In the summer of 2023, Harry Styles said goodbye to his fans with an emotional piano song he composed for the last show of Love On tour. The audience in Reggio Emilia, Italy, was moved to tears as the artist told them, “I'll be back when the time is right.” After three years of waiting, watching him tour Europe on Lime Bikes, party in Berlin, shave his head, and even attend the Pope’s announcement, the current prince of pop has returned with Aperture.
His fans are already used to cryptic announcements: mysterious websites, hidden clues, and the eternal question of whether it is really his team or someone pretending to be. Suspicions of his return began on December 27, when he posted a video on YouTube with images from his previous tour, accompanied by the song on the piano and the title Together, Together. But that was all. Two weeks later, posters began to appear around the world with the same image from the video and a text that read “We Belong Together.” The comeback seemed imminent, although neither the artist nor his team said anything. Until, days later, a website and a WhatsApp channel confirmed the rumours.
A few days later, Styles announced Kiss All the Time. Disco, occasionally, his next album, available on 6 March. And with this news came Aperture, the first single of this era. Those familiar with his music know that the British artist likes to experiment, that he is not content with writing songs meant for radio but rather tries out new styles, so in a way, it came as no surprise that Aperture leaned more towards soft electronic than the type of pop we were used to.
The single seems to revolve around his relationship with fame and fans: the fears, the stares, being followed down the street, and that final conclusion that, deep down, it all comes from the love they feel for him. With an irresistible house beat, Styles repeats like a mantra: “We belong together, it finally appears it's only love.” The message is clear: despite everything that has been said over the last three years, Harry Styles is here to stay, and his connection with his fans is stronger than ever.
The music video is directed by Aube Perrie, who had already worked with the artist on Music for a Sushi Restaurant and Satellite, and once again plays with that strange, funny and slightly chaotic universe that works so well for them. In it, we see Harry alone in a seemingly empty hotel… until a creepy guy starts chasing him. What starts out as a weird thriller ends up becoming a choreography by famed Ryan Heffington (who’s also worked with the likes of Bad Bunny, Chappell Roan, and Florence Welch). There is humour, there is confusion and, above all, there is a good dose of that dancing Harry we discovered in the TPWK music video. He even had time to challenge his copycat (Benson Boone) and do a few backflips.
Harry Styles’ comeback has felt a little rushed and has been a bit controversial, especially with the announcement of his residency tour. Even so, the anticipation was so high and the desire to see him back in the studio and on stage was so strong that it’s all been forgiven.