[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ouis Tomlinson made his solo debut tonight on The X Factor UK with ‘Just Hold On’ joined by Steve Aoki, as a tribute to his mother who sadly passed away earlier this week.
It shocked me this morning to hear that he would still be performing despite the tragedy that has struck his family, but I think we can all learn a lesson from him about the immeasurable capacity of human strength. Sitting around the telly, everyone in my house was shocked as the song played through and Louis jumped across the stage, smiling and entertaining the crowd. It was not the expected demeanor of somebody who had just lost a loved one, but forces us to remember that grief is an individual process and different for everyone. In my opinion, it is something he should be praised for, and it would seem Simon agreed. In his subsequent speech, he spoke about how “proud” Louis’ mother would’ve been to have seen him tonight. It was a very sobering moment, and everyone in the crowd, on the stage and at home was tearing up by the end.
Simon described him as being “brave” for standing on that stage and I doubt anybody would argue otherwise. However, just because Louis has made a public appearance at a time when no one would try and deny him his privacy, fan girls do not now have the right to invade and intrude. For the last 5 or 6 years, the lad has barely been able to step outside his house or go for a sandwich without somebody writing a news article. Yes, that was self-inflicted- he chose to be a worldwide pop sensation- but not this. Grief, the loss of a loved one, the woman who gave birth to you, who watched you grow, who loved you, is not a public matter.
Buying somebody’s album and tweeting them 50 times a day and telling them how much you love them does not entitle you to know every aspect of their life and I think that is too often forgotten.
There are private, intimate affairs in this world that should stay among loved ones and this is one of them. We do not deserve or need to know who goes to the funeral, what they wear, who makes a speech, or even who sends tweets of condolence.
I don’t know where the idea that you have to publicly make a huge declaration for birthdays or pass your sympathies on through social media for there to be authenticity behind it. Harry Styles may well be the only member of the original One Direction line up to have not passed on his condolences via Twitter, but he should not be slated as a “bad friend” for that. Life goes on outside of social media and I believe that Louis has shown that tonight, by standing up, carrying on, and being the man his mother raised him to be.
The tragic death of Johanna Deakin should not have been one of the top Twitter Moments this week, nor should it have made front-page news in every major British newspaper this morning. The Tomlinson-Deakin family have asked for their privacy and it is imperative that we respect that.
She was not just the mother of a star- she had 6 other children, was a fantastic supporter of several charities, and by all accounts, a wonderful person. So please let her family remember her like that and not have her death be overshadowed by unnecessary and intrusive media coverage.
Putting out art that means something to you is hard. Period. I can’t even imagine how difficult it must be to stand in the wake of grief on a stage with millions of people watching you go it alone for the first time. Louis exuded an air of professionalism that many hope, but fail to match. No, he did not cry or break down as many had expected, but if he had, it would’ve deserved to have been met with respect and sympathy because death is the greatest horror in this world and all of us, even celebrities, are merely human. So please, let Louis grieve in peace and when he is ready with new music or a tour or whatever comes next, let us come back with full force and support because that’s what 1D fans have always done best.
The performance was a valiant effort, well executed, and a fitting tribute to the mother he so dearly loved. Well played, Tommo, well played.
