Directed by Felipe Gomez Aparicio and Gonzalo Tobal, “Love After Music” follows the life of the Argentinian pianist who beat the odds and became one of the country’s most famous musicians. There is no doubt about the fact that Fito Paez was a talented pianist, but along the way, he realized that he needed much more than just talent to reach where he wanted to. He needed determination, grit, and, moreover, a stubborn attitude so that he wouldn’t pay any heed to those who tried to belittle him. Fito’s quest for greatness was like a fierce battle where he felt like giving up in every fleeting moment but somehow managed to keep his sanity intact and chase his dreams. So, let’s find out what all happened in this extraordinary journey and how Fito Paez became a stalwart of the Argentinian music industry.
Spoilers Alert
‘Love After Music’ Plot Summary: What Is The Series About?
Fito always had an inclination towards music, but his father didn’t want him to make it his full-time profession. Fito’s father was scared because it was a very uncertain field, and he wanted his son to do something that gave him stability and secured his future. But Fito realized that just because people were telling him that it was not possible to accomplish what he wanted, that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t be able to make his dreams a reality. Music was his calling, and Fito knew that he was meant to play the piano and create magic with his fingers. Whoever saw him playing the piano was always amazed by the kind of skills he possessed. Fito seemed to be an under confident guy, but somehow he mustered up the courage to take a stand for his own dreams and tell his father that he was going to lead his life the way he deemed fit.
After Fito’s first solo release, Del ’63, he came to people’s notice, and Charly Garcia approached him to play in his band. Fito had been a fan of Garcia, and when he got that opportunity, he grabbed it with both hands. A lot of times, Garcia and Fito’s ways of functioning didn’t match, and they did have problems dealing with each other, but there was still a sense of mutual respect that existed between them. Multiple times in “Love After Music,” we saw that Garcia had Fito’s back at all times when he was going through a dark phase in his life. Garcia was a sheer genius, and Fito, no matter how big the conflict was, never undermined his authority. Even Garica appreciated the young lad whenever he felt that he did an exceptional job. Garcia had no doubts about the fact that Fito was probably the most talented keyboard player that he had ever come across, and that is why he had taken him into his band.
Fito met Fabiana Cantilo, who was also a part of Garcia’s band, and he was instantly smitten by her. Fito came into a relationship with Fabiana, though it required a lot of convincing from his end. Fito, unfortunately, always had his back towards the audience whenever he played in Garcia’s band because the piano was placed in such a manner. Even though the crowd wasn’t able to see his face, they had become fans of his exceptional skills. There were chants of his name that could now be heard in every concert, and it felt like somewhere, Garcia was a little bit jealous of his rising popularity.
How did “Giros” pave the way for Fito ?
Andres Gallo had noticed that Fito had garnered a lot of fans and decided that it was the right time to approach him for creating his own solo. At that point in “Love After Music,” Fito was still working with Garcia, and he was finding it very hard to find time to work on his own solo piece. Gallo instilled some sense in him and told him that he would have to prioritize what he wanted in life because everybody else already had their solo, and he was the only one lagging behind. In 1985, Fito finally came up with his album Giros, which became an instant hit and established his image as an independent musician. After that milestone, there was no looking back for Fito, and he became a renowned name in the Argentinian music industry. Garcia also gave his valuable insight and made sure that the budding pianist made the best choices and created songs that became the anthem for the nation for the next few years.
Fito lost his father during that time, and though they hadn’t been very close after Fito chose to be a musician, his departure left a void that Fito was never able to fill. When asked in an interview as to who had been the inspiration behind him becoming a musician, he took his father’s name and said that his father owned a record store and his first introduction to the world of music had been through him. Fito had become quite close to Fabiana Cantilo, and they both had started living together. Fabiana was Fito’s strength, and though there were a lot of conflicts between them, they never left each other’s side and made sure that they crossed all barriers and didn’t surrender to the circumstances. Fito always felt that whoever he loved ultimately ended up leaving him, and that is why somewhere, he was scared that even Fabiana would leave him. Fabiana might not have been the ideal partner in a conventional sense, but she provided unconditional support to Fito and made sure that he defeated his demons, faced his worst fears head on and kept moving forward.
Who Killed Fito’s Grandmothers?
Fito Paez was very close to his paternal and maternal grandmothers, who had literally raised him after the death of his mother. Belia and Peppa, unlike his father, supported him from the very beginning, and more than anybody else, they believed that their grandson would become a great musician one day. Belia and Peppa stayed in Rosario, and Fito often paid them a visit as he loved to spend time with both ladies. Life was moving at a very fast pace for Fito, and once in a while, when he was able to meet his family, it gave him an opportunity to connect to his roots, stop running for a moment, and appreciate what he had achieved in life.
At times, Fito was all over the place, and his chaotic mindset influenced him to make bizarre choices. Belia and Peppa’s presence played a crucial role in keeping Fito sane, and probably even he wasn’t conscious of that fact. Their existence reminded him that he had not reached the point of no return and that no matter how bad things were in his life, one day, it would all be fine. In the year 1985, Belia and Peppa were murdered in their own house, and the news devastated Fito, who was not even able to come and see them for one last time, as there was a huge bag of marijuana found in the house, and Fito’s lawyers believed that it was planted on purpose to frame their client. Fito’s life turned upside down after that event. He couldn’t focus on his work, and he lost all his confidence, so much so that, enwrapped in anxiety, he wasn’t even able to step on the stage.
From that point in time, in “Love After Music,” everything went downhill in Fito’s life. The music label didn’t want to produce his songs, and Andres Gallo, who had been his manager for the longest time, decided to part ways as there seemed no future for Fito. To make matters worse, even Fabiana left him. The investigation kept going for two years, and the police weren’t able to find any potential leads. Fito was still not able to cope with the grief, and he just couldn’t accept that his two pillars of strength were no longer with him. Fito’s aunt realized that the necklace that Belia Ramirez was wearing at the time of her death was nowhere to be found. She informed the law enforcement authorities about it, and they were forced to investigate the matter and check if it was an inside job. Fito’s aunt was absolutely right; it was a police officer who had committed the murder of Fito’s grandmother. A guy named De Guisti had killed the old ladies, and later joined the force, making it impossible for suspicion to fall on him. Justice was delivered, and the perpetrators, who thought that they would never be caught, were put behind bars.
‘Love After Music’ Ending Explained: How Did Fito Bring His Career Back On Track?
Life is unpredictable, and it never fails to surprise us. When Fito felt devoid of all hope, there was a divine intervention, and he ended up creating an album named Tercer Mundo, in which a song named Bring Joy To My Heart (Y Dale Alegria a mi Corazón) became an instant hit not only in Argentina but in a lot of other countries. Around the same time, Fito met Cecilia Roth, the actress, and they got into a relationship soon after. Andres Gallo also came back to Fito after his recent success, and he arranged a meeting with Andre Midani, a music producer. Midani gave Fito the freedom to choose the musicians and create music that he liked. Midani was originally from Syria, and he had come to Brazil in his childhood with his family. Andre Midani had a vision where he wanted to unite all the musicians from Latin America and do something that hadn’t been done up until then. Midani also told Fito that they would do a tour and take advantage of the fact that his last song was a chartbuster.
Fito once again started facing some troubles in his personal life. Cecilia loved Fito, but at times, his priorities did not align with hers. There were cracks in their relationship that were widening with time, and eventually, they decided that it would be in the best interest of everybody to part ways and end their relationship. Cecilia and Fito were still friends, and they accepted the fact that they probably were not compatible as partners. Towards the end of “Love After Music” Season 1, Fito played at Velez Sarsfield Stadium, and it felt like a dream come true. That day, he didn’t care about the technicalities, and he only enjoyed each and every moment he spent on that stage because of how much effort it had taken him to get there. His latest creation became the best-selling album, broke all the records, and got etched in music history. Fito Paez became the most successful musician in Argentinian history, but he still craved something that he knew he couldn’t ever have, i.e., his family. He craved to be loved by his mother; he craved to be guided by his father, and he also missed how his grandmothers used to pamper him. Fito Paez created a legacy for himself, and he proved that if an individual has the firmness of purpose, then no matter what happens he would achieve his goal.
