acapella performance, he's the one that's pretty much prominent when everyone's kind of just stacking up around him. That being said, he's not a bad singer. I think the processing in the voice made the beginning of the song, make his voice like sound a little bit more like thinner than what I was expecting. Because I was like, is this...
00:14:42 --> 00:14:58 Oh, who is this? I don't know if the vocal processing was right at the time. Like maybe it fit the style, but like looking back on it now, it just makes it sound a little bit like disjointed and makes him sound almost too unnatural. Excuse me.
00:14:58 --> 00:15:21 The melody of the song isn't super strong, but the lyrics are meaningful. So I am like I appreciate it. Like you're looking at the stars and wishing you were them. What do you do when a chapter ends? You close the book never to read it again. If it all goes wrong, just hold on. Things like that. Very uplifting. I just think that the melody wasn't the strongest, which is a little unfortunate because he did write some of One Direction songs.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:49 Like, was it Live While We're Young, for example, as I mentioned before. So, I mean, the potential was there, but I just feel like there's not much to work with, really. And then what makes it not worse, but what makes it a little bit tougher to deal with is like, if I listen to acapella, do I like it? Yes, kind of. But unfortunately, we don't have an acapella. We don't have an acoustic version. We only have the production. And then the production doesn't particularly stand out either. It marches on with the drums and then bursts like any track.
00:15:49 --> 00:16:15 any other track from the same EDM genre. And it's so, it's crazy because like EDM isn't just what was on the radio, but for a lot of people, like this is what the EDM sound was. And unfortunately, because it's being so radio friendly, it becomes almost generic. Like nothing really stands out about the song, nothing really outstanding whatsoever. But Louis does carry the song for me, which is a good thing. Because if you can take this kind of like generica beat and then...
00:16:15 --> 00:16:37 make me say okay i'm listening i'm listening there's something happening here then that's good yeah i was reading i think it was in a more recent interview at least that he definitely said he was chasing a hit with this for sure like he was trying to make it sound super commercial um and you can definitely tell that i agree it's not a bad song but it is a bit faceless
00:16:37 --> 00:16:56 Like it just blends in with all the other kind of tropical EDM songs that were on the radio at the time. And it was just so saturated. Right. And his voice is, yeah, it's not the most distinctive. And of course, all the vocal processing doesn't help that either. Yeah. I think I do think the autotune was a little...
00:16:56 --> 00:17:16 too much but at least you can still hear the emotion in his vocal delivery like you can tell he's really putting his all into it with you know you can hear the growl you can hear the push so at least that doesn't like get taken away by all the effects yeah yeah he has an interesting tone for sure it's kind of crackly yeah it's definitely more delicate yeah
00:17:17 --> 00:17:46 I would say. And yeah, I didn't know. I don't really know where he sat like vocally in the group at all. So that's interesting context for sure. But yeah, I think the lyrics are maybe actually the best part of this song because they are actually very well written. They're very hopeful, very uplifting, but it doesn't feel too cheesy. And the production gives you that hopefulness. Yeah. But yeah, I can't say this is one that I would listen to or want to listen to a ton.
00:17:46 --> 00:18:11 Unfortunately. Yeah. Sorry, boys. Sorry. Sorry. All right, guys, we're gonna go over to player four. And that would be Harry Styles with Sign of the Times. And this was done by Tyler Johnson, Alex Salibion, Jeff Basker, Ryan Nassi, Mitch Rowland and Harry Styles. Okay, before I get into what were the chart stats for this one, then?
00:18:11 --> 00:18:41 In the U.S., at the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number four. But in the U.K. singles chart, it peaked at number one. So it seems like Zayn was, I mean, I feel like in terms of like American appeal, I think that one was kind of like a forerunner, frontrunner, excuse me, in terms of like the style. I mean, he also had the advantage of being the first member out, right? The first member out always has an advantage, honestly. Let's be real. Like going back in history, Jerry Hallowell, Robbie Williams always have the advantage there.
00:18:41 --> 00:19:03 I love Sign of the Times. Yeah. It's so good. And I remember the anticipation was the highest for him in terms of solo material. I think people were really excited to see what he would do. And that's because he's always been very open about his kind of glam rock influences. You know, like Queen and David Bowie. And, you know, everyone, we're missing a male pop star like that.
00:19:03 --> 00:19:28 oh yeah you know that has that type of presence and isn't afraid to be more camp and more dramatic yeah and and he did not disappoint like this is a super epic song and you can hear those influences like i feel like freddie mercury would be proud of this song oh my goodness yeah like there's so much drama just in the production alone yeah it just sounds huge and it sounds timeless too yeah like i feel like
00:19:29 --> 00:19:43 The production, they did such a good job with it because it's mostly live instruments. But then the way it's written and the way they did some of the vocal layering and stuff, that's where it's more modern. But yeah, I think it's just a really smart...
00:19:43 --> 00:20:11 smartly written song and i said on the show in the past i'm i miss the power ballad you know ballads in general are not as like either you kind of get the billy eilish kind of like breathy kind of thing yeah um or yeah you know adele does do her power ballads but yeah this one's more dramatic i would say it's not as romantic right this one's more just kind of epic yeah yeah and i love that so yeah i'm a huge fan of this and he sounds amazing
00:20:11 --> 00:20:41 Oh, yeah, totally. I agree. I think his voice was the most distinctive when he was in the group because he kind of has like a little bit of a rast going on. And as you mentioned, like Bowie and Freddie, I said, if I in my notes, I have it feels like it. Wow. Not me stuttering. Sorry, guys. But yes, I said in my notes that this feels like Bowie and Freddie Mercury Queen, but also like Prince. If you think of Purple Rain, if you know the really long version of Purple Rain. Oh, yeah. This is that in a sense without being too copy copy.
00:20:41 --> 00:21:02 And on top of that, the song was released on the 30th anniversary of Prince's album of the same title. So I feel like he was definitely trying to set a tone where it's like, I'm an artist. I want to be an artist. I love the soft rock sound of it all. It really builds in an amazing way. And I didn't even notice the song was five minutes, which is good. You want people to get so lost in the sauce that they don't know what's in it.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:23 You don't want to know what's in the sauce. You want to get super lost in that sauce. And I did. Honestly, when I first heard the song, all I knew was that, no, don't stop your crimes. I legit only knew the chorus because I, again, was not interested enough in this group to invest. So I'm happy that we were able to kind of come back. So thank you to Shaquille for the recommendation for sure. Um...
00:21:23 --> 00:21:46 But yeah, the song feels apocalyptic and classic, and it's still so relevant now. And it's interesting because this song is risky from then to now, because if you think about how music was back when, 2017, right? It was Shape of You, Despacito, New Rules by Dua Lipa. Nothing sounded like this. Nothing sounded like this. So...
00:21:46 --> 00:22:07 It's amazing. And even the lyricism of it, Harry had mentioned that it was inspired by a young mother losing her life at the benefit of her child when she's giving birth. Like, I might pass away, but it's my child's chance to live. And that's a good way to kind of start the inspiration. But the line...
00:22:07 --> 00:22:22 Why are we always running from the pellets? Pellets. I'm changing the words because YouTube, my flag, flag us for me actually saying like bull, you know, it's bull, you know, it's, I don't actually want to say it, but like words like that, this song itself kind of embodies what a lot of people are like worried about.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:42 too in terms of what's happening all around us in different countries and our country itself in America here so it's interesting how it's been able to last for what how many years now 2025 like it's been a while and it still feels relevant still feels fresh but also sounds like something from the 70s so yeah but also shout out to that ending
00:22:42 --> 00:22:59 I didn't get a bridge, but honey, I got a proper outro. It is so epic. Right. Yeah. And that's what I want. If you're not going to give me a bridge, give me, give me stakes, raise the stakes. Like the choir there, he's belting. Like I should have given the song a chance back in the day. I should have given the chance. Oh yeah, I definitely did. This was one of my top played songs that year for sure.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:18 Oh, respect. And honestly, the album as well. The album is so good. Okay, yes. Moving on to our final player. We have Liam Payne with Strip That Down featuring Quavo. And this was done by Steve Mack, Howard Scott, Charles Miller, B.B. Dickerson, Rick Rock, Lonnie Jordan, Papa D. Allen, Sting International,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:31 Shaggy, Lee Osser, Brian Gold, Ed Sheeran, Quavo, Liam Payne, and Harold Brown. And a lot of the reason for so many names is because this song does include an interpolation of It Wasn't Me by Shaggy featuring Rick Rock.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:58 Just barely. Oh, my God. I know. It's quite. Yeah. I would not have pointed that out, actually. I don't think. You know what? After that Robin Thicke thing, everybody, give everybody a credit. Nope. Give everybody a credit. No, trust me. I know. Yeah. It's over there. Yeah. Yeah. Shoot. So this one peaked at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. And on the U.K. chart, it peaked at number three. Okay. Yeah. Okay. All right. So this one charted a little bit better than Harry's even.
00:23:58 --> 00:24:26 No, it didn't. Under Harry's. Wow. So this one charted right underneath Harry's, if you think about it. So you have one for Zayn, four for Harry, ten for Liam in the US. Not bad. Not bad at all. So this one, I think I heard this one on the radio when I was in the car back in the day. Like, the bouncy bass line, the snaps. I remember them so vividly. It's simple. Strip that down, the chorus, the music sounds stripped down. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I fell right into that.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:42 But I can appreciate it. It's a simple instrumental with a simple message. I want you. I'm a cool guy. Come roll with me. Ba-da-boom-boom, ba-da-bing. Done. That's it. Ed was in his shape of you bag. So, like, I feel like you can definitely hear a songwriting influence, you know? Oh, totally.
00:24:42 --> 00:25:04 Right. He's on the tracks. He's on it doing harmonies like CeeLo Green and the Pussycat Dolls. Don't you track, you know, so he's there. But yeah, so it sounds like a Shape of You cooler guy version, you know? Yeah. I will say, I don't know how I feel exactly about him on the harmonies, like the top harmony. Like, I don't know, because I'm like, I think...
00:25:04 --> 00:25:33 I think because it does feel a little like it's safe. It's safe. It's a safe song. To have Ed Sheeran's voice actually featured on, it makes it almost feel like it's an Ed Sheeran song. Liam is too much of a talented vocalist. Like his voice is actually really good on this. And it's so annoying because I'm like, ooh, honey, give me something. It's giving me Justin, early Justin. Please go for it. But there was no like head voice really. And I was like, dang it, I wish. I wish.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:59 But I enjoy how his voice sounds on this because it's not mixed to hell. It is not mixed like it's auto-tuned and crunchy and tinny. It sounds pretty natural. Maybe we have a couple of layers of the vocals like stacks. Nothing crazy, just doubles and some reverb. And I appreciate that, you know? And his tone is nice and is not sleazy. And he's talking about Ferraris getting rowdy and girls all on me.
00:25:59 --> 00:26:23 You know what I'm saying? So there's a way to sound gross when you're talking about gross things. And then there's a way to sound like pleasant and charming. And he does that. I want to say effortlessly on this because the lyrics aren't like, I'm such a nice guy. It's kind of just like, listen, you know, I used to be part of this group. You know who I am. But he doesn't sound like a jerk. And I appreciate that. Oh, my God. So apparently it's hard to not sound like a terrible man. Yeah.
00:26:23 --> 00:26:48 Quavo and the Migos were huge at the time. So I think the feature is smart AF. Oh yeah. Like they were the biggest, shoot. I remember sitting there singing all their songs, got no business singing them, you know, as a suburban bumpkin, I have no business singing those songs, but yeah, I feel like the song was good for him at the time, but I'm just like, dang it. I do wonder what would have happened if you would have just added some little bit more of that JT element in the track.
00:26:48 --> 00:27:05 Yeah, well, he did actually say that he, or I guess, I don't know if it was him or if it was the label or just his team in general, but they did think about like what would Justin Timberlake have released as a solo debut if he did it, you know, when he came out. And I can hear the influence for sure.
00:27:05 --> 00:27:35 And I'm happy that one of the members of One Direction did go the very pure pop route. Like, he was like, I want to be a pop boy, you know, which I appreciate because, yeah, we needed one at least. And his voice is so perfect for pop music. It's such a pure tone. Yeah. And it can adapt really well to a lot of different sounds. But, yeah, I get the whole thing with the production also being kind of stripped down and chill. But I actually do wish it hit harder.
00:27:35 --> 00:27:51 Yeah. Because it is so laid back and it doesn't really build. No, exactly. So it just kind of stays where it is. So I will be honest and say I do kind of lose interest by the end because even if he just kind of did bigger ad libs and stuff, because we know he has that in his voice.
00:27:51 --> 00:28:08 Yeah. And he does... It's quite restrained. And I think that's also Ed Sheeran's style as well. Oh, yeah. And so that might be a part of it. But yeah, I kind of just wish there was a bit more drama to this song. Because I feel like he just could do that. And like, if you gave this to someone like an... Even a Justin Bieber or...
00:28:08 --> 00:28:30 an usher or something like they would kind of take it up a notch and like i said i think liam has the ability to do that so so yeah i think that's my only thing with it i think as a pop song it's definitely catchy it's it's it's fine um but i didn't i i can see why it didn't make like the biggest impact i guess yeah valid super valid yeah oh okay
00:28:30 --> 00:28:59 So we are at the end of our song round. But before we, Chris and I, announce our picks, we have our Patreon operator, Louis, who says that he likes both Sign of the Times and Pillow Talk. But he cannot choose between the two because they're both just so good. Yes. In different ways, for sure. Yeah, they are in different ways. Yes. So are you as indecisive as Louis?
00:29:00 --> 00:29:16 No, but I would choose between those two as well. But I will give it to Sign of the Times. Like I said, that's one of my top played from that year. I still love it. I know Zayn's pillow talk a lot better. Like, I know it up and down. I can sing it to you right now. Like, oh, yeah, we'll piss off the neighbors. Ooh, baby, baby, baby, baby. I know the whole thing.
00:29:17 --> 00:29:45 But in terms of fully fleshed out song and mentioning that Bowie-esque-ness that Lily was talking about, I'm going to give it to Harry, Sign of the Times, for song round. Moving on to round two, which is about the music video. Round two. So back to player one, Zayn with Pillow Talk. Take us off. What do you think? Okay. Hoo-wee, this video. All right. So...
00:29:46 --> 00:30:15 This video does a good job of using abstract art to create the scene and enhance the sensuality of the song. If anyone here was on Tumblr at the time, I can imagine all the GIF sets that were made. GIF? GIF. All the GIF GIF sets that were made from this video. Oh my gosh. It was like, it was a lot going on. A lot of like inverted colors, black and whites, the reds. Um...
00:30:15 --> 00:30:40 There's beautiful semi to completely nude models. And then one is clothes and it's his girlfriend or his girlfriend at the time, Gigi Hadid. And I remember they were in a relationship right after him and Perry had broke up. So everyone was like, oh, snap. So, you know, there was a lot of fanfare around the release of the video. Them as a couple. It was just very like, oh, and they're such a hot couple. It was just a lot going on. The video seems to have a loose storyline. I'm not sure if you noticed. Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:40 --> 00:31:06 Yeah, but there's like two lovers enjoying each other's company, like around the first verse, and then second verse, there's some tumult, and then at the end, they get back together. There are some... goodness. Some undressed women boxing each other for the war zone part. I don't know. The director, no offense to director, but sir, ma'am, whomever, do better. There's so many things you could have done. But I do appreciate the usage of flowers for that Georgia Akeith effect.
00:31:06 --> 00:31:31 there's an actress who she's an actress now, but Jodi Turner, she's from Queen and Slim, the movie, I'm not sure if you've seen that movie, but she's in the video at this point, cause she's a model. And she also, I don't know if she's like the other woman, but at one point in the video, when Zayn and Gigi's heads are swirling around each other, her face appears too. And I'm like, oh, it's not what y'all, it's not what y'all beefing about.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:49 Y'all beefing about Jodi? Okay. All right. I wonder what that meant. Like, I mean, again, loose storyline, but she was featured heavy, heavily into that video. So maybe that was a kind of like, why are y'all fighting? Because she's pushing her. She's crying blood. I'm like, why is she crying? So maybe that's the reason, you know?
00:31:49 --> 00:32:16 because there is a theorist over here about this video i did go down a kind of reddit hole with this and there's a lot of analyses of this music video and it goes really deep into different symbols of intimacy and gender roles and relationship pressures and stuff it was kind of a lot but i do appreciate all the thought that got into it because yeah i it definitely feels like an art film like this could be displayed like in an art museum or something and
00:32:16 --> 00:32:41 And I feel like a lot of people could read into a lot of what's shown there with all the different kind of psychedelic visual effects and kind of just the random things and stuff that are featured in it. Yeah. And so it definitely kept my attention, right? Because I just had no idea, like, what I was about to see next, you know? Like, there's just so much going on. And a lot of it's really cool. Like, I love the watercolor effect that they put on him and Gigi at one point.
00:32:41 --> 00:32:59 And so, yeah, I think it's cool as kind of an art film. And again, you know, he's trying to really differentiate himself from the boy band image. And this works. Boy band. You know, it feels, it does feel more mature, you know. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
00:32:59 --> 00:33:29 Respect, Sam. Respect. All right, moving on past Nile, because there is no music video. There's only a lyric video for this town. We're going to go right on to Louis Tomlinson with Just Hold On. Yes. So he's not in this video. This video is, it follows a couple as they like go through portals, I guess. And they travel from London to Las Vegas to Kuwait. Steve Aoki does make a little cameo because they go to his party in Vegas.
00:33:29 --> 00:33:57 Yeah, I don't know, because I feel like the song's lyrics are just so hopeful, and I feel like they're not necessarily applicable just to a relationship. Right. Or I don't know if they're applicable to a relationship at all. Like, it almost feels more personal. Like, just hold on, you can get through whatever issues you're dealing with. At least that's how I interpreted it. So, a love story is just not what I...
00:33:57 --> 00:34:13 thought of when I heard this song. And so by making it this kind of very kind of generic kind of couple falling in love kind of thing, it felt, I don't know, it felt like not as much thought was put into it as I wanted there to be
00:34:13 --> 00:34:30 Yeah, yeah, I agree. I have, um... The song needed a video worthy of its meaning. Like, losing a job. A breakup. I don't know. You're at the freaking, like... You're at your wits' end. Mm-hmm. Hello? Just Hold On is not giving, like...
00:34:31 --> 00:34:59 romantic love to me. Nothing about that expression. I just met my soulmate. Right. Like, I mean, listen, listen, listen. If they would have done something along the lines of different people, different things going on in their lives, and they all meet at the central point, which is maybe music save them. Yeah. Oh my God. Love that for you. Because for you to sit there and depict all these different cities and have all these different sceneries, you had some kind of a budget to figure this out. Even if it was just these two people
00:35:00 --> 00:35:17 as your main, you could have had him, I just lost my job, she just went through a breakup, I don't know, I don't know, but something a little bit more like, more than, oh my god, cute guy at the bus stop, okay, let's follow Steve Aoki on tour, yeah, it was a little vapid, it was giving superficial, it was giving, listen, listen,
00:35:17 --> 00:35:40 I got his cousin. She's real pretty. She's a model trying to come up in the world. Oh, yeah, sure. Backstage casting. Backstage.com. Want to be in a music video for this song? Oh, my God. Wow. Amazing. Like, that's what it's giving. It's giving low effort. So watchability is low. Rewatchability is low. Yeah, and you could put any song on top of this, almost. Hello. You know? This is true. This is true.
00:35:40 --> 00:35:55 my sister well unfortunately i'm gonna move right along because i was saying it let's move on to player four with harry styles and sign of the times which was filmed in scotland which we both just went to last year yes yes it's so beautiful it is
00:35:55 --> 00:36:25 Okay, so this video is interesting because I remember all the wind blowing and the closeness of his face. That's all I remember. That's all I remember of this video. I appreciate how lonely and vast everything looks. Yeah. Like he's just there in all his black. Everything's all pale and kind of gray. And even when he's flying in the sky, a little bit more colors could introduce because of the scenery. But it's very like, where are you going? I love that first bit of that, the video where his feet are kind of lifting ever so soon.
00:36:25 --> 00:36:40 slightly off the ground. Yeah, so the video was definitely something worth watching because I was like, what's going on? Apparently there was no green screen or CGI effects, which is really impressive because that boy was high up in the sky. Couldn't it be me?
00:36:40 --> 00:37:04 Could it be me? Says me, I do do Ariel, but he was higher than the little, what, 10, 13 feet I'm in the sky. Like it's not even, yeah, not even. I'm never that high even. But yeah, no, I appreciate all of the almost angelic-ness of it without being too preachy. It was more just like, where is he gonna go? There's something more than this, but what is that more? Where is he going?
00:37:04 --> 00:37:15 You know, so I appreciate it. I really appreciate it. Yeah, I remember reading critics or just people on Twitter and stuff just being like, is he auditioning for a Marvel movie?
00:37:15 --> 00:37:37 oh my god stop oh man but no i i think it's awesome like it was so beautiful it could just be an ad to visit scotland honestly it's like look how beautiful the scenery is um but yeah i think the flying scenes are just done so well and they do switch up enough to keep your interest over such a long song like i actually wasn't that bored watching it yeah yeah
00:37:37 --> 00:38:04 Because I was like, oh, he starts flying so early on. I was like, okay, what else can happen? But, you know, he gets higher and higher. He starts kind of walking over the ocean. You know, he hits the sunset at the end. Yeah, the clouds. Just, it matches the super timelessness and the epicness of the song. And it's very simple. And it lets you really focus on the song when you're watching it. Because you aren't distracted by too much going on. So I think it's super effective. Yeah. Yeah.
00:38:04 --> 00:38:21 Word, word. I feel like this one, this one artistic for sure. Yes. Yes. Okay. Finally, we have player five, Liam Payne with stripped dead down. Yeah. This one is okay for me because he actually doesn't get much to do.
00:38:21 --> 00:38:45 in this unfortunately i will say as a whole i appreciate how the colors kind of get more and more intense as the video goes yes it kind of starts off black and white and then it gets more colorful as as kind of the other scenes and stuff come in having dancers is super helpful uh here because you know the song is definitely a song that you want to dance to and it helps keep the energy up and some of the choreo is is really good you know i will say some of the stuff that was like
00:38:46 --> 00:39:10 like with some of the women kind of doing the more overtly sexual stuff i felt like that was a little unnecessary um i don't know just it just felt like because the song is so chill it was like they were just doing like the absolute most sometimes are you seduced are you seduced yeah but again there's some really good elements like i love the couple dance that happens after the
00:39:10 --> 00:39:40 But it definitely does feel like a very calculated, we need to make him look super cool and edgy and grown up. And it feels a little bit on the nose, I think. It's like, oh, put him in a bedroom. You know, have these girls doing a sexy dancing for him. Yeah. Like, it's almost like wannabe bad boy. Yeah. And I know that he has kind of an element of that in his persona. Yeah, there's an edge, but it feels a little forced in this.
00:39:40 --> 00:40:07 And he can do simple choreo, and he doesn't get to do any of that in this, really. He does a little bit, and this feels kind of a freestyle in the first verse, but I don't know. I feel like they could have given him more here. You know what I have in my notes? Like, the potential feels wasted. The color in the video is pretty, yes. It's minimal in the beginning, and then it does build with these color combinations and, you know, color blocking and all this other just really nice...
00:40:07 --> 00:40:30 visually appealing, complimentary things. Cool, cool, cool. But then the treatment is so mid. For me, it's like Liam should be walking with the main girl that's dancing, the curly haired girl. He should be walking. He should have someone to play off of. Like, there's something about the song that feels a little cat and mousy, and there is none of that until you get that couple dancing at the end. And like you said, it looks so cool, it's so hot.
00:40:30 --> 00:40:51 Hello, choreography, yes, but like it would have been so much better if he was kind of singing by himself. And then eventually when she did appear, they met somewhere in the middle because he's singing to someone. Where is that someone? It's just for me, like you mentioned, everything feels so detached. Does he look good? Yeah, sure. Does she look good? Yeah, sure. Does the dancer look good? Yeah, sure. The only person his man is ever with is with Quavo.
00:40:51 --> 00:41:20 You know what I'm saying? So like, it just doesn't feel like he is connecting to anything. And that's the problem. If you don't create, in a video, if you don't create, even in a picture, if you don't create some kind of tension. Because yes, he's smizing at the camera doing a great job. But after a while, he needs to look at someone other than me through the lens. So I think in the BTS, he did mention that it was just himself and his thoughts. So that it was meant, they did that on purpose to him.
00:41:20 --> 00:41:37 And it's crazy because they had the choreographer and like a movement director on site. So they could have given him a lot more to do for sure. At any point in time, they could have said, listen, dancer A, can you go kind of dance around him? I just, ugh. It's so frustrating. But...
00:41:37 --> 00:41:54 But, again, it's not a bad video. It's one of those things where it's like, you have this star. Why are you just, like, not putting him on the top of the tree? Why do you have him in the middle around the other ornaments? Like, give him something amazing but simple. And amazing and simple is creating tension, creating a storyline, not...
00:41:55 --> 00:42:23 Just cool colors and a cool car and dancers that have nothing to do with him, you know? But yes, he's very handsome. We love that for him. But he probably will look even more hot had he had someone to play off with to get those smiles going. Yes. Some more smiles. That is so interesting. So the whole point of the video is that he's like just thinking about all this or? Apparently. Huh. He goes, I don't know, man. I might be a little crazy. I might be losing my mind. Who knows? I was like, who knows? No. No.
00:42:23 --> 00:42:36 Huh. Okay. Interesting. Yeah. Directioners, if you have more context, let us know. Cause that's interesting. Yeah. Okay. Well, we're at the end of our video round. So what wins for you?
00:42:36 --> 00:43:04 Oh, okay. So for me, I am going to give it to Zayn, even with all the crazy dramaticness I was talking about. I do appreciate the ability to take something as simple as we're in one room, much like how Liam's video was, one room, and in creating effects all around it. Like, yes, Harry's video is great. I love the flying and whatnot. It's great. But in terms of what you said, even the artistic vision of it, someone could play this right now in the background or something, and it'd be like, oh, wow, it's great. Oh, wow. Yeah.
00:43:04 --> 00:43:26 you know yes so yeah yeah i think i'm to give the same i agree with you i think pillow talk has the most kind of rewatch ability factor to it and it does feel just very well thought out so okay i will give it to that one okay well we're at our final round which is about the performance round three
00:43:28 --> 00:43:55 Back to Pillow Talk. So Zayn did not really do much promo, a live television promo for his, just in general, he has done a bit more now, but he did have severe stage fright, I believe, at that time. And so we don't actually have any officially filmed performances of Pillow Talk. He has very recently actually sung it live for the very first time,
00:43:55 --> 00:44:18 on tour so we have some fan cams of him singing it uh so did you watch any of those yeah yeah i mentioned i mentioned some uh that he mentioned i mentioned that he mentioned anxiety too um but yeah so back then like whatever was going personally going on personally beyond the anxiety i think that was like you know things were going on in his own personal life that
00:44:18 --> 00:44:45 kind of took him away from music a little bit. Even if he was releasing singles and such, I don't think there was ever an amazing time for him to come out and be like, hey, I'm a singer. So, eh, it's tough. He sounds like the record, though. I'm not surprised. He's never been a bad singer, which I appreciate. Again, another person whose songs was not mixed to hell, thank goodness, because you can hear his voice. But yeah, I like what he's been doing with
00:44:45 --> 00:45:08 the oohs and the ahs and the pre-hook before the pillow talk and then he goes into his head voice. I do wonder what it sounds like with the chest, though. Like that full belt going forward, giving me the passion. I think because the performances have been a little stripped down, it's lacking that power and that almost like collision...
00:45:08 --> 00:45:30 of like an impact that the chorus has on the recording. So it's not bad. It's not bad at all. He sounds good. But that belt, when it comes for Will, piss off, the neighbor is so just, it's delicious. It's delectable. And it's missing that. It just feels more like a gentle, like, we're laying in bed, actually having pillow talk as opposed to like a full romp in the sheets. You know what I'm saying? Yes. Yeah.
00:45:30 --> 00:45:52 Yeah, the current live arrangement feels almost more church-like, which I know that doesn't really match the lyrical content, but you know. But yeah, it feels like that, because I think the way they did the backing vocal arrangement and stuff, it almost feels that way. Yeah. Yeah, I agree with you. My main note was just, I would love to hear him sing it with the full belt, because I'm sure he can. Mm-hmm.
00:45:52 --> 00:46:10 But his head voice sounds great too. Yes. Yeah, so that's great that he's back out there performing. Yes, welcome back. Hopefully we get to see him do more moving forward. I mean, do get a proper, like, full performance of this one day. Fully, like, properly recorded. Oh, yes, please. Oh, my goodness.
00:46:10 --> 00:46:31 All right, moving right on to player two now. Horan with This Town. Yeah, so I watched a few of the performances. I did watch the MSG tour performance. He's also done quite a few television performances of this. He is very consistent. I will say that. He has a stable, stable voice. It also sounds just like the record. Yes.
00:46:31 --> 00:46:54 And it's a nice like sing-along song, like having the crowd sing along, it makes it like a nice moment for sure. And I mentioned this earlier, I do prefer the live versions of this song where the backing vocalist can kind of come in and really build it up a little bit and strings are kind of more prominent as well. So yeah, it's very, very pretty, for sure. And yeah, very consistent performances. Yeah.
00:46:54 --> 00:47:19 Yeah, I agree. I was watching the performances and he does such a good job at emoting. He closes his eyes, he scrunches his nose and gazes at the right time. And it's been like that since the Ellen performance to the MSG performance. It's all been very inviting. He makes it feel so intimate with the way he looks into the crowd and into the camera. Whatever he's performing into, performing at.
00:47:19 --> 00:47:44 at whatever um it's very charming um even more recently he performed at the same uh patrick's day event at the white house and he still has that same focus and technique that makes you want to listen and engage with uh with him and the band so yeah i feel like as you mentioned he's very consistent um the tough thing is that he does just stand there or just sit there and
00:47:44 --> 00:47:55 He's playing guitar. Yes. So he is playing the guitar. So, I mean, you know, it is luckily, luckily, though, my point is, look, he is just sitting there.
00:47:55 --> 00:48:15 because he knows how to work the mug just enough. Yeah. I watch. I watch. But if he wasn't doing anything with that face, I'd be like, sir, you gotta take your little guitar on your little song about that girl with the fire. I mean, but the bar ain't go on now, you know, but he actually has some charm to him as, as inviting. Yeah. I mean, you want to pay attention to him a lot more.
00:48:15 --> 00:48:39 Yeah, yeah. Nice. Okay, moving on to Louis Townsend. Just hold on. So I do believe that very first performance on The X Factor, he had just suffered a very horrible personal loss, actually. And so people were really proud of him for kind of still coming through with the promotional activities for this and just putting himself out there.
00:48:40 --> 00:49:09 So yeah, just wanted to shout that out. Yes, I do think his performances definitely got better as they went on. Like vocally, he's not the strongest singer, you know, out of this group. It definitely got a little pitchy at times in those verses, especially. It was interesting because it's almost those choruses, the belts and the chorus that always were actually very stable and on key and very strong. So it was actually kind of the softer moments that he struggled a little bit.
00:49:09 --> 00:49:39 more with i would say uh yeah i do think he could have benefit benefited from having some dancers because i think just him just kind of jumping up and down in front of steve aoki with lasers i get that like if it was at like a festival or something but i feel like for tv i don't know it didn't really keep my attention the whole time i would say uh but i do want to shout out there's a version i believe it's called away from home i don't know if that's a festival or just the name
00:49:39 --> 00:49:56 He sang it with a live band. So it's not an EDM version. It's like a rock version. Oh, cool. And this was awesome. Like, I made it kind of punk rock almost. Oh, really? The way they did the chant and stuff, like it had a punk rock-ness to it. Oh. And it totally worked and he sounded great.
00:49:56 --> 00:50:19 I mean, it sounded processed, but he sounded good. They should totally release that on streaming. Yeah. That is hilarious. Yeah. So I said that he didn't sound like terrible, but I also agree that the pitchiness was there. Because of a lot of things that was happening in the group, he did seem to lose his confidence. And you can kind of see that here too, like him standing by himself. There is a lack of...
00:50:20 --> 00:50:50 I don't know, energy or I don't know, light in his eyes, not even just because of the X factor thing, but because of just, I don't know, confidence. There's a confidence lacking when he performs. And maybe it's just the way he, maybe it's just the way he looks. I don't know. I'm not saying that he just looks like a sad person, but sometimes he looks like he's a little nervous and needs to get past it. But I think as the song develops in each performance, once he gets past that first verse, he does lock in a little bit more.
00:50:50 --> 00:51:20 his ability to connect with the audience has gotten better. There is a performance that I'm trying to think of. Was it, he's wearing green. It was, yeah, the way from home that you mentioned one. Yeah, he looks like he's really locked in and he looks like he's actually, his connection is better. But I think overall, his connection to the words of the song is stronger than his connection with the audience. Like he doesn't, it doesn't seem to break that barrier of like, you know,
00:51:20 --> 00:51:43 emoting well i'm not explaining but you can you can feel something someone's happy you can feel it someone's sad you can feel it you know like the way i was talking about niles performance i could feel his like i messed up with this girl help me find her with louie i'm not feeling like hey guys you can do i'm not feeling that rally cry i feel like it connects more for him like it's therapy for him as opposed to him like actually you know giving it
00:51:43 --> 00:52:01 I don't know how to make this articulate this well enough, but something was just missing that made me like not connect. I feel like I was just watching someone go through the motions in a way that was satisfactory and not performative for others. It was more for him.
00:52:01 --> 00:52:27 Yeah, that's totally valid. I mean, I think you're right in that he always kind of struggled with where he sat in the group, I think. So I think in terms of confidence stuff, maybe not as strong as the others coming out on his own. Yeah, yeah. I'm going to be honest. I haven't seen any of his more recent stuff. Like, I don't really know anything about his solo career. So, yeah, that'd be interesting, I guess, for us to go for kind of more recent.
00:52:27 --> 00:52:38 Oh, yes, that is very true. So, y'all, we are basing this all on performances that are like yesteryear. You know? So, these men have become a lot better than...
00:52:38 --> 00:52:59 Obviously, we'll take the correction, so be kind. Yes. Yes. Send us, like, videos to watch and stuff, for sure. Please do. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Okay. Up next, we have Harry Styles with Sign of the Times. Oh, man. This man is very talented. Oh, yes? He is so good. Oh, yeah? Like, yeah.
00:52:59 --> 00:53:22 I watched so many performances of this song preparing for this that I was not bored ever. And he does kind of add little trills and little different melodies and switch ups and stuff in the various performances. Sometimes he plays guitar, sometimes he doesn't. And those ending belts are always just so impressive every single time. Yeah. Yeah.
00:53:22 --> 00:53:46 And yeah, like this song, obviously, it is very organic in the production. So it translates well to a live band. So when you get those live drums and you get the live guitars, like the drama is just even more amped up. Yes. This song is just very commanding with attention. Like it's hard not to be captivated watching him sing this. So yeah, I have no notes. This guy is so good.
00:53:46 --> 00:54:15 That is so funny. When he performs, you can totally hear the raspiness in his voice. And the song has so much going on in terms of vocal energy. There's highs and lows. There's chest voice, head voice. You're belting. There's not much mix. Maybe for him, there's a couple of mixed notes here and there. But yeah, the lives really make me think of Purple Rain, especially at the end. But what I appreciate, I think, overall, is that he doesn't get swallowed up by the bigness of his own music. Yeah.
00:54:15 --> 00:54:38 So that's really important. I'm not comparing him to any of the other guys. It's just it happens with any artist. Like sometimes the song could be so good and so epic and the artists themselves just happen to get lucky that they got the song, you know, given to them, you know, but they get swallowed up in it. And he doesn't really that doesn't happen to him like at all. Like you said, the.
00:54:38 --> 00:54:58 the artistic liberties he takes makes it more interesting so you can enjoy watching it each time. And yeah, I think overall it's solid. Solid work by all. Yes. Yes. Okay, moving on to our final player. We have Liam with Strip That Down. What'd you think of his performances? You know what? I think this whole...
00:54:59 --> 00:55:25 Liam in each round thing is going to be like missed potential for me. Like every time I'm going to say, oh man, how come they didn't do this? Or, oh man, like he's right there. Like, oh man, why was he just like built? It's not even just him though. It's like the whole thing. I'm like, what is going on? But for the performances, they are minimal. I love that the mics have been on. The mic was on each time. Oh yeah. The mic was on each time. And like you said, he has a great pop vocal. Yes. Yes, he does. Yes.
00:55:25 --> 00:55:52 And it really pisses me off that, like, they really didn't lean into the Justin Timberlake thing. Because literally during one of the Jingle Ball performances in 2018, he sang Senior Rita at the end of the song. And I was so mad because I was like, oh, my God. Oh, pay the royalties and get that part of the bridge. That would have been so perfect. It fits nicely. It made so much sense. And he sounded so hot singing it. I was not mad at it at all. I do wish that there was a version without the song. I mean, yeah.
00:55:52 --> 00:56:20 I do wish there was a version of a song without Quavo on it that allowed him to sing a little bit more. But honestly, he was able to sing some oohs and aahs and interact with the crowd. And he did sound good. I think for me, even though he does like his grooves and his steps here and there, he even did some drops here and there. It helps the energy overall. But I noticed that when he was moving, the eyes would shift downward. So there was a lack of confidence. Yes. Yes.
00:56:20 --> 00:56:40 There, that's for sure. And like, if he would have just worked on his confidence while on stage, I think he would have eaten up these performances even more. Like the performances, they're there, but then his face drops, literally drops when he's dancing. And I'm like, dang it, honey. You're so close. Yes, this was my main note as well. I was like so pleasant. I was so pleasantly surprised. Yeah.
00:56:40 --> 00:56:57 When I saw him actually join in on some of the choreo. And, but you could tell he was holding himself back a little bit. And I was like, who was his performance coach? Like who, who was around him at this time that, that didn't kind of push him, give him that. Yeah. Yeah.
00:56:57 --> 00:57:25 confidence and give him the support there because he definitely is a great pop star he definitely has the charisma on stage even from the few performances of one direction i saw and that i've seen he stands out like he definitely has the x factor like as you know as lame as that sounds but it's true and um he sounds great too like those little ad-libs that you mentioned they sound so good but again he holds back on it yeah you know and that's i guess because the song just doesn't
00:57:25 --> 00:57:47 I mean, I personally think you could add the crap out of this song. Absolutely. He felt he needed to kind of keep it very stripped down or whatever. Yeah. But yeah, I feel exactly the same way. Like if he just had more fun. Yes. And just let himself really get into it. I think it would have been so, so good. Yeah. Totally. Totally. Okay. Yeah.
00:57:48 --> 00:58:15 All right. So we are at the tail end of the final round. We are at the end, y'all. So for me, I'm going to say Liam is a close second. Had he kept his eyes on that camera, honey, he would have won. But I'm going to give it to Harry because overall, I think he has it. Yeah. Yeah. Everything is there. Yeah. I have to give it to Harry as well. I feel bad that I'm a little biased because I actually do know his solo music pretty well. Mm-hmm.
00:58:15 --> 00:58:43 But I just, I can't not give it to him. Those performances are insane. No, no, it's tough. It's tough because he always was the one that was like very sure about who he was as a person. Yeah. And in the group, he was, you know, the dimples, the hair. It was, his confidence has always been instilled. It's like the Camila Cabello thing. Like, you know who you are because of the liberties and the space you were given to be that person. So it's tough. And on top of that, the other guys too, as they released more music, we know it got better. So it's like,
00:58:43 --> 00:59:05 Not bad for first attempts for sure, right? Yes, definitely. But yeah, it's coming right out the gate. Like, you know, the horse is out the gate. Sign of the time. Sign of the time. You know, the horse. Sign of the time. The horse. Got it. Yeah. Yeah, I have to give it to that overall as well. Yeah, overall. Yeah. Although I will say. Yes. I will say that.
00:59:05 --> 00:59:34 I was really excited to actually do this episode because I just really don't know anything about them as a group either. I think it'd be quite fun for us to actually do a Pop 101 or something about them. Or even go to an old album because we will not know those songs at all. So visiting them 10, 15 years later could be fun. Yeah, I mean, obviously they're all very talented. I love that all five of them went in very different directions musically.
00:59:34 --> 00:59:49 as well and like I said other than Harry and I do like I said I do know Zayn's first album quite well but I don't actually know a lot of the other singles that the other members released so you guys want a round two for their second singles let us know
00:59:49 --> 01:00:17 Absolutely. But yes, Directioners, listen, y'all, I know you guys are very passionate, but I'm pretty sure all of you are at the age where we can have civil conversations. So let's make sure, no matter how you're feeling, that you keep it civil as we have, okay? Because I know Directioners, Beehive, Barbs, and Swifties get very passionate about people who are richer than all of us. I'll be real with y'all. Maybe you didn't call out the BTS fans, too.
01:00:17 --> 01:00:32 And ARMY. We don't talk about BTS here too much. Sorry, guys. We haven't yet. If you want to, make sure you join the Patreon for sure. And we will make a priority choice if you become a CCTV producer. Once again, Directioners, thanks for coming. Thanks for watching.
01:00:32 --> 01:00:57 And let us know what wins the One Direction solo pop-off for you. We are available on all platforms, so make sure to comment and DM us at CCTV Pops on all of those platforms. And make sure you hit those follow and subscribe buttons because we have some really fun episodes coming up. Until next time, that's Chris. That's Chantel. And you have been tuning in to CCTV, the nonstop pop show.