Harry Styles Chats About Pre-One Direction Music + Living With Louis Tomlinson

While every member of One Direction is a certified heart throb, Harry Styles has taken a particular role in the spotlight as a ladies' man, winning over everyone from 'X Factor U.K.' host Caroline Flack to Rihanna and Taylor Swift (though a certain reality starlet was somehow immune to his charms). Because of 1D's massive success, it's easy to forget that not long ago the guys were all solo contestants on Simon Cowell's pet project across the pond. In a new VEVO interview, Styles reveals how he got into music and what life was like on 'X Factor' and beyond.

Styles got started in music when he was in high school in a pretty spontaneous way. "I was in a band, we were called White Eskimo," Styles said with a sheepish grin. "There was a battle of the bands going on at school, and we formed just for that and we ended up winning." Well, with a frontman like this lady killer, what did you really expect?

Styles also revealed that he didn't go on to 'X Factor U.K.' to necessarily become a star -- though he wasn't against that part. "I went on 'X Factor' to get an honest opinion if I was any good or not," he admitted. While Styles entered 'X Factor' initially as a solo artist, we all know what happened next: he got grouped with Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan. How did he react to the initial suggestion?

I was completely up for it," he says, wide eyed. "Everyone enters the competition to try to get as far as they can. Either we left the competition a solo artist or we carried on as a group." Smart!

So what about his close friendship with comrade Tomlinson? "The fans call me and Louie 'Larry Stylinson,' because we get on really well. Since we started at the 'X Factor' house me and Louie said that we wanted to move in together," he said. "That's pretty much it, that's just how it happened."

He doesn't just like living with Tomlinson, though. He also loves where they live. "I really like London!" Styles said. "Before 'X Factor' I hadn't even been to London. Now I'm living there, which is pretty crazy." Almost as crazy as breaking a Madison Square Garden record and making Billboard history!

Watch Harry Styles on 'VEVO Lift'