Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to stardom as a member of the boy band One Direction. Styles grew up in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, where he was the lead singer in a band. In 2010, Styles auditioned as a solo contestant for the British music competition series The X Factor, where he and four other contestants were placed in a group to form One Direction. They have since released five albums, embarked on four world tours, and won several awards, becoming one of most successful musical groups of all time.