Louis can be heard tutting when they discover Liam Payne‘s photograph in the pile. “This one right here,” Nicole agrees, placing him with the other members.
Simon then notes that Liam was “the standout audition,” referencing his powerful rendition of “Cry Me A River.” He points to another group, adding, “You don’t think he should be over there?”
“I don’t think so,” Nicole disagrees. “I think that he would definitely shine. He could maybe actually be the leader.”
However, Simon’s still not sure, sharing that he believes Liam “thinks he’s better than anyone else” amongst the other soloists.
But Louis explains that might not be a bad thing. “No, he does, Simon, he has the confidence,” he answers. “But he’s good. He’s consistent.”
After finding Zayn Malik, they quickly add him to the lineup and it’s a done deal. “Now that is a good idea, oh my god,” Simon shares. “That is the category I want, it’s them.” Louis pipes in, adding, “As long as they gel!”
And gel they did. The group, who ended up finishing in third place on the TV series, went on to release five albums and the 2013 film This Is Us. After announcing a hiatus in 2015 following Zayn’s departure from the band, each of the members have gone on to find their own success and release solo material in recent years.