Louis Tomlinson in Argentina: what is the pop fury that shook the city in a fleeting visit before Vélez

In just over 24 hours, Louis Tomlinson passed through Buenos Aires and caused a commotion, with hundreds of fans crowd the door of his hotel singing and shouting his name, and also taking up almost the entire block where an FM radio is located where he went to give a ticket.

The fanaticism generated by the former singer of his solo career a direction In Argentina he is so big that in fact he will hold a recital in the same stadium where he was in 2014 with the mega-boy band. It will be there May 18th in Vélez Sarsfield.

Louis Tomlinson already has two solo albums and is touring the world presenting his most recent, Faith in the future. It was released in November 2022 and surprised with its more rock sound, close to the Brit-pop of his beloved Oasis, and less pop. It was number one in England and three singles were released, Bigger than me, out of my system AND Silver tongues.

Hurricane Louis

The visit was really fleeting with the aim of promoting their show next month, the old fashioned way, when artists toured countries to promote albums or tours, which they currently do via Zoom or with posts on their official accounts.

Louis arrived on Friday evening and spent Saturday completing a busy schedule of activities, leaving early the next day.

First he went to the Vélez camp for a television note that will be given later on TN, and then he went to Los 40 Principales radio, where his fans filled the entire Via Gorriti, between Ravignani and Arévalo, to attend an interview in which eight listeners who asked him a question each.

He finally arrived at the Four Seasons hotel at 4pm, where hundreds of other screaming fans were waiting for him. There he made a series of reports and chatted with Clarín in a room set up like a small television, with lights and a decoration with his name and the album cover.

“I never, not even for a second, thought that I would have some of the same experiences,” he said, “that I was fortunate enough to have in the band. I thought it was something unique. So to be able to come be here and feel the level of love and the amazing reaction to the radio station today, it means so much to me. When I imagined what my solo career would be like, I really didn’t know what to expect.

Fill the stadiums again

At 32, Louis Tomlinson can boast the experience of having been part of it one of the biggest pop phenomena of the last 20 years, with record sales and sold-out stadium shows around the world. And now he repeats the rampage alone, just as happened shortly before with his former colleague Harry Styles.

In the case of Louis, he first sold out the closed Movistar Arena stadium in 2022 and is now aiming for a huge football pitch like the Vélez.

-Did you think that being a soloist you had to start from the bottom and sing in smaller places?

-Yes exactly. But apparently I can still play big venues, so that’s nice.

-Can we really talk about “Louistomlinson-mania”? Does it happen everywhere or is it particular to Latin America?

-I think in terms of similar intensity level, and seeing what happened just now at the radio station, it definitely doesn’t happen to me everywhere. Let’s put it this way: It’s amazing to be so far from home and feel that level of love. I’m very excited to think about what the show will be like here.

-It’s incredible that almost exactly ten years have passed since you last filled Vélez. How do you feel about returning to the same stadium?

-I feel very lucky to be able to play those places myself again. I also feel very, very proud of myself and my fans. I feel like we created something really special and we did it together. With them as listeners, but also as facilitators. This really helped my confidence and made me feel good on stage. It’s a great relationship and I’m very proud of it.

-This tour started almost a year ago, how has it evolved compared to the first concerts?

-I definitely feel in a good place right now with the show. Anyway, I was excited about this tour in advance because this album was designed for the live show. So I was excited to see how the songs would work. And the energy is fantastic. I’m very excited to show it to you Faith in the future to Latin America.

-How did the idea of ​​doing a live cover of Arctic Monkeys come about?

-Arctic Monkeys grew up about 20 minutes from where I live. It was something very close, very fresh in the mind and obviously huge. I was growing up and I’m a big fan too. I usually compose the song 505 Because she’s very pretty.

Often with covers I probably think more about what I’d like to sing than what I imagine everyone else would like to hear, which is maybe under thought, but I’m having fun.

-When you were a teenager you sang Oasis songs and now you have a rock band that plays very Brit-pop, almost full circle.

-Thank you. I’m very, very lucky to have the band that I do, but it also delivers sonic and visual results, which is really important to me. It looks absolutely amazing. I don’t think I would be able to do it without my band.

-Also do a One Direction song live. Did you feel that sort of shadow at the beginning of your solo career and do you feel more comfortable now looking back?

-I think a bit of both. I think earlier in my career I would have been a little more worried about putting too many One Direction songs on the set. What I wanted most was to spread my wings and show who I was. But I think as time goes by, the nostalgic moments are really lovely. So it’s like a beautiful mix of nostalgia and it’s very nice to do.

Table tennis

-This is the third time you visit our country. If you had to describe your Argentine fans in three words, which would you choose?

-Passionate. Fair. Loving. It’s okay, right?

-Footballer Kun Agüero said that he talks to you a lot via Instagram or Twitter. Have you ever met him in person?

-We’ve never actually met in person. Over the years we’ve talked a little here and there, but I’ve never met him. I’m a little crazy hoping he can come to the show.

-If you had to choose one of your songs, from Walls or Faith in the Future, that reflects how you feel right now in your life, what would it be?

-I would say that the name of the album (Faith in the future) represents where I am now, but I think that in the future I would always like to be optimistic.

-What if One Direction’s entire discography was erased and one song had to be saved. Which one would you save?

-It’s interesting…I’d probably say Story of my life. It felt like a real milestone to us. I would say it’s a little more serious. And I also think it’s a bit of a crazy song.

-Are you a big football fan, do you have a preference for an Argentine club?

-I’m very afraid of saying the wrong thing… It will be better to say that I love you all. (laughs)