Harry Styles is Coming Home
Harry Styles performing at Jeunesse Arena in Brazil for Love On Tour 2022. Photo courtesy of Leticia Moraes via Flickr
The rumors are true – Harry Styles is back.
After a nearly four-year hiatus from releasing music, Styles is set to share his fourth studio album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.” with the world on March 6.
The artist teased fans with the possible release of new music on Dec. 27 when he released an eight-minute YouTube video titled “Forever, Forever,” featuring the piano ballad he had written and performed for his final audience of Love On Tour in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The video ended with the message “We Belong Together,” signaling to fans that a long-overdue reunion is in the works.
Following the release of the video, a series of cryptic posters surfaced around the world in cities including New York, Manchester and Berlin. The message “We Belong Together,” accompanied by images of stadiums full of fans, quickly became the trademark of this new era. Styles made it official by announcing the release of his new album on Jan. 15 and opening this new wave of music with his single “Aperture.”
Styles discussed his new song and its inspiration with BBC Radio 1’s Greg James. In this five-minute song, he shifts away from the pop-rock genre of his most recent album, “Harry’s House,” and leans in the direction of electronic music.
Styles explained how this final track of the album was influenced by LCD Soundsystem and his experience as an audience member. His hiatus allowed him to become a listener rather than a performer. Reminding himself of why the connection between artists and fans is so important, Styles let his inspiration influence his music and how he shares it.
“Aperture” is dancefloor-ready, reeling in the listeners with layers of droning chords, piano and distorted fuzz. Styles delivers the chorus with the repeating phrase “We Belong Together.” Whether he creates a ballad, an upbeat melody or an electronic mix, fans agree that Styles never fails to foster a connection between himself and his fans.
Less than 24 hours later, the music video for the song was released. Featuring Styles in an empty hotel, he finds himself being watched by an unknown man. He is eventually charged at, chased and thrown around, but rather than ending in a brawl, Styles and the follower break out into synchronized dance.
Leaving the audience with no explanation, fans have already expressed their adoration and theories behind the deeper meaning of the video. With his connection to his fans becoming the overall message of his new album, followers cannot help but wonder if the video was about them.
Styles delivers to his fans once again with the announcement of his global tour Together, Together, with residencies in just six major cities — Amsterdam, London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Melbourne and New York. With a total of 30 nights at Madison Square Garden, Styles is doubling his residency in New York, compared to his 15 nights during Love on Tour.
With “Aperture” taking the spotlight as number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and debuting in the top spot for a third time in his career, it is clear that Styles has a hold on the music community. As fans tirelessly wait for the drop of the album, they cannot help but play “Aperture” on repeat, learn the iconic dance from the music video, dissect the official tracklist and ask themselves, “Who’s Carla?”