I hear girls screaming before we get within a block of the studio where the boys are filming their late night interview. It’s utterly deafening and a sound that I have never really ever heard in my life. Thousands upon thousands of girls all belting lyrics to songs that are semi-familiar to me. I don’t listen to the radio that often because I don’t have a car and I haven’t gone out of my way to listen to One Directions music but I think you would have had to be living under a rock to have never heard any of their songs before.
Many of them hold colorful banners with various pictures of the boys plastered across them with either sweet or extremely vulgar sayings. Many of the girls are not at all shy about how they feel about the boys. Some of them are very descriptive and honest about having very mature feelings for the boys and I can’t help but laugh at the humor of a few of the signs.
Lou and I talked the majority of the car ride and I know it’s still only my first day but I know I’m going to get along with her. She’s so easy to talk to and easy going and she makes me feel totally normal and important. Now that we’ve reached the studio we don’t bother to try and yell over all of the girls since it is virtually impossible. I’m surprised how diverse the crowd is. Girls of every shape, size, color, age and social class has gathered outside the small studio with hopes of getting a glance at the boys. The crowd is mainly girls and their mom’s although I have spotted a few annoyed boyfriends and mortified dads too.
Cameras flash everywhere and girls crowd the car. It’s only Lou and I in the car though so they all seem disappointed that we are not Niall, Liam, Louis, Zayn or Harry.
I scan the crowd, there are so many faces and people. I’m glad I’m in the car. “Is it like this all the time?” I wonder aloud curiously.
Lou begins nodding before I even finish my question, “If it’s a pre announced thing that they’re going to be in a certain place yeah it’s usually like this. Usually worse actually.” She explains and she tries to maneuver her way to the gate.
“Do the boys get to meet the fans who come to these things?” I can’t help but ask this. There are so many girl here. Over two thousand I think. They all come out here knowing that there is a very high chance that they will get to even see the boys but come anyways hoping. It makes me feel guilty that just an hour ago I was touching their faces and I’m not even half the fan that all of these girls are.
“Not really.” Lou nods looking straight ahead, “It’s really too bad actually. All these girls want is to see them but there are just to many of them.
I nod and look out at the window not making eye contact with any of the girls.
Lou gets us into the studio parking lot and we’re handed necklace passes. I slide mine around my neck which confirms that I am part of One Directions makeup team and not some crazy stalker who has somehow gained access to the building.
I help Lou lug all of her makeup into the building which is a hell of a lot of makeup. It takes us two trips to move everything from the car to the actual studio building and after that we get a stagehand to help us out in moving the stuff to the green room where One Direction is.
The backstage is bustling with people running around everywhere trying to get set up for the interview. It’s amazing how many people it takes to make a fifteen minute interview work. I stick close to Lou and follow her to what I assume is the waiting room before the boys go on stage.
It’s a very boring backstage room with white walls, a tan couch, a very large TV and very bland art work of flowers or something hung up on the walls. Someone is there prepping the boys, who sit on the tan couch, on what exactly to say during the interview or more importantly, from what I can hear, what not to say. Lou and I begin to unpack their makeup and
