Louis Dishes About Simon Cowell's Softer Side

When news of Louis Tomlinson's impending fatherhood broke over the summer, it seemed like everyone in the One Direction camp was tight-lipped on the matter — at least in the beginning. The first person to confirm the news was none other than Simon Cowell, the boy band's right hand man. In fact, in a recent interview with Billboard, Tomlinson revealed that Cowell was actually one of the first people he confided in when he realized he was going to be a dad.

"Simon is one of the first people I told about my son, Freddie," the singer said. "You can trust him."

While this may seem slightly ironic — one of the first people Tomlinson told about the baby confirmed the news to the general public — there is absolutely no way that Cowell just ~accidentally~ let things slip. His confirmation was undoubtedly a calculated and planned move, and one that was almost certainly run by Tomlinson first. (It's also no coincidence that confirmed the news to The Sun, the UK outlet that has had many of One Direction exclusives during their career).

When it comes down to it, Tomlinson's revelation about Cowell shows a different side of the former American Idol judge — yes, the same one who became a famous television personality thanks to his brash, brutally honest, no-nonsense nature.

Maybe it's because Cowell is now a father himself, but the music mogul definitely seems softer and more positive in his personal life. In fact, his kindness is reflected in the advice he gave to Tomlinson when the singer told him he was going to be a dad. (Though the dust has seemed to settle down somewhat since Freddie's birth, the moment the public learned that Louis Tomlinson was going to be a dad was a pretty universally shocking one. Particularly because Freddie's mom, Briana Jungwirth, was not dating the 1D singer and was described as "a close friend.")

"I said to him, 'You man up. You’re fortunate because you're in a position to be able to look after the baby and not worry too much about that,'" Cowell recalled to The Sun . "But I also told him, 'I've received bad calls in my life but this is not one of them. This is your business but I'm here for you.'"

"He didn't kill anyone. He got someone pregnant. It happens every day all over the world," he added. "Again, Louis has got great family around him and, look, it's a plus, not a negative."

Tomlinson further touted Cowell's kindness in the Billboard interview, explaining that he was "completely understanding" when the band wanted to take a break — definitely not the first two words that would come to mind when you think of Cowell's biggest cash cow coming to him and saying they needed some time off.

"Simon was completely understanding when we told him we wanted to go on a break. Not once did he put any pressure on us," the singer revealed. "Most people would’ve tried to give us at least a nudge. But he didn’t. That’s a real reflection of his character. Once you get to know him, he’s lovely and kind."

"Lovely and kind"? I can get behind this side of Simon Cowell, that's for sure.