FOREIGNER's LUIS MALDONADO: All The Fans 'Are Excited That The Band Is Gonna Continue'

This past May, FOREIGNER lead singer Kelly Hansen announced during the band's performance on the season finale of NBC singing competition "The Voice", that he would be leaving the group at the end of the legendary rockers' summer 2025 tour. In a moving segment that aired nationally, Hansen introduced FOREIGNER guitarist Luis Maldonado as his official successor — a moment that symbolized both an end and a bold new beginning for the powerhouse group.

Asked in a new interview with Rockbandreviews what it has meant to him personally to step into the role of FOREIGNER frontman, Luis said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Wow. It's not an easy one to answer because there's so many dimensions to that. First of all, I never imagined that this was going to be the next step for me or even for FOREIGNER. But it was kind of one of these things that just — very organically, too; it was very organic, the way it all unfolded. And where I'm at with it now is I'm excited, because there's still so much work to do. And I'm excited for all the things that are opening up for this band, especially since [FOREIGNER's induction into] the Rock [And Roll] Hall [Of Fame]."

Luis continued: "There's this great new synergy between [original FOREIGNER singer] Lou Gramm and us [in the current lineup of FOREIGNER], and we're gonna be doing shows together. So there's a lot to be excited about. And one of the things that has been significant to me personally is the fan response.

"We started this summer tour where we made this announcement — I think it was back in May when we did 'The Voice' and Kelly and I both sang live, and we made the announcement live on TV. And the response has been overwhelmingly positive," Maldonado said. "And not only has it been positive, but we've also started really hitting a trajectory of younger audiences because of that. And there's this whole couple of new generations discovering FOREIGNER for the first time. So there's that. But the most significant thing for me is when I talk to fans personally, whether it's before a show or after a show, when you run into them or they send messages or whatever, and all of them are excited that FOREIGNER is gonna continue. And they've seen me sing, they've seen me sing all summer long, and they've seen footage and they've seen clips, and all of them overwhelmingly have said, 'This is fantastic. This is right.' And they're grateful for Kelly, they're grateful that the band's gonna keep going and they're grateful that there's this new energy with Lou. There's a lot to be grateful for, and honestly, it feels like there's this magic happening around the band right now, and I'm just kind of witnessing it. And I wanna just keep growing. I wanna keep growing with the band and I wanna keep growing as an artist, and I want to keep growing as a human being. So it's all great and positive. When you see things like that, you just kind of wanna reinforce it and work harder and do as much as you can to build. And I feel like we still have a lot of building to do, which is awesome."

After the interviewer noted that there has been something akin to a "resurgence" in popularity for FOREIGNER in the last couple of years, Luis said: "It's interesting that you say 'resurgence', and I agree with you. I don't think it's necessarily a resurgence. I do believe it's — like I said, there's a couple of younger generations, a discovery for them. So for them it's all kind of, like, 'Oh, wow. This band that has been around. Wow.' And they're buying the tickets now. They're not coming along as the teenage kid along with their parents; they're coming on their own. There are [people in their] 30s, 40-year-olds coming to these shows and they're discovering the band in a whole new way. So it's definitely a new discovery in many ways. And even for us, we're discovering how much people love the music, because really it's about the music. And I think, again, when kind of the band came back together with this current lineup at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and we all played on stage together, there was this realization that the music was stronger than any one part of it. And quite honestly, I don't think I ever would've really considered singing unless I had the belief of Mick [Jones, FOREIGNER's founding guitarist and main songwriter], which I do, and Lou and Kelly and the band and anybody else involved. I mean, if it was just one guy or somebody in management saying, 'Yeah, you could do this,' but it wasn't — it was never like that. I've been in the band, so it's coming from inside the band, but not only that, but the belief that this is the right decision to keep moving is shared by every single person within this organization. So it's really cool to see not just the belief on the inside of the band, but also on the outside with the fans.

"So, yeah, like I said, Lou coming out as a guest on these shows, and not only that, but — there's just a really great energy right now," Luis added. "And it's hard to pin down what exactly it is, but we all see it. I mean, every single person involved sees it, recognizes it, is grateful for it and moving forward with it. It's really awesome."

Known for their explosive live shows and era-defining anthems, FOREIGNER have sold over 80 million albums worldwide, cementing their place as one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Their catalogue includes timeless hits like "Hot Blooded", "Juke Box Hero", "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Cold As Ice", "Urgent", "Feels Like The First Time" and the global No. 1 hit "I Want To Know What Love Is".

FOREIGNER released extensive super deluxe editions of its 1981 smash multi-platinum album "4" on September 12. Recorded at the famed Electric Lady Studios in New York City alongside respected music producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange (DEF LEPPARD, AC/DC),"Foreigner 4 Deluxe" was made available in black vinyl and various other formats via Rhino. The release encompassed newly remastered Stereo or Atmos versions, and a five-disc CD/Blu-ray package that includes a booklet containing over 60 exclusive photos, five previously unreleased songs, 14 early and alternate versions of various songs, 15 instrumentals, and 15 live performances from across the globe, spanning the band's 1981 and 1982 "4" world tour. The digital deluxe release also contains alternate versions, instrumentals, and live performances from the era.

Originally released July 2, 1981, "4" spent more weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts than any artist in the history of Atlantic Records, including AC/DC, THE ROLLING STONES and LED ZEPPELIN, and went on to sell more than ten million albums worldwide. "4" is certified six times platinum in the U.S. (RIAA),four times platinum in Canada (Music Canada),platinum in Australia (ARIA) and Germany (BVMI),and gold in seven additional countries. It spawned three Billboard Hot 100 singles: "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Urgent" and "Juke Box Hero". "Foreigner 4", as it's often referred to, is the fourth studio album by the legendary British-American rock band released during a time of transition as they famously went from six members to four.

To coincide with the deluxe package release, FOREIGNER — Luis Maldonado (lead vocals/guitar),Jeff Pilson (bass),Michael Bluestein (keyboards),Bruce Watson (guitars),Chris Frazier (drums) — will celebrate half a century of music with a new round of headlining tour dates which will include Gramm guesting on some of the songs he helped create almost 45 years ago. The upcoming "Foreigner 4 Deluxe Tour" signals yet another important transition for the band as these new dates will be the first major U.S. shows featuring Maldonado on lead vocals.

Of the transition, Maldonado had this to say: "Earlier this year, we toured Mexico and South America with the incredible Lou Gramm. We all had such a fantastic time performing and being together, and it's with that same excitement I look forward to working with Lou again. He was an integral part of the writing and recording of the 'Foreigner 4' album and his presence will add a historic dimension to our forthcoming tour."

Released in 1977, FOREIGNER's debut album produced the hits "Feels Like The First Time", "Cold As Ice" and "Long, Long Way From Home". The albums "Double Vision" and "Head Games" followed with more hits including "Hot Blooded", "Blue Morning, Blue Day" and "Dirty White Boy". Then came "Urgent", "Juke Box Hero" and "Waiting For A Girl Like You". Those songs helped give FOREIGNER's next album, "4", its impressive 10-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. At the zenith of 1980s sound, FOREIGNER's fifth album, "Agent Provocateur", gave the world the incredible No. 1 global hit "I Want To Know What Love Is". This musical milestone followed the record-breaking song "Waiting For A Girl Like You".