In 2022, multi-faceted singer/songwriter Harry Styles broke sales records and earned critical acclaim with his third solo album, Harry’s House. The English-born talent has undergone a creative metamorphosis over the last 13 years, shifting from a shy teenager to one of pop music’s most charismatic stars.
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Although many initially wrote Styles off as no more than a manufactured teen heartthrob, he’s proven himself as a creative visionary. Unafraid to push sonic boundaries, his love for musical experimentation and insightful lyricism have helped him mold a sound all his own.
From teen reality star to global hitmaker, learn more about the life and career of award-winning pop star Harry Styles.
A Normal Teen Turned Reality Star
Born on February 1, 1994, Harry Edward Styles grew up in Northern England alongside his older sister, Gemma. Their parents divorced when Harry was seven, but their separation didn’t sour their childhood. In multiple interviews, Styles praised his parents and fondly recalled his early years, which was also when he first leaned into his love of music.
When Styles was sixteen, he was focused on school and his part-time job at a local bakery but also itching to pursue his passion. His mother recognized Harry’s vocal talents and encouraged him to audition for The X Factor, a popular reality singing competition launched by American Idol judge Simon Cowell.
For his audition, he performed a cover of Train’s 2009 hit “Hey, Soul Sister,” but Cowell wasn’t impressed. Styles got a second chance, and his rendition of “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder earned him a pass through to the next round.
Surprisingly, Styles didn’t advance far in the competition as a solo artist, but Cowell had something else in mind for the teen. After being eliminated from the series, he and four other contestants were brought back to The X Factor as members of a new vocal group. Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson formed One Direction, a modern version of hit boy bands like *NSYNC from the late 90s and early 2000s.
Within just a few weeks, One Direction became one of the series’ most popular acts, bringing in millions of viewers to The X Factor each week. Although they reached the competition’s final round, the group took third place, seemingly ending their streak of success. The five teens didn’t know it then, but their reality show loss was just the beginning.
One Direction Goes Global
A few months after being ousted from The X Factor‘s seventh season, One Direction inked a record deal. Cowell saw the public response to the group firsthand and immediately offered them a spot on his label, Syco Music.
Eager to embrace the opportunity, the bandmates headed into the studio to record their debut, Up All Night. The album’s lead single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” quickly became a No. 1 hit in the U.K. and soared to No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 soon after.
The accessible, catchy pop sound of Up All Night enchanted fans across the globe, kicking off the group’s evolution from a reality show product to a hit-making vocal group with staying power. To take advantage of their continued momentum, One Direction continued to tour and record with breakneck speed.
Following the success of their 2011 debut record, the group released a new studio album every year through 2015. Before the recording of their last album, Made in the A.M., Zayn Malik departed the group to pursue a solo career.
The pressures of fame, expectations of their label, creative differences, and exhaustion from an intensive schedule were likely factors in One Direction’s decision to enter an indefinite hiatus in 2016. Although the move marked the end of a definitive chapter in Styles’ life, it also allowed him the time and space to try something completely different.
Flying Solo
Unwilling to let an opportunity to branch out as a solo artist pass him by, Styles quickly signed a deal with Columbia Records. In 2017, he shared his first single, “Sign of the Times,” a reflective ballad heavily influenced by classic glam-rock acts like David Bowie and Queen. Those influences can be heard throughout Styles’ self-titled solo record, which climbed to No. 1 in over a dozen countries and earned widespread acclaim from music critics.
That same year, Styles tried his hand at acting for the first time, making his motion picture debut as a British soldier in the World War II drama Dunkirk. He’s starred in multiple projects since including roles in the 2022 films Don’t Worry Darling and My Policeman.
Styles’ reputation as a true singer/songwriter and conceptual artist was elevated even further with his 2019 album Fine Line. Rather than relying heavily on sounds from eras past, Styles stretched himself creatively further than ever before. Sonically, the record shapes an experimental pop sound that ranges from upbeat, infectious anthems (“Treat People With Kindness”) to vulnerable heartbreak-inspired ballads (“Falling”).
[RELATED: The Heart-Wrenching Meaning Behind “Falling” by Harry Styles]
Fine Line earned Styles multiple industry accolades, including the title of Best Pop Solo Performance for “Watermelon Sugar” at the 2021 Grammy Awards. It also spawned Love on Tour, an extensive set of headlining performances that broke multiple attendance records, even after the COVID-19 pandemic caused the trek to be postponed twice.
A New Era
Styles again built off the success of his previous release with his celebrated 2022 album, Harry’s House. His intimate, engaging songwriting style perfectly aligned with a stunning synth-pop-inspired soundscape, resulting in one of the year’s most acclaimed and best-selling albums.
All four of the record’s singles—”As It Was,” “Late Night Talking,” “Music for a Sushi Restaurant,” and “Satellite”—were worldwide radio hits. The project earned Styles the trophy for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards and Brit Awards in 2023, displaying his talents’ massive reach and impact.
In July 2023, Styles marked the end of a historic chapter in his career by closing out the nearly three-year-long Love on Tour run with a set of sold-out live shows across Europe. The 29-year-old is enjoying a much-deserved break from the spotlight, marking a rare pause in his short but influential career.
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