Singer Harry Styles felt “very alone” after the global boy band “One Direction” disbanded in 2015.
The 32-year-old superstar admitted in a recent interview that stepping out from the safety of a band into a solo career took a significant emotional toll.
“When you’re in a band with four other people, there’s so much room to hide,” Styles said, referring to former bandmates Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne, adding, “There’s only ever so much weight that’s on your shoulders. The first couple of times on stage [without “One Direction”], I’d think, ‘What do I do with my hands?’,” he said.
“But I also felt very alone all of a sudden,” he continued, adding, “I was lucky to have the opportunity where people were interested in what I was going to make, but I put a lot of that pressure on myself, wanting it to be correct.”
Styles released his self-titled debut solo album in 2017, a project that marked a distinct shift in his musical direction.
Reflecting on that period, he admitted he was driven by both creative curiosity and fear of disappointing those who had supported him.
“With that first album, I was trying to explore what music I would make by myself, but in that moment, I felt there were a lot of people who had put faith in me and I didn’t want to disappoint people or let them down,” he said.
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The three-time Grammy Award winner also spoke about stepping away from the spotlight after wrapping up his 22-month-long “Love on Tour” in July 2023, the first significant break he had taken in over a decade.
“At first, the idea of taking time off felt insane,” Styles said, adding, “I didn’t know if I could do it. But it was the right time for me, we had finished the tour in July, and I was turning 30 in February. It was time for me to stop for a bit and pay some attention to other parts of my life.”
He spent time in Rome, describing Italy as a place that became “really special” to him, particularly after spending time there during the pandemic.
“I realised the pleasure in just being in the moment of what you’re doing. The Romans are the best at that, that’s their speciality. The pace they’ve taught me has been so special,” he said.
Describing the extended break as “so powerful,” Styles said it reshaped both his personal outlook and his music.
“So, living my life in a way where I could really like who I am away from this world has been so powerful for me,” he said, adding, “Without question, that has influenced the work I’m now making because it came from a place of pure freedom.”
Now preparing for the release of his fourth studio album, “All the Time. Disco, Occasionally”, out March 6, Styles is set to return to the stage with a 50-show global residency across seven cities from May through December 2026, including Amsterdam, London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, New York, Melbourne and Sydney.
He has described it as “like a life mantra,”, adding, “You can’t be at the disco all the time. Loving and moving through your life with love and taking a break every now and then to have some fun, I think, is a really good way to approach your life.”