As we all reunited with our clean home kitchens and the 24/7 radio that comes along with it, Radio 1 treated us to a run down of the decade’s live lounges. However, it was a visit from a certain Mr. Styles that cause Sarah too dial in.
Since releasing his single Lights Up, we have received a lot of content from Harry in the lead up to the release of his highly anticipated second solo album Fine Line. From presenting and playing at SNL to interviews, music videos, performances and TV show appearances, it’s been hard to avoid him. But as Stormzy also dropped Heavy Is The Head the day after the harrowing UK election, it was a Friday 13th treat to brighten young people’s lives.
Wearing his collaboration t shirt with Alessandro Michele, with a portion from each sale going to benefit the Global Fund for Women, Harry emerged into the iconic studio and sang his first single of the year ‘Lights Up’, preceding his latest release ‘Adore You’. The musical arrangements for the second one were changed from the original recording, giving it new melodies from time to time, like a breath of fresh air, allowing us to discover some newer tones to the song.
It is well known that Styles has always had a love for older music, from The Beatles to Bowie, and who can blame him, right? He recently said that during his one month trip to Japan he swore by Paul McCartney who he had to listen to everyday. With it being Christmas time, it was only logical for the heartthrob to cover ‘Wonderful Christmastime’, which was more about him having fun and having a laugh while performing than him trying to cover the latest pop tunes which would bring views. While this performance was, like most Christmas songs, nothing spectacular, there was one true highlight that can be taken away from his Live Lounge.
His cover of Juice, by Lizzo encapsulates the whole point of him wanting to have a good time in the studio and bring some positivity. We have to admit that Lizzo is the queen of self love and that covering one of her songs is nearly impossible as she truly owns it. However, Styles truly showed us what it’s like to have fun, and I could definitely see a future collaboration between them after this rendition. Not only did he seem to be having the time of his life singing it, but he also perfectly recreated Lizzo’s energy, exudig pure unfiltered joy and having a bloody good time doing it.
It was also very refreshing to hear him sing something so different from his own style, more of a funky dance tune, showing his versatility when it comes to music. Not changing the lyrics and hearing him speak rather than sing, calling himself a ‘whole damn meal’ and nailing the famous – Somebody come get this man / I think he got lost in my DMs, what? My DMs, what? / You better come get your man / I think he wanna be way more than friends, what? / More than friends’ – was ICONIC, which to me, makes it one of the best Live Lounge covers of all time.
After a very ropy run of the 2010’s, this was truly what we needed to end the decade, and what we deserved.
Sarah Ashford-Brown