The Tab meets Armando – the One Love viral video legend

After a video of drunk clubbers singing One Love by Blue in Liverpool One went viral, The Tab decided to catch up with Armando, the night time street performer who started it all off.

Having been performing in Liverpool for a year, Romanian Business Administration grad, Armando, chatted to The Tab about his experiences.

What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you when you’ve been performing on a Saturday night in Liverpool?

Err the strangest thing, I don’t even know. There are lots of drunk people, they are nice though, they are friendly but you might find some people, especially when I’m singing, they come up to me and they are like “you are killing that song, stop singing that song.” I just leave the people alone, that’s their opinion. If they don’t want to hear it, they can walk.

Fair enough, where do you go out in Liverpool on a night out?

I used to go in Soho, Modo, Basement, Paradise, I don’t know if they’re still open? They were closed for a while. I’ve decided not to go there anymore because there’s a lot of people that go there, it’s crowded.

Are you a fan of Heebies?

Heebies? I don’t know it.

Where’s your favourite takeaway or kebab place at the end of a night out?

I don’t know, I don’t even know the name. I went to this kebab place and it’s a small one, I don’t know where it is but I ate a chicken kebab, it was the best chicken kebab.

Did you go to university?

I’ve already finished university, in Romania, where I’m from. I have a degree in business administration then I finished and tried to find some jobs there. I used to sing in some bars, restaurants and events there, not so many but it was okay. I was working as a salesman, as a promoter for Canon.

Have you always wanted to sing though?

I’m been singing for as long as I can remember. I especially sing during nights, my neighbours weren’t so happy about it but then I moved to England.

Do you prefer singing nights in Liverpool?

Yeah, I do. There are issues with singing in during the day when shops are open because it bothers some people so I prefer when shops are closed.

Have you been told by a shop before to move?

Yeah, I have! I don’t want to say which one to give it a bad name but yeah, I have.

What’s your most requested song on nights out?

All Of Me, by John Legend. That song is.. all the people want that song. I get lots of people coming along singing with me, sometimes they come and take my microphone. I just give them the microphone.. “go on take it, have fun!”

So that video where you sang One Love by Blue, is that a standard Saturday night for you, is that what it’s always like?

Yeah, it is yeah. Obviously not all the time. But from time to time, when they hear me do a song.. I have a very good reaction to Jason Mraz, I’m Yours, and John Lennon, Imagine. I had one time where people gathered round and sat around me while I sang that and it was nice, it was unique.

What’s your favourite area to sing in Liverpool?

Just around Liverpool One, everyone is around there. I like Liverpool, it’s nice.

And how long do you sing for?

About three or four hours. I start at 10pm and have a half an hour break after a couple of hours. At 10pm people are still drunk, they just don’t get as close as people do later in the night.

What’s your feel good song to get ready to before a night out?

I usually listen to electronic music before I go into town, like trap music.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

That’s a really good question, I don’t know. I’ll live to see that, but I’m very optimistic.

How did you feel when the video went so big and got so many likes?

I was happy.

Did you expect it to go so big?

I expected it at some point. I am doing this to, obviously, make myself a name, to be somebody. I don’t like to live with the feeling that I am not doing something for me to leave something behind.

Would you like to go into singing professionally as a full time career?

I would love to.

Have you written any of your own music?

I’ve tried to write my own stuff, but I didn’t try enough and nothing was coming the way I wanted it to.

Would you like to release an album one day?

I would love that, even if I just released a single. But I don’t know, I like to have more than one plan. At the moment I work nights in an office and before the video went viral I was thinking of continuing my studies in business.

What else do you like to do other than singing?

I wrote a book. I’m interested in the universe and astronomy and about our creator. I ran the half marathon round Sefton too for Cancer research – I like to donate.

Do you have a message for any of your fans?

Yeah. Don’t give up.

What’s your favourite Blue song?

One Love, obviously. I like You Make Me Wanna also, that’s a good one. I used to sing You Make Me Wanna All the time.

Who’s your favourite Blue member?

Lee, he’s the best.

And did you know that Blue went bankrupt?

What no, did they?! I didn’t know that

Yeah they did, if you had any financial advice for Blue what would it be?

Don’t spend so much money. It’s kinda hard question really.