Harry Styles unwrapped sophomore album ‘Fine Line’ this week to ample acclaim and stellar sales out of the gate.
But beyond its bopable music, the project has been interpreted by some as hinting heavily at Styles’ sexuality. With a sect of commenters citing the fluid flare of the video + lyrics of the LP’s lead single ‘Lights Up,‘ as well as Styles’ androgynous dress sense across the whole campaign.
In being an act who shuns the glare of the spotlight and the incessant attempts to pry into his private life, his silence on the matter (not that he owes anyone anything) has only served to the fuel the chatter.
Now, he’s setting the record straight. Or is he? See what we mean below…
In an interview with The Guardian, the former One Direction lead waxed candid on the discourse surrounding whether he’s gay, bi, or pandering for promotion.
Peep Styles’ answers in bold:
There’s a popular perception, I say, that you don’t define as straight. The lyrics to your songs, the clothes you choose to wear, even the sleeve of your new record – all of these things get picked apart for clues that you’re bisexual. Has anyone ever asked you though?
“Um. I guess I haaaaave been asked? But, I dunno. Why?”
You mean, why ask the question?
“Yeah, I think I do mean that. It’s not like I’m sitting on an answer, and protecting it, and holding it back. It’s not a case of: I’m not telling you cos I don’t want to tell you. It’s not: ooh this is mine and it’s not yours.”
What is it then?
“It’s: who cares? Does that make sense? It’s just: who cares?”I suppose my only question, then, is about the stuff that looks like clue dropping. Because if you don’t want people to care, why hint? Take the album sleeve for Fine Line. With its horizontal pink and blue stripes, a splash of magenta, the design seems to gesture at the trans and bisexual pride flags. Which is great – unless the person behind it happens to be a straight dude, sprinkling LGBTQ crumbs that lead nowhere. Does that make sense?
Styles nods. “Am I sprinkling in nuggets of sexual ambiguity to try and be more interesting? No.” As for the rest, he says, “in terms of how I wanna dress, and what the album sleeve’s gonna be, I tend to make decisions in terms of collaborators I want to work with. I want things to look a certain way. Not because it makes me look gay, or it makes me look straight, or it makes me look bisexual, but because I think it looks cool. And more than that, I dunno, I just think sexuality’s something that’s fun. Honestly? I can’t say I’ve given it any more thought than that.”
Well I think answering those type of questions are so played out. I don’t know if somebody cares about sexuality anymore. I think when people decide to share it with the public, different judgements arise and it affects the concept on them as artists.
Exactly! ✅ And Ed Sheeran said Harry had a big D lol…he said this during a video interview! I just wanted to add to the conversation lol ☕️
You are not gay
U are being the lgbt community to sell ur over rated music
U are not attracted to boys.
This is what nick jonas did thru out his solo career.
Straight people always using the gay community for clout.
I agreed with u for the first time. Go tell your c***** let shawnna come out from closet # ####free shawnna movement ####
Shut up troll
FAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i agree
The media (and society in gen) are obsessed with firmly defining and boxing people’s sexual preferences but I think he’s just from a generation that just doesn’t give AF and wants to just ‘be’ instead of playing the Frank Ocean and Sam Smith cards. If you wanna say It – say it – if you don’t wanna say it – then don’t – it shouldn’t matter – people should just move TF on.
He doesn’t owe anyone any explanation.
But he can’t be mad at people for asking questions since he is obviously playing along with the ambiguity.
He has the right to be mad, people just need To stop trying to know everything about the private life of others and this is a generational problem with Facebook and all today you have to know everything about everybody, it’s insane.
I agree with you. But I also think he clearly knows what he’s doing by playing this game. And you can’t have it both ways.
He’s a clown
Once again Using LGBT to sell record and gain popularity just like that basic white gurl swish swish bish
B**** don’t nobody care about you like that. Better go play with becky
I can’t stand him. Running around dressed like a damn woman.
Sam Smith wanna be but he never can have his angelic voice
Sam’s goat whine is angelic? ?
Is he though?
I actually enjoy his Music and his style! I think it’s the best singer from the group in terms of originality and music! And he’s right who cares if he is straight or fluid i think he does exactly that , not adressing it but just being him
This! ✅ ?
Trying so hard to be a new Davis Bowie smh
Davis ? Harry doing over 400k first week in the United States! You tried it ???
He’s an Aquarius, ain’t he? Well, the Aquarian pendulum can swing 360°. Heck, they’re so out there, they’ll tell you all of humanity turns ’em on. ?
It’s hilarious how he denied using this whole sexual ambiguity thing to make himself more interesting yet he kept beating around the bush and making everything more confusing. He knew he’s benefitting from all this sexuality talk so I don’t believe for one second he didn’t give it much thought. Watch him abandon this image when his next album rolls out just like what Miley did with Bangerz and hip-hop music.