Looking Back on One Direction's Invasion of America in 2012

In the winter of 2012, The Artist was Best Picture, Adele’s 21 was Album of the Year, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 60th anniversary as British monarch and a fivesome of teens from the U.K. arrived on American shores for the first time.

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One Direction appeared at the Roosevelt Field Mall in Long Island, N.Y., and Inside Edition was one of the first U.S. outlets to sit down with the heartthrob singers.

"The reception that we're getting is really flattering," Harry Styles said of their arrival.

"We always get asked if we'd ever date a fan," Zayn Malik added. "And I think we probably would."

One Direction was formed after they competed as solo acts in 2010 on the British version of The X Factor. That's when Simon Cowell concocted the idea of putting them together as a group.

"For us, it's just important that we keep making good music," Styles said at the time.

But it was not meant to last, as Malik left the band in 2015 to start a solo career and dabble in the fashion industry. The rest of the band continued without him for another year before dissolving.

In early 2017, Styles released his self-titled solo debut and made his first foray into acting in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk.

Niall Horan has released two successful solo singles and is reportedly working on a solo record. He will head out on tour this fall.

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Liam Payne has also released two solo singles and has begun work on his debut album.

Louis Tomlinson has also released two singles and is reportedly working on a solo album. He also actively participates in charity soccer matches throughout Europe.

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