Louis Tomlinson has said it took time for him to feel comfortable working without One Direction, but he feels like a “new artist” now.
The singer, whose new single We Made It is an ode to teen dreams and young love, said it has been a journey to find himself musically.
The new track is inspired by nights out in Manchester during the early days of his time in the boyband.
He said: “Any time off I had, I’d go to Manchester for nights out with my mates.
“It made me realise I didn’t live in the real world anymore and I missed it. I loved being normal, reckless and stupid. It was the best escape.
“We’d stay up all night, talking about our dreams and what we thought would happen to us.
“That age is such an exciting time. You’ve no idea what the future holds, but you have so much potential. Where is my life headed? Who knows?”
He added: “The chorus of We Made It is also about me and the fans. Between us, it has taken a lot to get here.
“I’ve had to work really hard, had to learn about so much about myself. I feel as though only when I get out to tour, to sing these songs directly to the fans, will I have cemented the start of my solo career.”
He continued: “I feel like a new artist now. It’s taken a while for me to be comfortable on my own, to learn to trust my gut and make sure I get what I want.
“I feel the most confident I’ve ever been, both as a songwriter and a singer, and the most mature. Of course I want to be successful, but what matters is what my music means to me and what it means to the fans. That’s the priority. The rest we’ll have to wait and see.”
Tomlinson also confessed that his own musical tastes are at odds with current trends in pop, saying: “There was definitely a process of understanding where I sit musically.
“I have my own tastes and, to a certain extent, they are fighting against the musical tide.
“When I grew up, pop meant Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, The Killers and Amy Winehouse. Times change, obviously. Currently pop is very urban and street, which is not what I relate to.
“Sure, I could make those sort of songs, but they wouldn’t feel like me. The puzzle was how to please both myself and the fans.”
Tomlinson, who on Wednesday announced his debut solo album Walls will be released on January 31 2020, will soon embark on a world tour.
He will visit London, Glasgow, Doncaster and Manchester, alongside Europe, UAE, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, the USA and Canada, kicking off in Barcelona in March.