It’s been 12 years since a young Harry Styles was filmed queueing for The X Factor, wearing a plain white T-shirt, a grey cardigan and baggy jeans. “I’m Harry Styles. I’m 16 and I’m from Holmes Chapel in Cheshire. It’s a bit boring. Nothing much happens. It’s picturesque,” he said. While his cheeky chappy charm appealed to viewers, few could have predicted that this teenager – advised by Simon Cowell to get some vocal coaching – would go on to become Britain’s biggest cultural export.
Fast forward to 2022 and the cult of Harry has exploded. Pick up a magazine, put on a playlist or even walk past a London bus and you’ll see his face staring back at you. From the fans camping at dawn to catch a glimpse of him on the red carpet at the Venice film festival to his 15-night residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the former One Directioner’s star has never been brighter.
