They may be chart rivals for this week’s No 1 album but you wouldn’t know it from the bromance between Harry Styles and Stormzy.
The rapper from Thornton Heath appeared for a surprise duet of his hit Vossi Bop at Styles’s album launch gig. “From my heart, you’re not just a pop star, you’re a brilliant artist,” said Stormzy.
In his cream suit with flared trousers, Styles certainly looked relaxed about his solo status. He even strummed electric and acoustic guitar for most of the show, including some band jams that surely challenged some of his longtime One Direction fans. At least his screaming admirers could get up close at this intimate venue, in a way that they won’t be able to at next April’s O2 shows. But the challenge has always been making them care about his music as much as the elegantly attired pop icon.
Fortunately, Styles’s well-received second album Fine Line shows off his superior songwriting, on which he doubles down on the more intriguing Seventies influences on his debut. As well as radio-friendly singalongs such as Golden, the summery funk of Watermelon Sugar and classy pop of Adore You, there were moments where he embraced his inner rock god. The quirky, experimental To Be So Lonely was followed by the strange psychedelia of She, which seemed a long way from his boy band origins.
But while Styles is getting more serious about his artistry, he was still playful on the day-glo chorus of Sunflower, Vol 6 and Treat People With Kindness. There was also a quota of ballads for the faithful. The encore entered messy festive party territory with raucous renditions of Lizzo’s Juice, Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime and One Direction’s debut single What Makes You Beautiful.
Next year marks a decade since Styles made his breakthrough on The X Factor. “You have changed my life in more ways than you could ever imagine,” he said. In pop terms the 25-year-old is already a veteran, though this swaggering performance suggested he’s only just getting started.
