Louis Tomlinson has released his new single, Imposter, offering another glimpse into his forthcoming third studio album, How Did I Get Here?, due out this Friday, 23rd January 2026.
The track leans into raw, low-fi indie pop, driven by a pulsing bassline and gritty guitars. Written by Tomlinson alongside Nico Rebscher and Dave Gibson, Imposter explores the singer’s experiences with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, with lyrics confronting questions of identity and self-worth; “I can’t get this feeling out my head, that I am the imposter.”
Speaking about the song, Tomlinson said:
“Imposter was written in the jungle in Costa Rica. Conceptually it leans into the idea of identity. It’s probably the most melodic moment on the record – I’m really excited for the world to finally hear it.”
A reflective official video is set to premiere tomorrow afternoon, starring RTS Award-winning actor James Nelson-Joyce (This City Is Ours, A Thousand Blows).
Imposter follows earlier singles Lemonade and Palaces. Lemonade received major UK radio support from Radio 1, Radio 2 and Capital, and was performed on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge alongside a cover of Hozier’s Too Sweet. Meanwhile, Palaces earned critical praise from Clash Magazine, which described it as “a terrific, finessed piece of melodic indie, with a real sense of theatre and drama to the vocal.” Tomlinson also performed the track during Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball at London’s O2 Arena.
For How Did I Get Here?, Tomlinson has described pushing himself further than ever as a writer and performer. The album began taking shape in the English countryside before recording continued in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, where he spent three weeks in early 2025 working closely with co-producer Nico Rebscher (Aurora, Alice Merton). The setting and isolation reportedly played a major role in shaping the album’s introspective tone.
Looking further ahead, Tomlinson will embark on the How Did We Get Here? World Arena Tour in March 2026, with dates across Europe and North America. Tickets are on sale now.
2026 ‘How Did We Get Here?’ Tour Dates: (Only UK/EU Dates Shown)
- 23 March – Barclays Arena, Hamburg
- 25 March – Unity Arena, Oslo
- 27 March -Veikkaus Arena, Helsinki
- 29 March – Avicii Arena, Stockholm
- 30 March – KB Hallen, Copenhagen
- 1 April – Uber Arena, Berlin
- 2 April – Lanxess Arena, Cologne
- 4 April – Arena Gliwice, Gliwice
- 5 April – O2 Arena, Prague
- 6 April – Marx Halle, Vienna
- 9 April – Unipol Arena, Bologna
- 10 April – Unipol Forum, Milan
- 12 April – Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona
- 13 April – Movistar Arena, Madrid
- 15 April – LDLC Arena, Lyon
- 17 April – Olympiahalle, Munich
- 19 April – Lotto Arena, Antwerp
- 20 April – Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam
- 21 April – Accor Arena, Paris
- 24 April – Co-op Live, Manchester
- 25 April – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
- 27 April – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
- 28 April- First Direct Arena, Leeds
- 30 April – 3Arena, Dublin
- 2 May – The Brighton Centre, Brighton
- 3 May – The O2, London
How Did I Get Here? is available to pre-order now.
