In Louis Tomlinson’s  new single “Just Hold On”, the One Direction member sings with a high-pitched voice that dips between high and low and combined and the song flows effortlessly out of him. With lyrics such as “it’s not over until your dying breath” and “the sun goes down and comes back up / the world it turns no matter what,” the song emphasizes that the world will not stop for you no matter what happens, and that the world doesn’t end just because you lose someone you love. In other words; you have to keep going, don’t give up.

The song was inspired by the death of Tomlinson’s mother, who died in December after a battle with leukemia.

Tomlinson wrote the ballad for her while One Direction takes a hiatus, with each member working on their own projects.

The news of her death  spread quickly among fans worldwide, followed by a flood of supportive and well-wishing messages to the singer’s social media accounts from celebrities and fans alike. One Direction has been on a long hiatus with each member working on their own projects, which gave Tomlinson time to write  ballad written for his mother.

Through the drawn-out lyrics and powerful vocals, Tomlinson captures the feeling of uncertainty and doubt that accompanies the knowledge that he’s losing his mom and his best friend.

This powerful ode is backed by electronic dance music or EDM which gives the song an upbeat rhythm, lessening  its depressing vibes. Steve Aoki is the man responsible for the EDM; the song was a collaboration between the two artists. Aoki is a DJ, a label boss, and a music executive. This is the first time, that fans know of, that Tomlinson and Aoki have collaborated together.

This song is unlike anything we’ve previously heard from Tomlinson, and is very different from what One Direction has released in the past. With its deep meaning and personal connection, the song is far from being another boy band hit. This is a song that people can cry to. However, it is not so sad that people can’t eat ice cream while listening to it, too.

Tomlinson first performed the ode on the “X Factor UK”– a dazzling performance to say the least. He kept his composure, although at times he had tears in his eyes and he became a bit choked up in the end. Tomlinson gave fans a piece of himself during that performance. He shared his pain and heartache. It was incredibly brave.

Tomlinson’s mother, Johannah Deakin, was scheduled to be there for the debut performance but sadly passed away days before the event. Tomlinson decided to go ahead with the performance and performed that song for her and for the world.

This is the first single Tomlinson has released outside of One Direction, and a strong start to his solo career. The song quickly soared through the charts on iTunes where it sat at number one in 36 countries. It truly is a heart-touching song and fans can only hope that Tomlinson continues to make their hearts hurt with his amazing vocal abilities.