Harry Styles fans everywhere are waiting in anticipation for the release of his new album “Harry’s House” that will be released on May 20. However, until then, his new song “As It Was,” released April 1, will have to hold them over until the release of the full album. 

After the song’s release, it topped US Billboard Hot 100 and became the most streamed track by a male artist on Spotify within 24 hours. 

“As It Was” begins with a child’s voice saying “Come on Harry, we wanna say goodnight to you.” Styles’ has since revealed that this is the voice of his goddaughter whom he wanted to include in his song. This little line at the beginning gives a sense of innocence before everything changes and life starts tearing him down. 

This new song is a perfect representation of what fans have witnessed Styles going through the past years. As he  tried to find his place and realized everything is not the same as it once was.

The lyrics themselves talk about loneliness, the past, moving on and growing up. In an interview, Styles said “[the song] is a metamorphosis, embracing change and former self, perspective shift and all that kind of stuff.” 

However, the background music gives an upbeat vibe that differs from the lyrics. It has almost an 80s feel that the music video replicates. I like this contrast from the lyrics because it shows that while growing up and changing is hard, there is also a good side to it.

The music video begins with Styles behind what appears to be a glass door trying to break out. He then proceeds to be pulled back into another room and meets up with a girl (who is rumored to represent his girlfriend Olivia Wilde). 

It appears as though things keep pulling the two apart never fully allowing them to be together. When they do finally meet, it is to the lyrics “in this world, it’s just us,” until they are pulled apart again and Styles begins to sing “you know it’s not the same as it was.” I take this to be a representation of all the things that are coming between the couple or just struggles that are piling up between them.

In the aftermath of Styles releasing this song early, his album was actually leaked online ahead of time. While I have not listened to it yet, I can only imagine that “Harry’s House” will live up to the great expectations that “As it was” set.  

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