Harry Styles at Coachella 2022. Image Source: People
Harry Styles gets candid about his upcoming album "Harry’s House," lockdown, and well, his sexuality!
Harry Styles appeared in the upcoming edition of Better Homes and Gardens where he talked about how during the pandemic it was the first time that he had stopped since he left his mother’s place. The former One Direction singer shared that the ethos with his band was always to keep looking forward towards bigger and better things, and for him, the first few years of coming out of the band had been terrifying because he did not know who he was if he was not doing music.
The musician revealed that he did almost nothing for the first six weeks of the outbreak, instead of committing to becoming a better friend, son, and brother by forcing himself to tackle issues he'd previously avoided and have honest conversations about them.That is how Harry Styles thought about the idea of home, which he describes as a place of belonging, peace, and sanctuary. He added that it’s not a feeling that you get from a house but an internal thing that when you think about it, you stop for a minute.
While working on his new and upcoming albums, unlike before, Harry Styles did not listen to anything except classical music, which he mentioned helped to cleanse him of the sonic references so that he could start from a blank canvas. He went on to say that he recognizes that this all sounds a little pretentious, but that he believes that during the epidemic, everyone had a major moment of self-realization or introspection, which included a lot of navels gazing. He went on to say that he doesn't think there's anything more navel-gazing than recording an album.
During the interview, Harry Styles mentioned that his therapist had questioned him why he cares so much about being likable, and this was one of the things the singer thought about a lot during the pandemic and said that, in part, it’s a choice. Harry Styles said he thought about things that happened to him while he was in the band, such as his baby pictures being all over the Internet, answering strange questions about his relationships, and giving so much of himself out to communicate with people. He said he had spent so many interviews afraid of saying something improper or inappropriate that he couldn't think of an odious thought or perspective he was afraid to express in the interviews.
Harry Styles mentioned that he felt free when he finally signed his solo contract and learned that his ability to make music would not be affected by his transgressions. Digging a little deeper, Harry stated that for a long time, he felt that the only thing that belonged to him was his sex life and that he was ashamed of it, as well as the concept of anyone even knowing he was having sex. But, over time, the singer claims to have reached a point where he wondered, "Why does he feel ashamed of having sex?"
When asked about fame and the tabloid culture, which was at its peak when the singer and his boy bandmates were exposed in the industry, Harry said they were in a reflective mood, and that we should watch documentaries like the Britney Spears documentary to see how people, particularly women, were abused as a result of the tabloid culture. In his interview, Harry noted that he's been thinking about ownership, privacy, and autonomy, as well as what he should keep to himself and what he should share with music without fear of being questioned.
Harry Styles received backlash and scrutiny when his second album, "Fine Lines," was released because he wore dresses, waved Pride flags, and was tightlipped about his sexuality. Harry Styles mentioned that he has been open about his personal life with his friends and it’s just how he wants it to be; his personal experience. Harry added that we, as a society, should be heading towards acceptance and being more open and not care much about the labels and ticking the boxes.
Harry Styles feels grateful that every day he wakes up and has the power and resources and of course environment to make music and do the things that he loves. He concluded by saying that even if this album, "Harry’s Home," is not a commercial success, it would not make him think that his life is over. Which is a completely different mindset compared to when he released the first album right after coming out of the band was always worried if he would ever be considered a real musician or not. Harry added that he just wants to make music and stuff that is right, fun, and, in terms of process, something that he can be proud of for a long time.
The interview ends with a beautiful description of Harry Styles as he leaves, Lou Stoppard writes, Harry Styles sets off through North London on foot and described him as —a sex symbol, a fashion darling, a very modern rock star, finding his way back home.
