Who is singer and actor Harry Styles?
Harry Styles, whose full name is Harry Edward Styles, is an English singer, songwriter and actor born on February 1, 1994, in Redditch, Worcestershire, England. He first became widely known as a member of the pop group One Direction, formed on The X Factor in 2010. As a solo artist, Styles has released internationally successful pop and rock-influenced albums including Harry Styles, Fine Line and Harry’s House, and he has also appeared in major films. His awards include Grammy Awards and Brit Awards.
Background/biography
Styles was born to Anne Twist and Desmond Styles. His parents separated when he was young, and he grew up primarily in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, with his older sister, Gemma Styles. He attended Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School.
Before his music career took off, Styles worked at a bakery in Holmes Chapel. He also performed in a school band called White Eskimo. In 2010, he auditioned as a solo contestant for the British television competition The X Factor. Although he did not continue in the competition as an individual performer, he was grouped with Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik to form One Direction.
Music and acting career
- One Direction — Member of the group from its formation on The X Factor in 2010 until the band began an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
- Harry Styles (2017) — His debut solo album, featuring the single “Sign of the Times.”
- Fine Line (2019) — Included the singles “Adore You,” “Watermelon Sugar” and “Falling.”
- Harry’s House (2022) — Included “As It Was,” which became a major international hit.
- Dunkirk (2017) — Made his feature-film debut as Alex, a British soldier, in Christopher Nolan’s war film.
- Don’t Worry Darling (2022) — Appeared as Jack Chambers.
- My Policeman (2022) — Played Tom Burgess in the romantic drama.
Styles launched his solo recording career in 2017 with “Sign of the Times,” a rock-influenced ballad that reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. His second album, Fine Line, broadened his commercial reach and produced “Watermelon Sugar,” which won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance.
His third album, Harry’s House, became one of the defining releases of his solo career. The album won Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammy Awards, while “As It Was” spent 15 weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.
A performer known for music, fashion and arena shows
Styles has become known for an expressive stage style that combines pop songwriting with influences from rock, folk and soul. His large-scale “Love On Tour” concerts drew international audiences and supported the albums Fine Line and Harry’s House.
He has also received attention for his fashion choices, frequently wearing colorful, vintage-inspired and gender-fluid looks. In 2020, he became the first solo male cover star of Vogue’s US edition.
Fun facts about Harry Styles
- Before finding fame with One Direction, he worked at a bakery in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire.
- He performed in a school band called White Eskimo before auditioning for The X Factor.
- Styles has writing credits on several One Direction songs as well as his solo material.
- His song “As It Was” became the longest-running number-one single by a British solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time of its chart run.
- He made his film debut in Christopher Nolan’s 2017 film Dunkirk.
