Description

Harry Styles has been on a lot of people’s minds for the past year or so. And for good reason, too – he’s had a breakout year that seems to have only just scratched the surface. Skeptics who scoffed at his solo career were proven wrong by the sheer volume of great music he put out this past year, and Harry isn’t stopping yet. This is a quick rundown of what Harry has been up to this month and why you should keep an eye on him.
2013 was a busy year for Harry. He released his first solo album, Harry Styles, and headlined Fleetwood Mac’s 50th anniversary concerts in London, Paris and New York. He also performed with the band on This Is Us for their TV special during their 50th anniversary tour. Early in 2014, he released the single “Catch Me If You Can” from his second album. It had a different feel than most of the tracks on the album because it was primarily produced by Greg Kurstin who produced several tracks on Parachutes (the band’s previous album) as well as songs by Adele and One Direction. Around this time, Harry also started making his own music videos. He worked with One Direction photographer/videographer Emily Eisner, who has not only directed most of Harry’s videos, but also shot and directed an independent series of short films titled Heavy by the band. In addition to his own music, Harry has recently sung a duet with fellow singer-songwriter James Bay for his song “Let It Go”.
In mid-August Harry released a new track called “Only Angel”, which showcased the most mature sound of his solo career. And it turns out that this smooth sound was going to be the direction he was taking for his entire second album. His album, titled “Harry Styles”, was released September 12th, with the single “Kiwi” coming out a week before it.
It’s clear that Harry has matured as a musician, and he hasn’t lost the pop sensibilities that made his first album so well-received. The tracks on this album are more polished and cohesive than his first in every way possible, from blazing guitar solos to romantic lyrics about love and heartbreak.
The music video for “Sign of The Times” was directed by Vincent Haycock and features Harry Styles in a bathrobe running through the ruins of an abandoned hotel while being chased by mysterious figures.