If you’ve been on Twitter any time in the past decade, you know that about every month or so a different white boy captures the attention of half the website, appearing on everyone’s feed roughly ten times per minute. Past “white boys of the month” include Tom Holland, Timothee Chalamet and Noah Centineo; for a short amount of time, it seems like nobody is immune to an attraction towards them.
There is, however, the reigning champion of Twitter White Boys: Harry Styles. He doesn’t merely hold the attention of the internet for a month, but is rather perpetually obsessed over, whether it be in regards to his music or his endless series of magazine campaigns. Emerging from his past as a member of One Direction, he is now considered a music and fashion icon, breaking gender roles with his 2018 Met Gala outfit and making music that is a breakaway from traditional pop.
Recently, Styles has become somewhat of a cultural symbol for defying gender and sexuality norms. He often incorporates themes of femininity in his appearance and music, as well as hinting at the possibility of him being bisexual (although he hasn’t clarified). Instead of taking a rather predictable route as a generic pop-star after the breakup of his band, Styles went in a progressive direction, making music with that can be classified as modern soft-rock, with roots in folk and seventies-inspired song formats.
Currently, there is an extreme spike in interest, as Styles released a new song on October 11, titled Lights Up. It is the first music dropped since Styles’ self-titled album in 2017, and understandably has everyone obsessed. The song, inspirational yet polished and personal, only leaves us wanting more. Even more enticing is the music video, which depicts Styles, shirtless, surrounded by people of all races and genders, with interludes of him on a beach and riding a motorcycle. The entire project radiates a sense of positivity and being sure of oneself, with the occasional spotlight shining on Styles, exposing his entire face and chest.
To the delight of the Twitter and the world population alike, Styles announced that he will be putting out his second album on December 13th, 2019. On November 13th, he unexpectedly posted the dates of his “Love on Tour,” which will begin in 2020 throughout Europe and North America. With ticket sales beginning on November 22nd, you’d better get your wallets out now; it’s sure to sell out as quickly as it was announced.