Washington: Singer Harry Styles has opened up about the emotional state of stepping out on his own following One Direction’s split in 2015, revealing he felt “very lonely” in the early days of his solo career.
In a recent interview, the 32-year-old reflected on his transition from being one-fifth of a global boy band to performing solo, according to People magazine.
“When you’re in a band with four other people, there’s a lot of room to hide,” Styles said, referring to former bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne, “There’s only so much weight on your shoulders when you’re on stage the first few times. [without One Direction]I’d think, ‘What do I do with my hands?’,” as quoted by People magazine.
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“But I also suddenly felt very alone,” he continued, “I was lucky to have that opportunity where people were interested in what I was going to make, but I put a lot of pressure on myself, wanting it to be perfect.”
Styles released his self-titled debut solo album in 2017, a project that marked a distinct change in his musical direction.
Reflecting on that period, he admitted that he was driven by creative curiosity and the fear of disappointing those who supported him.
As quoted by People magazine, he said, “With that first album, I was trying to figure out what music I would make myself, but at that moment I felt that there were a lot of people who believed in me and I didn’t want to let people down or let them down.”
The three-time Grammy Award winner also talked about stepping away from the spotlight after completing his 22-month-long Love On Tour in July 2023, his first significant break in more than a decade.
“At first, the idea of ​​taking time off seemed crazy,” Stiles said. He added, “I didn’t know if I could do it. But it was the right time for me – we finished the tour in July, and I was turning 30 in February. Now it was time for me to stop for a bit and focus on other parts of my life.”
He spent time in Rome and described Italy as a place that became “really special” to him, especially after spending time there during the pandemic.
“I remember going to a café and sitting down and drinking coffee and thinking, ‘I can’t remember the last time I sat down and drank coffee — did I ever sit down and drink coffee,'” he said, recalling the pace of his previous life.
He said, “I realized how much joy there is in just being in the moment of what you’re doing. Roman is the best at it, that’s his specialty. The movement he taught me is very special.”
Describing the extended break as “so powerful”, Styles said that it reshaped both his personal outlook and his music.
“So living my life in a way where I can actually like that I’m away from this world has been very powerful to me,” she said. He added, “Without question, it has influenced the work that I’m making now because it comes from a place of pure freedom.”
Now preparing for the release of their fourth studio album ‘All The Time’. Disco, sometimes.’, On March 6, Styles is set to return to the stage with a 50-show global residency across seven cities, including Amsterdam, London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, New York, Melbourne and Sydney, from May to December 2026.
According to People magazine, she described it as “like a life mantra”, adding, “You can’t be at the disco all the time. Loving and moving on with your life with love and taking a break from time to time to have some fun, I think, is a really good way to live your life.”