April 11th officially marked the 10-year anniversary of Harry Styles’ iconic audition on the X Factor, which led to the formation of boyband One Direction.
Within this decade, fans watched Harry start off as a curly-haired baker from Cheshire and blossom into the critically-acclaimed solo artist with two number one albums under his belt. To commemorate this major milestone in his career, let’s take a look back at the top 10 moments in Harry’s career.
X Factor audition
Ah, 2010 — the year of Katy Perry’s “Firework” and Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s iconic collaboration “Telephone.” It was also the year a bright-eyed lad named Harry Styles first walked into our lives.
He charmed the audience when he introduced himself and told everyone he worked at a bakery before impressing most of the judges with his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.” Imagine if either of the other judges agreed with Louis Walsh to not let Harry through the competition… I don’t want to know what a world without Harry Styles would be like.
“Just a Little Bit of Your Heart”
We’ve gotten a taste of Harry’s songwriting abilities while he was in One Direction with songs like “Happily,” “Stockholm Syndrome,” and “If I Could Fly.” But when Ariana Grande revealed that Harry wrote the song “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart” for her 2014 album My Everything, everyone got the chance to see a different side of Harry, beyond his boy band image.
This song was the first real taste of what was to come later on once Harry began his solo career. Of course, we saw this come full circle when he added the song to the setlist during his world tour in 2018.
Harry’s major haircut
2016 was an important time period in Harry Styles’ transition from One Direction into his solo career. Harry dove into the writing process of his first solo record, signed on with Columbia Records, and spent months filming for the World War II movie Dunkirk.
But the biggest moment of 2016 for fans was when Harry posted a photo of his chopped off braid with the caption “Whoops,” revealing he donated his hair to the Little Princess Trust. This moment not only broke the internet but marked the end of the 1D era and the beginning of something amazing.
“Sign of the Times”
Harry’s first single off his debut album was a smash hit with fans and critics alike. “Sign of the Times” showed off Harry’s many musical influences and presented Harry as an artist, not just one of the five members of One Direction. “Sign of the Times” was so iconic, it topped the US iTunes chart in 19 minutes, beating Adele’s previous record of 50 minutes.
Harry Styles
Harry’s highly-anticipated self-titled debut album definitely did not disappoint fans when it was released in May 2017. Harry blessed fans with iconic bops like “Carolina,” “Only Angel,” and fan-favorite “Kiwi,” which he performed at the 2017 Victoria Secret Fashion Show. The album embodied Harry’s transition into adulthood and his personal growth as a vocalist and songwriter.
“Landslide” with Stevie Nicks
During his secret show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, Harry brought out his musical icon Stevie Nicks to the stage to sing a couple of songs with him, including “Landslide” as a duet. This was a special moment for Harry and fans alike, getting to hear his idol praise him for his music and the chance to sing one of their most beloved songs with them. We don’t think even Harry could’ve imagined getting the chance to sing with his musical icon, become close friends with her, AND become her musical muse.
Dunkirk
Nobody could’ve predicted that Harry would make his acting debut in a Christopher Nolan movie, let alone, a World War II film alongside well-season actors like Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy. But, of course, Harry held his own alongside those actors in his role as Alex, one of the many soldiers stranded on the beaches at Dunkirk. Harry not only blew everyone away with his acting skills, his suits and hair during the Dunkirk premiere are definitely some of his best looks from 2017.
Harry Styles Live on Tour
Some of the best moments from Harry’s self-titled era came from his World Tour in 2018. All of his fans know that Harry’s favorite part of making music is touring, and he definitely knew how to put on a show every single night.
Tour gave fans some of Harry’s best on-stage looks, his best vocal performances, and some of the dorkiest and cutest moments, especially when he interacted with fans. Harry’s tour is especially iconic because it gave Harry the confidence he needed to embrace himself for who he wanted to be and propelled him into the next era of his career. Also, nothing will ever top Harry performing “Kiwi” three times at his final show in Los Angeles.
The Met Gala
Harry became one of the youngest people to be named co-chair for the Met Gala when he was chosen for the 2019 Met Gala alongside Lady Gaga, Serena Williams, and Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele. Harry’s fashion choices during his solo career embody the concept of Camp, so he was definitely a perfect choice to co-chair. And of course, Harry definitely did not disappoint when he showed up to the Met in his black sheer blouse, high-waisted pants, and of course, his one pearl earring.
Fine Line
Harry is currently at his most confident and vulnerable during this era of his music career. He’s asserted that Fine Line is all about “having sex and feeling sad” in all of his interviews but at its core, this album embodies his personal growth. Fine Line takes listeners through his journey from heartbreak and self-reflection to emerge into the best version of himself. With the success of his second album, Harry unapologetically asserts himself as a major creative force in the music industry, and fans and critics alike anxiously wait to hear how his sound will continue to evolve.