'Harry's House' and the Evolution of Harry Styles

In 2017, Harry Styles made his solo debut with the self-titled 70s/80s rock album that spawned the singles “Sign of the Times” and “Kiwi.” In 2019, he marked his place in the music industry and pop culture with Fine Line, topping music charts around the world with the now-beloved “Watermelon Sugar” and “Adore You.” To be honest, while I’ve always enjoyed Harry’s music, it’s not always the first thing I remember when I think about him, nor do I often go out of my way to listen to it. For me, his place in pop culture has largely been defined by his fashion sense and activism (as much as any pop star can participate in activism) more than his music. It’s not that it’s bad or mediocre–quite the contrary. 

In 2017, I admired how Harry carved out his own corner of the industry with his unique rock sound, harkening back to the era of bell-bottom jeans, long hair, music production with real guitars, and Prince-like ballads. Then how he shifted to a pop-rock sound two years later, giving us grand, sweeping, uplifting songs that have remained evergreen in the fast-moving pace of current pop culture. But I’ve always felt something missing in his work for a reason I couldn’t explain. 

Now, with Harry’s House, I think I have an idea. In this third version of the artist, something about him has changed. Less anxious to please and with a more stabilized fan base, Harry is more confident, mature, relaxed, and sure of himself. There’s a calm and soothing quality to this album because that’s exactly who he’s become.  

That has made all of his music feel understated in the best way, which I noticed immediately the moment he released “As It Was.” For a first album single, the song is surprisingly not as active or fast-moving as what else was playing on the radio at the time, or what one might expect from the first tease of a new project. Instead, similar to the quietness of Luke Hemming’s When Facing the Things We Turn Away From (2021), this album showcases Harry’s tenderness, introspection, and empathy unlike any of his other work. With the exception of the bold, brash “Music For a Sushi Restaurant,” every track has a quiet, soft, delicate quality that made me feel like I was floating in his thoughts alongside him. Every bass line, drum kick, even his vocal quality and performance has a weightless feeling to it.

On songs like “Daydreaming,” for example, there’s a reverb aspect to the production that makes me feel like I’m literally inside his head, the sound echoing against the inside of walls–which is the whole point. We’re meant to feel like we’re following his every thought or that he’s sitting us down in his literal house and singing live to us. The production isn’t perfect, which adds a layer of humanity that’s usually stripped away for that clean, flawless pop sound. 

I also appreciated how Harry played with synths more on this album than on his previous work, adding a fun layer of dimension and playfulness. While he invoked 80s sensibilities before on Harry Styles, here it compliments songs like “Satellite” to create the spacey, intergalactic feeling without having to do too much work.

Of course, I can’t talk about this album without mentioning “Matilda,” the song named after the protagonist of Roald Dahl’s Matilda that has since become a fan favorite and album stand-out.

Hearing those hard guitar pluckings in the opening, I knew I was in for an emotional ride. This song aches with the nostalgia of childhood and is further proof of Harry’s fearlessness with his soft, tender, empathetic side. Here, his voice goes soft to match the quality of the guitar. He even has a second vocal layer playing simultaneously behind the first for that echoey, emotional feeling, which definitely brought out the emotions in me, too. Together with the acoustic guitar sound with individual plucking notes, the evoking of childhood nostalgia, and the vocal performance, I was reminded of the song “Thirteen” by Big Star. Given that it’s from the 70s, I couldn’t help but wonder if Harry used it as inspiration for the themes and sound of “Matilda.”

Harry’s House is a beautiful album and I’m by no means the first or the last person to say this. But it’s important to repeat, to praise Harry’s transformation from a boyband pop star into a man who’s grown up and fit into his skin, though still open for further change–and thankfully, taking us all along for the ride.