Ever since Harry Styles made his solo debut in 2017, the former boyband member has been steering himself into the lane of a rock star. On his self-titled debut album, he roared through the whiskey-soaked blues-rock stomp of âKiwiâ and provided a blustery epic in âSign Of The Timesâ. Two years later, on his second album, âFine Lineâ, he ventured into Laurel Canyon folk (âCanyon Moonâ) and glam-pop anthems (âAdore Youâ). As he tops the bill at Coachella 2022 tonight (April 15), Styles mixes those past efforts with some new experiments and an expert sense of showmanship to make his strongest bid yet for rock god status.
His arrival on stage is signalled by a video of rabbits that starts innocently enough but quickly takes a turn into various members of the animal kingdom getting it on as wedding bells cascade into pretty chimes. When the screens concede to the festivalâs cameras, Styles is found standing at the top of a stunning white stage that looks fit for a â60s iconâs TV special, moody expression on his face, black feather coat covering a multicoloured sequin catsuit. His dour look doesnât last long as he launches into his latest single âAs It Wasâ, skipping across the stage as merrily as the bright synth melody that courses through the song.
What follows is 80 minutes of festival spectacular that satisfies the casual fan waiting for bangers and the die-hard stan eager for some deeper cuts â and sneak previews of new material. The first album tracks âCarolinaâ and âWomanâ fit the mood of the night, although they do drag the momentum down a little. âSheâ allows time to indulge in rock fantasies, guitarist Mitch Rowland getting a moment in the spotlight for a noodling solo, while the usually delicate âCherryâ gets beefed up slightly. Even the One Direction hit âWhat Makes You Beautifulâ is given a little makeover â infectious hook intact, but rearranged to hit harder and with more edge than before.
Harry Styles playing new song âBoyfriendsâ at Coachella
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— Rhian Daly (@rhian__) April 16, 2022
Aside from âAs It Wasâ, two new songs get aired tonight. First, is the folky âBoyfriendsâ, which Styles introduces by declaring: âThis is for boyfriends everywhere â fuck you.â Itâs a rare moment of stillness from the star during the set, as he gently delivers a song about a troubled relationship where âit gets hard to know what heâs thinkingâ. Later, he debuts âLate Night Talkingâ, a funk-tinged â70s groove longing to make a partner âhappy againâ that confirms his third album âHarryâs Houseâ will have at least two solid gold bops on it.
A bop if ever I heard one – another new Harry track from tonight, âLate Night Talkingâ
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— Rhian Daly (@rhian__) April 16, 2022
To truly make it as a rock god, though, Styles needs an army of famous friends to help him surprise his fans and the ability to deliver memorable stage banter between songs. Luckily, tonight he shows he has both. He brings out Shania Twain to perform âMan! I Feel Like A Womanâ and âYouâre Still The Oneâ for an unpredictable but gloriously fun break from his own material. While his guest is on stage, he explains what sheâs taught him over the years, including how to sing and âthat men are trashâ. Towards the end of the set, he heralds a 12-minute section of dancing that the crowd wrongly assumes as the final 12 minutes of the set. âItâs not over that quick,â he explains. âI may be quick at many things, but this isnât one of them.â
By the time we do reach the setâs finale â a stunning version of âSign Of The Timesâ complete with fireworks â Stylesâ job is done. Heâs grooved and guitar hero-ed over every inch of the stage, turned pop anthems into rock juggernauts and had the crowd in the palm of his hand for every second of his dazzling show. As he belts out the final notes of the track, itâs clear that heâs no longer aiming for the rock star lane, but is firmly blazing his own path through it.
Harry Styles played:Â
âAs It Wasâ
âAdore Youâ
âGoldenâ
âCarolinaâ
âWomanâ
âBoyfriendsâ
âCherry’
âLights Upâ
âSheâ
âCanyon Moonâ
âTreat People With Kindnessâ
âWhat Makes You Beautifulâ
âMan! I Feel Like A Womanâ
âYouâre Still The Oneâ
âLate Night Talkingâ
âWatermelon Sugarâ
âKiwiâ
âSign Of The Timesâ
Check back at NMEÂ all weekend for more reviews, news, interviews, photos and more from Coachella 2022.Â
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