Harry Styles Says He’s Noticed the ‘Highest Volume of Men’ Approaching Him Since Releasing ‘As It Was’
Over the last couple of years, Harry Styles‘ fan base has evolved. The One Direction star has used his hiatus from his chart-topping group to stretch his wings artistically and personally.
He grew as an actor, appearing in blockbusters like the World War 2 epic Dunkirk. Lately, he is moving toward quieter, more dramatic roles. But above all, his shift in style as a solo singer changed how he is perceived — and brought a new kind of fan into the fold.
Harry Styles’ time in One Direction made him extremely popular among young women
Styles had a plan for how his life would turn out early on. Unlike so many of his peers, however, it had nothing to do with music. He thought he would become a physiotherapist. Music was important to the young singer, but he was trying to be realistic.
That changed when he sent in an audition tape to X-Factor, the British reality TV music competition. Billboard reports that producer Simon Cowell was immediately impressed by the then-16-year-old singer’s audition tape.
That led to the 2010-2015 reign of One Direction, the most popular new pop group of the time. As always with performers in the boy band space, their fame came with a fan base filled almost entirely with young women. Styles, in particular, came to be one of the most widely known and adored pop culture figures among that demographic.
‘As It Was’ is Styles’ biggest song yet, thanks to a new fan base
The massive success of One Direction came quickly, subsuming Styles’ life within a few short months. The rapid shift left him feeling, ironically, isolated from other people. His bandmates felt similarly, and this feeling was a major reason for the group’s hiatus at the end of 2015.
With a rigorous touring schedule behind him, Styles focused on acting. He couldn’t keep himself away from music for long and put out his first solo album, Harry Styles, in 2017. It’s his third album, Harry’s House, that finds Styles exploring a, well, new direction — and bringing in a vastly different fan base.
After a bit of a pandemic malaise, Styles found his passion again in 2021. The latest single off Harry’s House, “As It Was,” has been a massive success. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the 28-year-old pop star noted how the song marks the point where he crossed over to broader appeal.
‘”As It Was’ is definitely the highest volume of men that I would get stopping me to say something about it,” Styles said. “That feels like a weird comment because it’s not like men was the goal. It’s just something I noticed.”
Styles had to develop coping strategies to deal with his superstardom
Styles has finally outgrown his boy band reputation. Still, he never shed his audience of young female fans. And now that males are in the fold, it just means even more people vying for his attention. Thankfully, the actor/singer has some strategies for coping with his ever-evolving fame.
He has a reputation for being polite, with an almost unbreakable sunny disposition. That attitude came to be because, through therapy, he found that he suffers from impostor syndrome. His fame came almost literally overnight, and he still doesn’t quite believe he deserves it. To cope, he embraces that feeling and makes sure to be grateful to the fans and peers he encounters.
To come down from concerts, he has a curious post-show ritual that helps ground him. Vogue reports that the “As It Was” singer takes a cold shower, then relaxes in an ice bath. Chilling out this way correlates with lowered inflammation and mitigates stress. While it might not be for everybody, Styles — who also enjoys freezing swims — finds solace in the habit.
