He’s the name on everybody’s lips right now. Harry Styles is finally ready to return and letting fans know ‘we belong together’.
The former One Direction star has blossomed as a solo artist, leaning into a David Bowie-esque aesthetic now he’s flown the metaphorical boyband nest.
The entire internet was left in shambles when he seemingly (definitely) teased the release of his fourth studio album.
His first two solo works were well received, charting worldwide and providing plenty of catchy tunes. Then came Harry’s House.
The 2022 album felt like he’d finally arrived as a fully fledged solo artist, finding an authentic sound that connected with both his old and new audience.
We’re now four years on from that release, and in the time away from the studio, Harry has transformed from a regular pop singer into something of a mythic figure.
At this point, his own reputation could be the very thing that stands in his way of success for this new release.
As David Frossman, who worked for both Sony and Warner Records, told Metro: ‘There will no doubt be pressure to match, if not, outstrip his own career achievements’.
‘That’s the scrutiny the biggest stars are under now,’ he explained. ‘How many nights at Wembley? What’s the first week sales?’
If the rumours are to be believed, he’s looking at a Madison Square Garden residency and a headlining slot at Glastonbury 2027.
‘These will be discussed and strategised by his team, even if they don’t bother Harry himself.’
Famously cutthroat, the music industry takes no prisoners and with a huge boost in popularity comes an increase in parasocial and demanding fans.
What made Harry Styles so popular?
Okay, we all remember the phenomenon that was One Direction, but Harry’s music appears to have run circles around his bandmates.
Jon Shone, former musical director of One Direction, told us that Harry has always been ‘a natural frontman’ with his ‘authentic charm that felt effortless on stage.’
Musical directors help shape the live shows, translating vocals from the album onto the stage, so it’s safe to say he’s familiar with Harry’s abilities.
Describing the 1D days as a ‘five-year rocket ship’, Jon explained the Watermelon Sugar singer ‘had the ability to take fame in his stride’.
That’s not to say the others haven’t secured number ones and good careers, but Harry is often revered as the Beyoncé of the group.
Jon added: ‘He clearly understood, from greats like Bowie and Jagger, the lessons of artistry and the importance of continually reinventing and evolving yourself. He was always so engaging with the crowd, and I’m sure he soaked all of that learning up to distil into his solo career and his vision of himself as an artist.’
Reinvention led to Harry’s House, which secured him three Grammy awards, Brits’ Album of the Year, and AOTY at the VMAs.
While Fine Line had landed some awards season buzz in 2019, it was that third album that propelled him into a new level of fame.
This was only furthered by Love On Tour, which grossed over $617,000,000 (£458,700,000) and sold over five million tickets.
Where has Harry Styles been?
Love On Tour was one of the biggest tours of his career, spanning seven legs over the course of 22 months with 169 shows played from September 4, 2021, to July 22, 2023.
It supported both Fine Line and Harry’s House, which was released halfway through the tour, as Covid prevented touring in 2020.
As we’ve seen with other stars like Taylor Swift, one tour can change your life, and this certainly gave any of the One Direction hype a run for its money.
You could argue that Love On Tour was one of the most influential moments for the concert dressing trend, with feather boas and cowboy hats a must.
After everything wrapped, Harry was no longer that curly-haired guy from One Direction — he was a bona fide superstar.
So he took a page out of Dua Lipa’s book and went on holiday, becoming something of a lime bike cryptid around London.
The Falling singer embarked on numerous sidequests, such as running a marathon in Tokyo and launching Pleasing, his (ahem) lifestyle brand.
He was even spotted at Vatican City for the conclave, because why not?
Like a bizarre game of Where’s Wally, spotting Harry became a pastime for fans who were desperately waiting for his return.
On one level, he was clearly living his life. On another, he kept himself in the public eye just enough to stay relevant while making each appearance a newsworthy moment.
We all remember those tiny shorts or when he first debuted that shaved hair — Harry lived in our heads rent-free.
Fortunately for us, all vacations must come to an end, even if you’re jetsetting with new rumoured girlfriend Zoë Kravitz. But what does five years away from the studio do to an artist?
Why could Harry Styles’ success be a problem?
‘The gap between albums doesn’t mean a lot,’ David said, assuring that some acts just need the time to write material, rest from tours, and to find that creative spark once more.
Prince, he pointed out, was ‘too prolific’ for his label, producing banger after banger with no rest. Meanwhile, Adele takes a slower approach to greatness.
‘If you’ve got the talent and great songs, you create your own playbook on how to build your album campaign,’ he added.
However, HS4 might find itself falling into the unfortunate trap of a career high: how do you follow greatness?
It’s something that has plagued Taylor Swift as her works are regularly compared to Folklore and Evermore, her lockdown sister albums that revitalised her career and are critically regarded as her greatest releases.
Or Oasis, who released five albums after What’s The Story (Morning Glory) that are rarely referenced by the masses as cultural touchstones.
An old industry saying is that you have a lifetime to shape your debut album and six months to write the next.
I’d argue the pressure is tenfold when you’ve finally written the music you will likely be remembered for, but your career is nowhere near over.
What will Harry Styles’ new album sound like?
So here lies Harry’s dilemma: release something that sounds similar to Harry’s House and risk it flopping under the weight of comparison or branch out creatively and risk fans not liking the new sound.
Both of these, of course, have the potential upside of a chart-topping album, which — let’s be real — he’s likely to secure, but in the shadow of HS3, he’s undoubtedly feeling the pressure.
We’ve seen previously safe-bet names like Ariana Grande fail to make a splash, while underdog Charli XCX’s Brat became the sound of the summer.
Or there’s Ed Sheeran’s Play with some experimental tracks and some nostalgic notes, which saw chart success but has not captivated the masses.
Jon, who now runs Goho a PR and event agency, shared his vision for the HS4 tracks, suggesting something ‘more restrained and intentional’ from the singer.
Harry could ‘prioritise mood and texture over obvious spectacle’, givign us a ‘warmer and more organic’ sound while keeping the aesthetics ‘intimate’ and maybe even ‘nostalgic’.
‘If so, it feels like the kind of evolution critics tend to reward for its cohesion and confidence rather than shock value,’ he shared.
Before we get too excited, Jon clarified he has not heard the new album and is ‘only reading the tea leaves’.
Who knows what Harry has in store. One thing is for sure, though, he’s got a whole crowd of hungry fans to feed — and by the looks of things, it’s almost dinner time.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
