‘What did I contribute?’ Louis didn’t rate his position in One Direction

At the height of One Direction's fame, Louis Tomlinson appeared to be positively brimming over with confidence, but during a recent interview with The Observer, the Doncaster-native suggests that he was from from content with his position in the band.

In perhaps one of his most candid interviews to date, the 25-year-old revealed that he harboured massive insecurities – something which was exacerbated by his tendency to compare himself to fellow band members.

Reflecting on their initial performances as a five-piece, Louis said: "You know I didn’t sing a single solo on the X Factor. A lot of people can take the p*ss out of that."

Admitting that he regularly questioned his place in the band, Louis recalls thinking: "What have I really done to contribute here? Sing a lower harmony that you can’t really hear in the mix?"

"The others have always been… Like Niall, for example. He’s the most lovely guy in the world," Louis said. "Happy-go-lucky Irish, no sense of arrogance. And he’s fearless. There are times I’ve thought: “I’d have a bit of that."

Opening up about the relationship he shared with Zayn, Louis explained that he sought comfort in him, saying: "He could relate to me on a nerves level."

"In the first year we were both the least confident. But Zayn has a fantastic voice and for him it was always about owning that."

Turning his attention to Liam and Harry, Louis paid tribute to their showmanship and their ability to work an audience – traits he envied.

"Liam always had a good stage presence, same as Harry, they’ve both got that ownership. Harry comes across very cool. Liam’s all about getting the crowd going, doing a bit of dancing.. and then there's me." he said.

By comparing himself to his bandmates, Louis admitted that he often felt out of his depth and presumed that the public simply saw him as "the kid wearing espadrilles, stood in the back."

And to think we always considered him one of the most confident members…