Walls, the new single from Louis Tomlinson, isn’t the most ambitious solo track we’ve heard from One Direction’s former members. Backed by a pop-rock jam which could have materialised at any point after Oasis dissolved, Tomlinson’s voice hardly ventures out of safe territory. Plus, if you ignore the lingering fan-fiction merchants, the lyrics present some perfectly palatable post-breakup reflection.
“It’s about coming home having been on tour, soon after the band had split,” Tomlinson said in a statement obtained by iHeartRadio.
“I found some of my girlfriend’s clothes in the cupboard and it hit me what I’d done.”
Relatable. Anyway, I will probably do my groceries to this song in the near future.
But in the tune’s new music video, which premiered online this morning, Tomlinson does take one risk: he takes his place next to four silhouetted figures in a clear boy band formation. A humble pop-rock tune about maturing after a lost love? Fuck it, let’s reminisce about the lads.
While the easiest explanation for that nostalgic nugget would be to drum up press for the video (as evidenced by this very article, it clearly worked), the more ardent believers in esoteric Directionology have ascribed their own meanings to the clip.
My view of Louis’ video:
This is his official coming out video. He loves 1D & ALL 4 other members. He’s telling the same story as Harry. He’s exposing the stunts. No matter what obstacles were put before him he’s thankful for the experience, became stronger & tore down the walls.— Gracelynn: LouisTomlinson fan ◟̽◞̽ #Walls 🐝 (@Bigblues1DLWT) January 20, 2020
DO NOT TELL ME LOUIS TOMLINSON DIDNT WALK UP TO 1D IN HIS MUSIC VIDEO FOR WALLS AND ZAYN WAS THE ONE THAT GOT COVERED FIRST BY THE SMOKE OK CRYING BYE #WallsMusicVideo pic.twitter.com/oQso2U4Zuz
— meg (@megann_duff) January 20, 2020
https://twitter.com/xdemant/status/1219320274958594054
If I were Louis, I’d put walls around myself too.
