Harry Styles took break from music due to pressure: ‘I was a bit in my head’
By Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment Reporter
Former One Direction singer Harry Styles said he took a break from music as he was “a little bit in my head” and struggling with the pressure and expectations of “what people want from me”.
The 32-year-old released his latest studio album – Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally – in March after keeping a relatively low profile since the end of his 2023 tour.
Speaking to W Magazine, the star recounted needing “time off” so he could focus on “living from the inside out” rather than worrying about external opinions or pressures.
Styles said: “A big part of the break was about recalibrating the image of myself that I felt I was accidentally swallowing all the time – that was being reflected back at me but that I didn’t want necessarily.
“It’s such an unnatural thing to be shown other people’s perception of you all the time.
“I was a little bit in my head about moving through the world and feeling very aware of how everything was being perceived toward the end of the last tour.
“A lot of the time off was about getting back to living from the inside out.”
The singer also explained feeling like there is “so much emphasis” on his work being about him, which he described as “a really complex relationship to have with yourself”.
He said: “It was about: How do I make something that I really love with no perception of what’s expected of me or what people want from me?
“You can become so disconnected from the world, the universe and people. Then you stop being able to relate.”
Styles, who rocketed to fame at 16, added: “When I was younger, admitting that it’s not really about me would have been quite terrifying.
“Now it’s actually really liberating to acknowledge that it’s so much bigger than me.”
He added: “If you’re onstage, it’s a very God-like position. But I’m not guiding you to me. I’m not asking you to follow me.
“I’m saying that I believe in the same thing that you believe in and we’re all here for that reason – which is beyond me.”
The singer, who had a record-breaking 12-night run at London’s Wembley Stadium as part of his ongoing global tour, also reflected on the “magic” of live performance.
Styles told the publication: “Post-Covid, and now in this AI time, there’s something about standing next to a sweaty stranger and exchanging energy that you can’t really replace with anything.
“The desire is for the more tangible, the little bits of magic that just happen.”
He added: “I’m not going to do this forever. It feels very singular and that’s allowing me to really be in it.
“During the shows, there’s a lot more moments where I’m standing there taking it in, when I’m in the room with the crowd, seeing this energy they’ve made.
“I feel so aware that it exists past the shows, the songs, the tour – everything.”
Styles found fame in One Direction alongside Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson after the group were formed on ITV singing competition The X Factor in 2010.
The boyband soared to international success with hits such as What Makes You Beautiful, One Thing and Drag Me Down before going on hiatus in 2016, almost a year after Malik left the group.
The Worcestershire-born star went on to launch his successful solo career, which has seen him achieve four UK number one singles and three UK number one albums, as well as multiple Grammy and Brit awards.