5 Seconds Of Summer’s Luke Hemmings Discovers The Perils Of Dating

5 Seconds Of Summer star Luke Hemmings found out early that being a member of one of the world’s most popular pop bands can certainly have it’s downsides. Hemmings and bandmates Ashton Irwin, Calum Hood, and Michael Clifford caught a huge break when they were spotted performing cover versions of songs on YouTube and signed up by the team who manage One Direction. Hemmings and his bandmates even went out on tour with the boys from One Direction. Since then, 5 Seconds of Summer have gone stratospheric. With two hit albums under their belts, Luke and his pals look to have it made.

Sadly, Hemmings has found out the hard way that being propelled into the maelstrom that is pop band fandom in the 21st century can be a tough road. When Luke and the rest of the boys first went on tour with One Direction, they were given a pretty hot reception by the 1D fandom and not all of it was welcome.

Last fall, Hemmings bandmate Michael Clifford told Billboard about the hate they received from some One Direction fans.

“There were s**tloads of people being like, ‘F*** this band, these guys are all s**t-ugly dipsh**s. What are they doing on tour with One Direction, my perfect babies?'”

Of course, 5 Seconds of Summer came through that stage and have now built a huge following of their own, but as Hemmings found out, pop band fandom’s can be unforgiving even to the bands they slavishly follow. In December, Hemmings caused outrage among some sections of the 5 Seconds of Summer fandom when he told Rolling Stone that he had slept with some of his young fans. As Hemmings quickly discovered, many fans were less than happy with Luke’s revelations and saw his actions as a breach of trust.

LA ?? pic.twitter.com/sh5D8EyznM

— Luke Hemmings (@Luke5SOS) March 24, 2016

Many would argue that Hemmings actions are nothing unusual in the music business, but in a world of instant communications, Luke discovered that sometimes people are determined to find things to be offended by.

Hemmings and his band seem to have learned valuable lessons from One Direction, for example, 5SOS have their own record company. One would hope that Luke and 5SOS will be smart enough not to fall into the trap of constant touring and recording that drove One Direction into the ground. There is another lesson that Hemmings is currently learning from the One Direction boys, and it is perhaps the most painful lesson of all for Luke and the boys.

Hemmings is learning that if he gets involved with a girl, then that girl better be prepared for a torrent of hate from “so-called” fans. Since last summer, Hemmings has been dating Arzaylea, a girl he met at Kylie Jenners birthday party. Like One Direction before them, Luke has discovered that anyone he dates becomes a target for some fans.

Since dating Hemmings, Arzaylea has discovered that posting pictures of herself with Luke on social media is seen as a major insult by fans who see this as her “rubbing their noses in it.” As the Day Herald reports, Arzaylea has been called a gold-digger, power hungry, a publicity wh**e, and those are the more polite terms.

According to Broadly, Luke’s fans have developed a long list of grievances against Arzaylea. She has been accused of forcing Luke to smoke pot and even of brainwashing Hemmings into hating his fans. Some of Luke’s fans believe that she has been hired by 5SOS’ management to stir up the fandom, and she is accused of flaunting her relationship with Hemmings to “hurt” fans.

Arzaylea pic.twitter.com/SXzb8QysEc

— confessions (@fandombeliefs) April 1, 2016

It is impossible to fathom the psyche of fans who are willing to hate on someone they have never met purely for the fact that she is dating Luke Hemmings. It is well documented just how damaging cyberbullying can be, and yet for the anyone who dates Luke or any other member of 5 Seconds of Summer or One Direction, this is the world you expose yourself to.

There is no question that some of Hemmings’ fans believe that because Luke uses social media, they have some sort of intimate connection. Doubtless, some fans feel that they are in some way protecting Luke by attacking anyone who dares to date him. It is clear that social media gives fans a much greater insight into the lives of stars like Hemmings. Social media is an essential tool for Hemmings and any band trying to forge a career, but as Luke and indeed Arzaylea have discovered, it can be a very dark place.

[Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP]