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The British singer-songwriter's first solo concert in the Philippines was a trip down memory lane

MANILA, Philippines – A lot has changed since Louis Tomlinson last performed in the Philippines, but the love and support the Filouies have for him continue to stay the same.

It’s been a long time coming for fans of the British singer-songwriter, who’s been waiting to see him perform live for more than 10 years. “As a Directioner, it was really heartbreaking that I wasn’t able to watch the On The Road Again tour in 2015,  but I’m just so glad that after 12 years of being a fan, I’m finally going to see him in person,” Dianne, a 23-year-old analyst, told Rappler. 

And the Louis Tomlinson World Tour 2022 in Manila on Saturday, July 16, was indeed, a trip down the memory lane for them.

Louis opened the one-hour show with an electrifying performance of “We Made It,” one of the songs from his recent album Walls. It’s followed by his rendition of “Drag Me Down” – a track from One Direction’s 2015 album Made In The A.M. As expected, fans couldn’t help but feel emotional while belting out the lyrics and holding on to their One Direction paraphernalia.

The crowd at Araneta Coliseum also sang along when Louis started performing his mellow songs “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart,” “Two Of Us,” “Walls,” and “Only the Brave.”

Also included in his setlist were fan-favorites “Habit,” “Defenceless,” and “Always You.”

Prior to the concert proper, fans had mounted projects like free ice cream giveaways to commemorate the event. Another of the event’s highlights was when fans brought out their “You are worth fighting for” banners while Louis performed his cover of “Beautiful War.”

Throughout the show, the singer kept on giving “massive” shoutouts to his Filouies. “I fucking love the Philippines…. Without you guys, these shows won’t be possible,” he told the crowd. “It’s all thanks to you. I would not be here without you.”

Louis also revved up the crowd by performing two songs from One Direction’s 2013 album Midnight Memories – “Through the Dark” and “Little Black Dress” – before capping off the concert with his powerful performance of “Kill My Mind.”

Performing a total of 17 songs in his first solo concert in Manila, the show went by so fast. Even when Louis had finished performing his last song and went offstage, the concert-goers were still hyped, singing along to “Teenage DirtBag.”

Although Louis mentioned during the concert that it might take a while before he came back to the Philippines for another show, Filouies were just delighted to have shared this moment with the singer. “We’ll always wait for him,” Dianne said.

The One Direction member made his solo debut in 2016 with the release of the single “Just Hold On.” His first full-length solo album Walls was released in 2020. Among his hits are “Back To You,” “Always You,” and “Just Like Me.”