Harry Styles Returns to Music With Song “Aperture” After 3 Years

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Just stop you’re crying, it’s a sign of Harry Styles‘ new era. 

The former One Direction member released the first single, “Aperture,” off his forthcoming fourth album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally on Jan. 23, nearly three years after he dropped his 2023 single, “Satellite.” 

Harry Styles’ new song, created with producer Kid Harpoon, has a raw, electronic sound and finds him returning to his happy place – the dance floor.

In the chorus, he sings about finding love and realizing they’re meant to be together, repeating the lines, “We belong together / It finally appears.”

Harry revealed his new project, “Aperture,” just three days before its release. He posted a photo on Instagram of himself in the studio, smiling and raising his hands, along with the announcement: “Aperture. Jan. 23, 00:00 U.K.”

Just days after announcing the title and cover art for his new album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, he’s now shared the release date: March 6th. This album is his first full-length project since 2022’s Harry’s House, which won him three Grammys—including Album of the Year—and featured popular songs like “As It Was” and “Late Night Talking.”

Despite making fans wait over three years for his album, Kiss All the Time, Harry shared that he began working on the new 12-song project immediately after finishing Harry’s House.

Okay, so you won’t BELIEVE this. Harry, my Harry, basically planned his entire Love On Tour schedule around being able to work on his new music! He made sure to have long stays in cities like L.A., New York, Austin, and Chicago, not just for us fans (though, obviously, that’s amazing!), but so he could get enough studio time in. It’s like he knew he needed to be near those places to create magic, and honestly? It just proves how dedicated he is to his art. And, you know, being with Zoë Kravitz since August probably helps inspire him too! I’m just…obsessed with how much thought he puts into everything.

He shared with Rolling Stone in 2022 that he’s constantly writing new material, and he was collaborating with Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson. He added that it felt surprising to be starting new work so soon after releasing an album, but everyone involved was really enthusiastic about it.

Harry’s main goal with his new album is simply to create music he feels is good, according to the Don’t Worry, Darling actor.

He shared with Rolling Stone in 2022 that he’s constantly writing new material, and was currently working with his regular collaborators, Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson. He added that despite just releasing an album, everyone involved was already eager to start working on the next one, which felt surprising even to him.

Harry’s main goal with his new album is straightforward: he just wants to create music that’s good. That’s what he always focuses on, according to the Don’t Worry, Darling actor.

“That’s all I want to focus on,” Harry said on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music 1 show. “Everything else will fall into place.”

For more golden facts about Harry, read on… 

Harry Styles was born on February 1st, 1994, in Evesham, Worcestershire, to parents Anne Cox and Desmond Styles. He grew up with an older sister, Gemma, who was born in 1990.

The family settled in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, shortly after he was born, and his mother, Anne, recalls his first word being “cat.”

Styles described his hometown – a village of around 5,000 people – as both “quite boring” and “picturesque.”

In his memoir, Dare to Dream, Harry remembered being unusually upset—he rarely cried—when his parents told him and his sister, Gemma, they were getting divorced. He was seven years old at the time.

He admitted he hadn’t fully understood the situation at the time, but he was simply upset about his parents’ separation.

Des and Anne remained together for two more years, after which Des moved out and Anne relocated with Harry and Gemma to the countryside near Northwich in Cheshire. Later, when Harry was a teenager, the family returned to live in Holmes Chapel.

Anne and Robin Twist got married in 2013 after being a couple for more than ten years. Her son, Harry, proudly walked her down the aisle and served as best man at the wedding.

Oh my god, Harry was just made to be on stage! Even as a little kid, he lived for the spotlight – seriously, he’d do anything for attention, whether it was belting out a song or, and I heard this is true, running naked through a train station! He absolutely thrived in school plays, and the music he grew up with – his dad would play all the classics, like Elvis, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen… it totally shaped him as an artist, you can hear it in his music, honestly. It was just… everything about him screamed performer!

In her 2013 biography, Harry Styles—Every Piece of Me, Louisa Jepson writes that Harry’s very first recording was of Elvis Presley’s “The Girl of My Best Friend,” made on a karaoke machine his grandfather gave him. As he grew up, he also became a big fan of bands like Coldplay, and artists such as John Mayer and Noel Gallagher.

Harry joined his first band around age 14, hoping to play bass. However, another member already covered that role, so he became the singer instead. The band, called White Eskimo, won their school’s Battle of the Bands, earning a £100 prize and their first performance opportunity – playing at a wedding.

Anne told Now magazine in 2010 that her son has always been confident. She said he’s been making people happy since he was a child, and she always predicted he’d become a performer.

Harry earned a little extra scratch—£6 an hour—working at W. Mandeville bakery on Saturdays. 

Simon Wakefield, his former boss, told the Mirror in 2013 that he was the politest employee they’d ever had. Wakefield said customers especially liked him, recalling when Styles visited the shop to film parts of the movie One Direction: This Is Us.

Wakefield explained that the shop became very popular with young girls when Harry worked there – sometimes as many as twelve would come in at once. Even today, groups of around twenty girls occasionally visit and take pictures of the shop. Harry was a dedicated employee, responsible for everything from serving customers and cleaning the back room, to scrubbing floors, washing trays, and keeping the counter clean.

Anne was the one who ended up sending Harry’s X Factor application in when he got cold feet.

When auditioning for The X Factor in spring 2010, the 16-year-old – who already had a charming personality – shared that people often complimented his singing, usually his mum. He performed Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” without any musical accompaniment. He explained that singing was his passion, and if the people who could help him achieve his dream didn’t believe in him, it would be a significant obstacle to his plans.

Harry didn’t advance to the final or even the second-to-last round for the boys, but the show’s producers liked him too much to eliminate him.

It was a pivotal moment when Simon Cowell and guest judge Nicole Scherzinger – who was standing in for Cheryl Cole – decided to put Harry together with Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson, all of whom were trying to become solo artists.

In the 2013 documentary One Direction: Going Our Way, Nicole Scherzinger jokingly admits to playing a key, though often unacknowledged, role in the band’s success. Meanwhile, judge Louis Walsh famously failed to recognize Harry Styles’ potential.

It was Harry, however, who came up with the group’s name.

He remembered thinking the name sounded good when they were brainstorming. They tossed around a few ideas, but he honestly couldn’t recall exactly how it was chosen. He suggested it, and everyone agreed, and it just ended up sticking as the final name.

Zayn explained on Phoenix’s Hot 97.5 FM in 2012 that the band initially brainstormed a long list of potential names. Harry suggested one that everyone quickly liked – he simply texted it to the group and they agreed it was good. Liam also came up with some names, though Zayn admitted they weren’t all great. He recalled one suggestion was ‘USP,’ short for Unique Selling Point.

In October 2010, One Direction hit the X Factor stage live for the first time.

Even though I’m his mother, Harry is a genuinely kind person, and he’s presenting himself on the show just as he is at home,” Anne told Now magazine.

When Harry went to the X Factor house, I told him, ‘Stay yourself, Harry, and don’t become someone unpleasant. Remember, fame won’t change the fact you still have chores to do when you get back home, like emptying the dishwasher.’

Despite being naturally suited for performing, Harry began experiencing panic attacks before each live show, according to Alice Montgomery’s biography, Harry. He once even vomited in the hallway backstage. Eventually, he found that drinking sparkling water and practicing deep breathing helped calm his nerves.

Despite their later success, One Direction didn’t win The X Factor in 2010. They finished in third place, with Matt Cardle winning the seventh series and Rebecca Ferguson coming in second.

You know, Harry always said he had a pretty normal childhood when it came to friendships. He told biographer Louisa Jepson that he was friends with girls and boys back in primary school. He wasn’t like some of the other boys who used to tease or avoid girls – he genuinely got along with everyone, and was just friendly with all his classmates.

Harry, the singer from White Eskimo, always had a way with women, according to his bandmate Will Sweeny. Sweeny told the Daily Star that even back in elementary school, Harry was popular with girls. He said Harry started having girlfriends around age ten and seemed to effortlessly attract them throughout his life.

Oh my god, can you BELIEVE Louis once said that about Harry? He told The Sun it was a total nightmare living with him because of, like, the never-ending parade of girls coming and going! He said it was ‘relentless’! It’s just… so Harry, isn’t it? Though, honestly, I always thought Louis was secretly amused by it all, even if he was with Eleanor at the time. Like, he could have totally said something if it bothered him that much, but I think he just let Harry be Harry. It’s adorable, honestly!

However, Jepson’s dad, Desmond, reassured him that when his son truly cared for someone, he was completely devoted to that one woman.

I’ve always admired Harry’s honesty, especially when he talked about his first time being intimate. He shared that he was actually really worried about getting his partner pregnant, even though they did use protection. He made a really good point – it’s just selfish to think everything will be okay and not bother with safety. It really stuck with me, and I think it’s a message everyone should hear.

Following One Direction’s win on The X Factor in 2011, Harry Styles publicly expressed interest in both 22-year-old Frankie Bridge from The Saturdays and Caroline Flack, who was 31 and hosted The Xtra Factor, the X Factor spin-off show.

He confessed to having a long-time crush on Frankie Bridge, dating back to when she was in S Club Juniors as an eight-year-old. He even admitted to having posters of her and expressed a desire to kiss her. He also shared that both Frankie and Caroline Flack were his celebrity crushes, calling them both attractive. After the interview, he posted on The X Factor website, hoping Caroline Flack would see his message and say hello, adding that he thought she was gorgeous.

I remember hearing that Harry and Caroline first really connected in October 2011. They met at an after-party for a show at the W Hotel in London and apparently left together. Though, my friend Alice Montgomery always said that nothing significant actually happened between them that night – it was just leaving together, you know?

In her 2015 memoir, Storm in a C Cup, Caroline Flack described how things started well with the person she was seeing. They were both single, enjoyed each other’s company, and had fun together. However, she explained that the relationship deteriorated once it became public. Initially, it was lighthearted, and he’d even playfully mentioned being attracted to older women.

Despite claims that they were just friends, Harry Styles’ fans, known as One Directioners, strongly protested any romantic connection between him and others. This led Caroline Flack to publicly state that she and Harry were simply close friends and that she didn’t deserve the death threats she was receiving.

“Flack off, Caroline,” read a banner on display at a 1D concert.

The fourteen-year age difference between them continued to draw criticism from both the public and the media. Caroline Flack expressed her confusion, telling Now magazine, “I struggle to understand why people find it so offensive. I don’t think it is. It’s odd to me that some people immediately focus on the negative. If two people connect and are happy, why does it bother anyone else?”

As One Direction began to achieve global fame, Harry and Taylor secretly stopped dating around early 2012.

Oh my gosh, I totally remember when One Direction was on iCarly back in 2012! It was hilarious. Harry drank out of Carly’s water bottle and immediately started pretending he had these awful ‘jungle worms’ – right after the doctor told her she was still getting over something and shouldn’t kiss anyone! But the best part? Even when he was clearly fine, Harry kept pretending to be sick, just so Carly would keep taking care of him. It was so cute and funny – a classic moment!

After a bit of a scare, Harry recovers, and One Direction is able to perform their hit song, “That’s What Makes You Beautiful.”

This funny moment became a lasting internet memory, shared on YouTube and in tweets like one from 2013. It revealed that Harry Styles turned down a kiss with Miranda Cosgrove in the original script for One Direction’s appearance on the show iCarly.

Back in 2012, after Taylor Swift and Harry Styles met at the Kids’ Choice Awards, Justin Bieber told the Daily Mirror that a very famous person had told him they thought Harry was attractive. He wouldn’t say who it was, though, saying he’d promised to keep it a secret.

You know, I’ve always been so impressed with Taylor Swift. I met her that summer and honestly, she’s just a genuinely sweet person, and incredibly talented too! It’s rare to find someone with both qualities, but she truly has them both.

Though everyone knew it likely wouldn’t last, Taylor was at One Direction’s first concert at Madison Square Garden that December – a show where Harry was playfully showered with bras, underwear, and even an iPhone. For a brief, exciting period, they were the biggest stars in pop music, enjoying dates in Central Park, a quick trip to Harry’s hometown of Northwich, and a disastrous Caribbean vacation that ultimately left Taylor feeling isolated.

Reflecting on their date in New York City, Styles told Rolling Stone in 2017 that relationships are challenging no matter how old you are. He explained that being 18 and figuring things out added extra difficulty. He said it should have been a simple date – just two people enjoying each other’s company – but it was a learning experience. Ultimately, he just wanted it to feel normal.

Harry Styles discussed Taylor Swift’s songs believed to be inspired by their relationship, like “Out of the Woods” and “Style.” He feels fortunate that their experiences contributed to those songs, explaining that those deeply personal and difficult-to-articulate feelings are what truly resonate with listeners. He added that those songs are about the connection between two people, and he intends to keep the full story private, saying he’ll never share everything.

Asked if he had anything to tell Swift, he mused, “Certain things don’t work out. There’s a lot of things that can be right, and it’s still wrong. In writing songs about stuff like that, I like tipping a hat to the
time together.

You’re celebrating the fact it was powerful and made you feel something, rather than ‘this didn’t work out, and that’s bad.’ And if you run into that person, mayb

Harry likes snowboarding.

In January 2014, a source told TopMob News that Harry and Kendall Jenner seemed to be enjoying each other’s company after they were seen together in Mammoth Lakes. Kendall herself described Harry as a “cool” friend at the American Music Awards the previous November.

Harry also likes swimming. 

That marked the beginning of a years-long, often ambiguous friendship, with Styles and Jenner traveling the world together – from Southern California to islands like Anguilla and St. Barts.

Harry Styles hinted in a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone that a relationship following his one with Taylor Swift – possibly with Kendall Jenner – heavily influenced his album. He explained that sometimes he likes to subtly acknowledge an inspiration, while other times he prefers to make it very obvious, hoping the person knows it’s a tribute to them.

Any photos circulating over the years that seemed to show Harry and Louis – or “Larry,” as fans nicknamed them – kissing were not real.

Harry Styles pointed out that a photo of him and Louis Tomlinson appearing to kiss was altered. He explained on the Australian show Sunrise that the original picture actually included another woman in the shot.

Louis explained that this had happened to him and Niall too. He described how, when someone is central to a situation, others will often remove them. He admitted it was a shrewd tactic.

You know, back in 2014, while we were all in the studio in London – it had this amazing, almost Beatles-like vibe – Harry actually brought up the idea that One Direction maybe needed some time apart. It was a really thoughtful thing for him to say, and honestly, it felt like the right conversation to have at the time.

We didn’t want to overwork our fans,” he explained to Rolling Stone. “It would have been easy to just keep touring, but we respected our audience and the band too much to let that happen. We knew we’d burn out and risk losing people’s support if we did.

Zayn’s friends supported his decision, and he took the initiative to leave the group in March 2015. This came after a period where he was dealing with anxiety and relationship problems with his then-fiancée, Perrie Edwards, fueled by tabloid rumors of infidelity.

After Zayn Malik left, the remaining members of One Direction announced in August that they would be taking a break. Their final concert was held on October 31, 2015, at Sheffield Arena in Britain – a particularly sad night for their fans.

After Zayn Malik said One Direction’s songs weren’t very cool—specifically, that he wouldn’t put them on while having dinner with someone he was trying to impress—Harry responded with tact and avoided any conflict.

Honestly, it totally bummed me out to hear he was feeling down, but I mean, I just want him to be happy! Seriously, anyone chasing their passion deserves all the good things in the world, and he absolutely deserves that. I just want him to shine, you know?

If you’re unhappy with what you’re doing, it’s perfectly okay to switch to something else. I’m happy for him that he’s pursuing his passions, and I wish him all the best.

He explained to Rolling Stone that he didn’t want to just write fictional stories for his first solo album, aptly named Harry Styles. He wanted to share his personal experiences – things that had actually happened to him. His main goal was to be truthful, something he hadn’t prioritized in his music before.

That being said, the game was on when it came to figuring out what, or who, he was singing about.

Harry explained that he intentionally keeps his personal life and career separate. He believes this helps him maintain a sense of balance and stay grounded. He isn’t trying to create a persona or prolong his career; he simply wants to return to feeling like his normal self when he’s not working. He values maintaining boundaries and enjoys the contrast between his professional and personal life, finding it incredibly fulfilling.

The song is told from the perspective of a mother experiencing a difficult childbirth. She’s informed her baby will be okay, but she won’t survive. She then has just five minutes to say goodbye and encourage her child to live a full life, essentially telling them to ‘go out and succeed.’

Harry Styles is known for his great hair, no matter how he styles it. Back in 2017, British Vogue took a look at a photo of his getting-ready setup before a Paris concert and discovered he used seven different hair products, along with Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille perfume, a Diptyque candle, and Sunday Riley face oil.

As a huge fan, I always notice how put-together Harry is, and it’s honestly impressive! I’ve even taken note of his beauty routine – I’m obsessed with those Ouai hair products he uses, and that Sunday Riley oil is a game-changer. Honestly, who wouldn’t request a Diptyque candle when they’re on the road? It just makes sense for someone with his vibe.

Only a few million people noticed he’d gotten a haircut before he started actively promoting his music again.

You know, going through a big change can really feel…vulnerable. I recently shared with Vogue that when I decided to shave my head, it was a surprisingly emotional moment. It felt a bit like exposing myself, honestly! But it wasn’t a difficult decision, and I was happy we were able to turn my hair into a wig for others to enjoy.

Harry actually has six nipples – the usual two, plus an extra two smaller ones right underneath them.

When Harry Styles was in One Direction, he was known for his casual style of tight pants and wrinkled t-shirts. Since then, he’s embraced much bolder fashion choices, often wearing sharply tailored suits or stylish jackets and slacks, and has even modeled in two advertising campaigns for Gucci.

Harry Styles told Entertainment Tonight that Shania Twain was likely a major influence on both his music and fashion. He added, “I think she’s amazing.”

Wait, what? 

Growing up, my mom, Anne, loved listening to Shania Twain, Norah Jones, and Savage Garden throughout the ’90s. Meanwhile, my dad, Des, was teaching me all about rock and roll at home.

Harry began pursuing his music while also starting his acting career with a role in Christopher Nolan’s epic war film, Dunkirk, released in July 2017. The film was a critical success, receiving eight Academy Award nominations and winning three.

Harry Styles said that auditioning for Christopher Nolan was more difficult than auditioning for Simon Cowell. He explained on ITV’s This Morning that Nolan is intimidating because he’s completely silent during auditions – he just sits in the dark at the back of the room. Styles described it as an intense experience, leaving him to endlessly worry about whether or not he’d made a good impression.

At least he could rest assured that Nolan wasn’t giving him special treatment.

The director admitted they didn’t fully realize how well-known Harry was at the time of casting. While their children had mentioned him, it hadn’t really registered. Ultimately, they chose Harry because he was a perfect fit for the role and demonstrated his talent during the audition process.

Styles admitted that walking onto the set of a big-budget war epic was a bit intimidating at first.

He was immediately struck by how large the production was, telling The Big Issue that ‘you walk onto set the first day and are just taken aback by everything.’ It was also his first film, so he had to quickly learn to manage the demands of the shoot—and even stay afloat, quite literally.

One particularly intense scene involved Harry Styles’ character, Alex, nearly drowning. Styles explained to USA Today that filming the scene was genuinely challenging, as he was acutely aware of his limited breath-hold. He recalled being asked about his swimming ability the day before filming began in France, noting the preparation involved a lot of swimming – almost to the point where they were testing his limits.

And…he’s funny, too. 

In 2017, Harry Styles was everywhere promoting his music, but he also showed he could confidently host The Late Late Show twice – once in 2017 and again in 2019 – filling in for James Corden and even mastering American-style political comedy. Interestingly, years earlier while looking for a house in Hampstead Heath, he lived with Late Late Show executive producer Ben Winston and his wife, Meredith, for nearly two years, sleeping on a mattress in their attic.

He was away a lot, being a major pop star, but still.

Styles admitted he used to be too intimidated by Meredith to have guests over. However, Winston recalled that Styles wasn’t always alone, and it was fun seeing the famous people who would stay in the attic or hang out with them. They never talked shop, and Styles would act like his recent performances for crowds of 80,000 in Rio de Janeiro hadn’t even happened.

In 2017, while appearing as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live with host Jimmy Fallon, Harry Styles playfully impersonated Mick Jagger. Later, in July 2018, he told Fallon on The Tonight Show that he’d love to host the show himself. Fallon jokingly pretended to faint, and Harry then comfortably took the seat behind the host’s desk.

Styles returned to SNL as host and musical guest in 2019 and crushed it.

CBS’s show Happy Together, which marked Harry Styles’ first time as an executive producer for American television, wasn’t renewed after airing its original 13 episodes.

After his first solo tour wrapped up in July 2018, with nearly 1 million tickets sold across 89 shows, over $1.2 million was donated to charity. This total included a portion of the tour’s profits, as well as contributions from Live Nation and the GLSEN PRIDE campaign.

Harry Styles’ career soared after he won his first Grammy in 2021 for his song “Watermelon Sugar,” and nothing seemed able to stop him. Two years later, his album Harry’s House earned him two Grammys in a row, including Best Pop Vocal Album and the prestigious Album of the Year. When accepting the Album of the Year award, he humbly remarked, “This is so, so nice, and it doesn’t happen to people like me very often.”

Harry’s accomplishments go beyond his Grammy win. In 2020, he made history as the first solo male artist to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine.

Besides writing his own songs, Harry also co-wrote songs for other popular artists. He contributed to Ariana Grande’s hit “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart,” and the song “Someday” by Meghan Trainor and Michael Bublé.

Harry Styles is known for his music and acting, including his role in Don’t Worry Darling directed by Olivia Wilde, but he considered other career paths too. He once told Ellen DeGeneres that if he wasn’t a singer, he’d love to be a florist. He also briefly considered becoming a physiotherapist, hoping to work with athletes after realizing he wasn’t skilled enough to be a footballer. However, a school career advisor told him there weren’t many jobs available in physiotherapy, which led him to pursue music instead.

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2026-01-23 03:20