Underground for the Masses I - the first edition of the first black metal only festival in Romania.

Frankly, quite possibly the best fest I ever attended.

[Translated from Spanish]

In his fleeting passage through the country, Louis Tomlinson received BioBioChile weeks after his return to the national stages and days after a commented show in Mexico, a country to which this year he will take his own festival, "Away from home". "I want to bring it where they want me to have. To be honest, it was a point of conversation today (in Chile)," confessed the former One Direction.

After an explosive passage through Mexico, where he was one of the protagonists of the Pal Norte festival, Louis Tomlinson went down through South America to Chile in the run-up to what will be an imminent reunion with local fans, who alone in the country are counted in thousands.

The former One Direction will present the "Faith In The Future World Tour 2024" on May 24 at the La Florida Bicentenario Stadium, almost a year after the start of the world tour and almost two years after his successful debut in Chile, when in 2022 he sold out three shows months in advance.

"The experiences I have had, since quite young, have always been quite good here. So I am very excited to be able to bring the "Faith in the Future," and I feel very fortunate to be able to do this alone," he said in an interview with BioBioChile when remembering his first visit with One Direction, also in May but 2014, 10 years ago.

Since then, the subsequent visits to Chile of the former members of the group have repeated the frenzy of their alma mater. This week, the flash arrival of Louis Tomlinson caused crowds on the outskirts of the Mandarin Hotel, and spontaneous attempts to follow his Santiago route.

"I think it's vitally important (not forgetting the fans). It's as simple as if no one buys the album and no one comes to the tour shows, we can't do what we do. It is vitally important to make people feel represented from everywhere. I have always had a good relationship with the fans, and I have always been incredibly grateful to have the fanbase I have. So it's a lot of love and gratitude that I can give you. They are always important to me," he acknowledged.

Louis Tomlinson, a flag and his gesture in Mexico: "I've only done it once before"

While at the Pal Norte festival, Tomlinson made a gesture that caught the attention of his followers: he took a Mexican flag and posed with it for the audience. A very unusual maneuver in his presentations that the native of Doncaster takes today with humor.

"I saw that the fans were talking about it online and I think I've only done it once before, and I think it was in Mexico too. Those shows are where they are usually very excited and euphoric, there is no other reason. At that moment I take the flag and get wrapped up with it. Which is very great," he said about the code that his fans deciphered.

For "Faith In The Future", the Englishman worked and collaborated with important names in the international industry, such as Theo Hutchcraft (Hurts) and producer Mike Crossey (The 1975, Wolf Alice), in addition to Nico Rebscher (Alice Merton) and Joe Cross, among others.

After the success of "Walls" in 2020 (whose tour brought together more than 500,000 people in more than 80 concerts around the world), the singer was satisfied with the result of his successor album, where he shows another facet.

"Yes, I am very proud of this album. When I reflect on 'Walls', there are things that with perspective I would have done slightly different, and that comes from a place of trust. But when I think about 'Faith in the Future', I think the proof is in the live shows. That album is designed for live presentations, and from the experiences I've had on the tour with Faith in the Future, it feels very special to have that for fans. So yes, I am very satisfied," he said.

Faith in the Future: An optimistic album after family tragedies

Tomlinson, who in less than two years suffered the death of his motherJohannah Deakin due to leukemia and his sister Felicité due to an overdose, shows in "Faith in the Future" part of his own family heritage: optimism.

"I would say that (that optimism) comes from the family; it's what I've always known: seeing the glass half full. Optimism, yes, comes naturally to me in the way my mother raised me, of trying to see the good. I wanted to bring that to light in this album, and I hope you can feel a little of that.

(P): In "Common People" you paid tribute to Doncaster, your hometown. Tell us about her.

(LOUIS): I'm very proud to come from a place like Doncaster, although I don't spend much time there anymore because I live in London, I go when I see my family. But there are great people, I have a lot to thank Doncaster for how I am today, so he still has a very special place in my heart.

(P): Are you working on a new album?

(LOUIS): I have written a couple of songs, but when I was writing them I was not thinking that they would be for a new album, they were written to be able to write and not put pressure on those songs. But I think I will start the composition work for a new album at the end of this year.

Louis Tomlinson, pop superstar and festival producer

(P): In addition to a musical star, you are a festival producer...

(LOUIS): Yes! I like that, it sounds good.

(P): You recently announced the arrival of "Away from home", your festival, in Mexico, after a successful passage through Spain. Is there any possibility of bringing that show to Chile or South America?

(LOUIS): I would love to. I want to bring it wherever you want me. To be honest, it was a talking point today. And the shows have had an incredible energy, so it would be an incredible place to be able to bring the festival.

(Q): What does Louis Tomlinson hear on his hearing aids during his trips and tours around the world?

(LOUIS): I have to push myself a lot to listen to new things, like everyone else I stay in a loop of continuing to listen to the things I grew up with or I get stuck with an album and I only listen to that. The last album I've been listening to a lot is Paolo Nutini's new one, he is perhaps my favorite male singer, he is an incredible vocalist and incredible composer.

(P): You are a very active artist, who travels a lot in the year. Would you like to spend more time at home, in England or in Doncaster?

(LOUIS): Yes, that's almost the only thing I've known in my adult life, certainly. So yes, of course I would like to be able to spend more time in Doncaster. But since I don't do it, every time I go there it feels very special. So I currently have a very nice relationship with my home.

(P): What do you miss the most about your time at One Direction? Do you miss anything from those days?

(LOUIS): Yes, definitely. I think what I miss the most is companionship, navigating the music industry together. It is a very immersive experience, and being able to navigate with people who are going through the same thing is a definitely good feeling. Or even lose sometimes, but do it collectively. But I will say that as a solo artist, I have said it before, there is more stress, but I think the reward is greater. But there is a difference. That was that, and now it's something else.

(P): What are your plans for this year?