Former One Direction star Harry Styles makes a musical comeback after more than two years following the release of his debut self-titled album. After a long period of social media inactivity, Styles tweeted the word “Do” out to the world, and several days later dropped mysterious photos on his Instagram, which led fans to suspect the release of new music. That same night, fans were shocked at the YouTube notification signaling that Styles would drop a new music video titled “Lights Up” at midnight on October 11.

Waiting in anticipation, fans flooded the live chat during the premiere of the music video. When the countdown finished, a soft upbeat guitar riff ascended into full volume as a black screen brightened to reveal several scenes of Styles: in one of them, a shirtless Styles fits in a tight space packed with several other minimally clothed men and women touching all over him; in another, Styles rides on the back of a motorcycle at high speed, a red light beaming towards him in the dark. 

The song begins with Styles singing in a soft, high-pitched voice:

“What do you mean?

I’m sorry, by the way

Never coming back down,”

Styles maintains his soft-toned voice throughout the entirety of the song, contrasting his previous music where the power in his voice usually took the spotlight. The hit single from his debut album, “Sign of the Times”, earned praise as a ballad for its heavy emotion and feeling, whereas “Lights Up” seems crafted in such a way that combines an upbeat rhythm with that same sense of emotion.

Styles introduces the slow, but powerful chorus:

“All the lights couldn’t put out the dark,

Running through my heart

Lights up and they know who you are

Know who you are

Do you know who you are?”

Some speculate the song’s true meaning hints at Styles’ sexuality, with the fact the song and its video dropped the day before National Coming Out Day as the strongest piece of evidence. The lyrics also fueled this speculation, where he talks about “never going back now” and questioning himself and the audience about “knowing who they are.”

Harry Styles never fails to impress fans with his unique style of songwriting and self-expression through his music. The single “Lights Up” only built a strong foundation for a new, highly anticipated album which fans have waited over two years for, and which currently sits at number two on the Global Top 50 charts on Spotify. 

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/9NZvM1918_E