Harry Styles has returned in a blaze of floral-printed glory and my 1D-stanning heart is THRIVING. After a year and a half of subsisting on blurry paparazzi photos and one iconic head turn in the Dunkirk trailer, our glittery sea nymph has returned not only with a hit single but an album release date, upcoming tour, SNL appearance, full week on The Late Late Show, and a Rolling Stone cover. While I could (and probably will) wax poetic on what each of these events means to me on a cosmic level, his Rolling Stone article touches on something universally important.
In between citing inspiration and reminiscing on time spent recording (watching rom-coms) in Jamaica, Styles dedicated a sizable portion of his interview to defending the fan base that stuck with him through One Direction. When asked if he feels compelled to build an older, more male, and thus more “credible” audience, Styles replied:
While it is easy to dismiss this as an attempt at maintaining a loyal fan base through a period of career uncertainty, Styles is using his voice to publicly tackle misogyny and ageism in the pop music industry.
Despite becoming one of the most famous and successful bands in the world, One Direction’s music, members, and fan base were frequently trivialized and condescended by both the media and critics alike. Their songs were written off as “plastic, bubblegum pop,” their fans portrayed as superficial and hysterical, and their success dismissed as a product of formulaic marketing. Artists with a young female audience, despite continuously killing it with their ticket and record sales, are automatically viewed as less culturally important than those without.
It is this same undercurrent of misogyny that makes it tempting for artists, especially those attempting to reinvent themselves, to jump on the fan-girl-hating bandwagon and criticize the same people that founded their success. Styles, on the other hand, didn’t take the bait. In the article, Styles highlights the arbitrary scale by which we judge artistic value (if white guys love it, it MUST be good!!!), while also praising the unmitigated power of teenage girl enthusiasm. This gentle prince has never, in the entirety of his career, discredited, devalued, or underestimated traditional femininity. Styles recognizes that without teenage girls and their loud appreciation of music and artistry he, as well as most other artists, would have never achieved their respective levels of success.
From a very young age, girls are told that their interests are silly and their excitement is something to be stifled. The fact that they can now look at an artist that they idolize and see their passions validated, their influence respected, and their devotion encouraged is truly a gift.
However, let’s not forget that girls have been saying this exact same thing for a long time, y’all just haven’t listened (;