Since his teen heartthrob days, Harry Styles has grown into a global pop phenomenon, but what’s the meaning behind his iconic pop ballad?
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After announcing his solo career in 2016 and signing to Columbia Records, the former One Direction member’s musical career gained new heights in honoring both his rock and pop roots. He’s been able to retain his audience from his boy band days whilst also reaching listeners with an appreciation for artists like David Bowie and Stevie Nicks. His debut self-titled album, released in 2017, topped the Billboard 200 charts, and his two follow-ups, Fine Line and Harry’s House, achieved the same status. Styles has been nominated for nine Grammys since 2021, with Harry’s House winning Album of the Year at the 2023 ceremony.
In his prosperous career, he’s had several hits, two of which—“Watermelon Sugar” and “As It Was”—hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. His sophomore album Fine Line saw many smash hits in December 2019 after its release, with his song “Falling” among them. While the song’s chart history was short-lived, only reaching number sixty-two before dropping off a week later, it is coveted by fans for its heartbreaking lyrical content.
[RELATED: From One Direction to Solo Stardom: 8 Highlights of Harry Styles’ Musical Journey]
The Meaning Behind “Falling”
In a 2019 interview with Zane Lowe, Styles says the song came together in about twenty minutes. He wrote it alongside Thomas Hull, better known by his stage name Kid Harpoon, a singer-songwriter from London. A piano-driven ballad, the song is about moments of instability in Styles’ life. The title and lyrics themselves express this, with the repetition of I’m falling again in the chorus. Though Styles admits he experienced some of the happiest moments of his life in conceptualizing Fine Line, he also experienced some of his lowest. He tells Lowe the song was inspired by, ‘That feeling of when you can feel yourself kind of falling back into one of those [low] moments.’ “Falling” embodies this dichotomy Styles was enduring, and attempts to reassert some balance between the good and bad.
“Falling” induces a period of self-reflection for Styles. He turns several questions in on himself, weighing if he’s happy with the person he’s become. Realizing that his sense of self has been altered, he needs to find his footing again and answer the questions he presents.
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The Impact
What am I now?
What am I now?
What if I’m someone I don’t want around? I’m falling again, I’m falling again, I’m fallin’
What if I’m down?
What if I’m out?
What if I’m someone you won’t talk about? I’m falling again, I’m falling again, I’m fallin’
Since One Direction, Harry Styles has accumulated quite a fan following. Fine Line succeeded in getting fans engaged with the subject matter, and “Falling” was no exception. Stylers (Styles fans) simply recognized the hardship the artist was going through and reacted accordingly, sharing sympathy with him and promising to “catch” him when he fell.
As well as reaching No. 62 on Billboard, Styles has performed “Falling” live countless times, including at the 2020 BRIT Awards, and in Madison Square Garden in 2021. In the latter, Styles, though solitary on stage, was accompanied by an ocean of fans singing back to him and encouraging him along. In his most recent 2023 performance, taking place during the final date of Love On Tour in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Styles paired the song with “Two Ghosts,” a cut from his debut album, to which fans agree was a fitting combination due to both songs’ themes of estrangement—a full circle moment for long term enjoyers of Styles.
“Falling” has also been covered by Little Mix and Kelly Clarkson, where they each offer their own twist. Little Mix, a British girl group, performed the song in BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge in 2020, adding additional vocal harmonization. Kelly Clarkson’s rendition stays true to the original ballad but features a full band, reminiscent of her own releases.
Though an established and well-renowned singer-songwriter since 2017, “Falling” is still a stepping stone for Styles, displaying his range as a musician who is able to create catchy pop hits and emotionally potent ballads. Even as he entered more experimental pop territory on Harry’s House in 2023, the power behind “Falling” has stood the test of time, and is still appreciated by the artist and fans alike.
Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
