British boy band One Direction heads to the heart of America

Dubai: There's only one direction the British boy band One Direction are interested in these days -- and that's straight to the heart of America. And the five-piece gang of teen idols (Niall Horan, 18, Zayn Malik, 19, Liam Payne, 18, Harry Styles, 18, and Louis Tomlinson, 20) seem to be getting what they want, if scenes in New York on Monday are anything to go by.

Fresh of their supporting tour with Big Time Rush and making their US TV debut on the Today show with a performance of their songs "What Makes You Beautiful," "One Thing" and "More Than This", they drew what was, according to Matt Lauer, one of the biggest crowds ever to pack the plaza. That's up there with Justin Bieber (whom the band are now rumoured to be collaborating with, in a teen-idol mash-up of terrifying power).

"Since we got put together, we've made four best friends, you know, we've lived together, we're on the road and we do something that we love every single day, so for us that's the most amazing part," Malik said when asked by the show's host Ann Curry about the best and worst parts of fame.

"The only downside is we don't see our friends and family as much as we'd like to but other than that, you know, we're just enjoying everything that, you know, life is throwing at us at the minute, so."

We'll see them next performing at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on March 31.