- Michelle Hernandez-Garduza ‘22
Louis Tomlinson is widely known for his success in the band One Direction. After the band split in 2015, the One Direction boys went their separate ways and began their solo careers. By the end of 2017, most of the members had released their debut albums, and Louis had released 3 singles. No one was very surprised about his return as a solo artist in the music industry, as the other members had also been consistently releasing music.
However, in an interview with The Guardian, Tomlinson explained that during his years with the band he felt, “forgettable, to a certain degree” and mentioned that he was uncertain about whether or not he would go back to making music. Fast forward to January 2020, Louis released his debut album ‘Walls,’ a heartbreaking and healing album which he has said is a vulnerable and personal record to him. The album ranges from songs about losing loved ones, falling in love, and messages to today’s youth. It became a comforting album for Tomlinson’s fans that showcases his unique vocal range and his creativity as a songwriter.
Just recently, Tomlinson won the 2020 Artist of the Summer for 96.5 TDY, a Philadelphia based radio station. After a long month of voting, Louis won with a collective 13 million votes across all social media platforms. It was a stunning win for both the fans and for Louis. To celebrate, fans trended “#ProudOfLouis” and “We Made It” on Twitter which trended at #6 in the United States.
Needless to say, it was an exciting win, and well deserved. Walls has been one of my favorite albums to listen to while in quarantine and I would recommend you give it a listen if you’re looking for new music.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons