Revisiting One Direction's Best Performances From 'The X Factor UK'

One Direction gave Us some pretty memorable performances during their time on The X Factor UK.

After auditioning as solo artists, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan were grouped together in a band and soon became teen heartthrobs. Following a few shaky performances as they learned to work together, the band advanced easily through the competition and eventually finished in third place. Mentor Simon Cowell signed the group to his record label after the 2010 season of the reality show — and the rest is history.

One Direction released five albums — the last of which, 2015’s Made in the A.M., was produced without Malik — before announcing their hiatus. Payne, Styles, Tomlinson and Horan returned to The X Factor UK stage in December 2015 to sing “Infinity” and “History” in their penultimate televised performance. (The group appeared on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve later that month.)

After officially beginning their break in 2016, each band member pursued solo projects. Tragedy later struck the 1D fandom when Payne died in October 2024 at age 31. He was honored in a statement by the show that gave him his big break.

Liam Payne Through the Years: The One Direction Alum's Life in Photos

“We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne,” read a social media message from The X Factor UK. “He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world. Our thoughts are with his friends, family and all who loved him.”

Scroll down for a look back at some of One Direction’s best X Factor performances:

‘Torn’

After being put together in boot camp, One Direction performed as a group for the first time during the judges’ houses round. Tomlinson pushed through a “very, very painful” sea urchin injury to sing alongside his new bandmates. The five teens were at their floppy-haired finest while belting out Natalie Imbruglia‘s “Torn,” which they eventually performed again during the season finale.

‘Viva La Vida’

The Coldplay classic was the group’s first live X Factor performance, and though their harmonies were a little shaky on stage, the teens were nothing if not enthusiastic. From Styles and Payne’s perfectly synced shoulder shimmying to Horan’s permanent smile, it’s clear One Direction was just happy to be there.

‘My Life Would Suck Without You’

What’s more 2010s than Kelly Clarkson? During their week 2 performance, the group appeared to have a more solid grasp on their sound — and still shook their shoulders with all their might. Their onstage style, however, hadn’t quite come together.

‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’

Despite some harsh critiques from Louis Walsh, One Direction kept their heads held high during week 4. The band took the episode’s Halloween theme to heart, sitting on stage under eerie blue and green lights and fog. Their looks were completed with red eye makeup and fake blood as they delivered a powerhouse performance of the epic Bonnie Tyler power ballad.

‘Kids in America’

Pyrotechnics, cheerleaders and a whole lot of red, white and blue made this week 5 performance hard to forget. This might even be the first time Tomlinson sported what became a trademark of his style later on in 1D’s career: skinny red pants.

‘Summer of 69’

By week 8, the band had fully harnessed their charm and knew how to work the stage. The audience clapped along to the Bryan Adams hit, and the boys were joined by dancers dressed in red, white and blue outfits. While the group’s voices had improved at this point in the competition, the same couldn’t be said for their dancing.

‘Your Song’

In traditional One Direction fashion, Payne’s bold voice kicked off the first verse of this emotional Elton John ballad. He stood on stage under a single spotlight before the rest of his bandmates joined for the chorus. They coordinated in gray hoodies and sweaters for the more subdued performance — except for Horan, who opted for a bright red zip-up sweatshirt.