by Ye Rim Park, staff writer

One Direction is a British-Irish boy band that first entered the music industry after it placed third in the seventh series of “The X Factor U.K.”

The band, which includes Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson, was signed to Simon Cowell’s record label Syco Records and released  its first single in September 2011.

Most of its popularity, however, is contributed to its origin. All five members were originally solo contestants that entered “The X Factor U.K.” two years ago. After struggling individually, Simon suggested the five of them band together and enter into the male group category to boost their chances of making it to the finals.

The combination of each of their strong voices, dashing personalities, and looks proved to be golden.

By the time they reached the finals, hundreds of awestruck audience members were chanting their names.

Although One Direction didn’t make it to first place, it won in its own way, gaining a massive amount of popularity in the short amount of time since its first appearance in the media.

The group’s successful debut album, “Up All Night,” was released in November 2011 and became the fastest-selling debut album of the year, having sold nearly 140,000 copies.

“Best album ever,” said sophomore Connie Hsieh. “But I’m not going [to the concert] because I couldn’t get tickets.”

Speaking of concerts, One Direction will  be visiting places in the Bay Area on its North American Tour during mid-June.

Tickets are disappearing quickly as more fans try to get their hands on the possibility of meeting these new generation stars.

The five member band mostly supports a soft rock style that creates a very sweet and charming atmosphere, drawing millions of avid fans screaming at the mere mention of One Direction.

The innocent and genuine quality lyrics are irresistible.

The band’s debut single, “What Makes You Beautiful” immediately peaked to number one  in the United Kingdom and reached the Top 10 in seven other international markets.

“I really like their song, ‘What Makes You Beautiful’,” freshman Amanda Chun said. “It’s really cool and one of my favorite songs.”

According to Youtube statistics, more than 450,000 people agree with her.

The young band is already blazing its way up the charts, showing remarkable progress. Over the past two years, the group has gained many fans and followers.

“I think I like them,” freshman Alexis Viengmyxay said. “JB (Justin Bieber) better not hit puberty too soon because he’s got some British competition!”

Many students look forward to watching these boys take on unreached heights.

For those who have never heard of One Direction, try giving the songs a chance because their sweet melodies and classic pop are sure to keep students up all night.