Sixty five million monthly Spotify listeners, three albums, three world tours, three movies and multiple number one hits, and all by 28.
Harry Styles is the typical definition of a pop star and is someone who enthralls audiences with his personality and presence. He has created a following that is dedicated and informed about every shared aspect of his life. Running fan accounts, buying his merchandise or even listening to his music, Styles’s dedicated fans see him as their icon.
Styles, as many know, started his rise to fame as a member of One Direction, a boy band that toured nonstop for six years. With a quick hiatus, Styles resumed music and started his solo career off with his self titled album, ‘Harry Styles’, and known by fans as “HS1.”
Before the pandemic, Styles released his second album titled ‘Fine Line’ and his third this year titled ‘Harry’s House.’ Both albums gave him world tours and gained him more and more fans along the way.
This past fall, Styles started his residency at Madison Square Garden, performing 15 nights. Styles went on to perform in Chicago and Austin for six nights each before ending the American leg of his tour with 15 nights in Los Angeles.
But what is it that keeps fans so encapsulated?
There are many fan accounts dedicated to Styles that have thousands of followers, with one of the most popular being Harryflorals on Instagram. Harryflorals is dedicated to keeping people updated on everything Styles is involved in.
Meghan Shaffer, a sophomore human development major at University of Maryland, went to three shows at Madison Square Garden this year. She has been a fan since the beginning, going to One Direction’s Take Me Home tour when she was eight years old.
Shaffer has stayed very loyal to Styles and has attended multiple shows and even decorated her apartment room with things to remind her of him. She gave me a tour and showed me all of her decorations, from her posters to her mirror, all had something to do with Styles.
Styles’ personality and stage presence during his shows is what has made Shaffer stay a fan for so long. She says that there isn’t anyone like him in our generation and compares him to Freddy Mercury.
“The environment that he creates at his shows, I would say, is literally unlike anything else you’ve ever been to,” Shaffer said.
The signs people make, shows how fans can be themselves. There have been a lot of fans who share coming out stories, or ask Styles to help them come out during the shows. During his performance of ‘Treat People with Kindness,’ Styles runs around with flags for the LGBTQ+ community, Black Lives Matter and different countries who are in crisis, including Ukraine and Pakistan.
The fans feel comfortable around him allowing them to share their most personal moments with him and create deeper and more meaningful connections.
They believe that Styles is a special figure and has always been criticized for everything he does, like wearing a dress and painting his nails. Even though he is critiqued often, Shaffer mentioneded how he still finds a way to be himself and interact with fans.
Despite being one of the most popular singers in the world, he always introduces himself wherever he goes whether it’s at the beginning of his concerts or on a talk show. Styles is nothing if not humble.
Styles is a leader for his fans, and he always encourages people to be themselves. His songs bring a generation of people together. His music is personal and meaningful, explaining the ups and downs of his life experiences, and a way to connect more with fans who have similar experiences.
Styles always ensures the happiness of others, saying at every concert, “I want you to have as much fun as you possibly can.” In his 2018 world tour, Live on Tour, Styles said, “I want to know every single one of you in here tonight. If you are black, if you are white. If you are gay, if you are straight, if you are transgender. Whoever you are, whoever you want to be, I support you. I love every single one of you.”
Styles creates an atmosphere of positivity and love for all the people he impacts; a safe space to be 100% yourself, no matter who that is.