Harry Styles, “Aperture” and the New Age of Pop

Pop and fashion have always been intrinsically intertwined and Harry Styles has become less of a participant, but rather a pillar of this relationship. With the recent release of his new single “Aperture” and the anticipation of his upcoming album “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.”, Styles is once again in the position to be more than a hitmaker, but as a curator of the current environment of pop. Styles is someone who understands that modern pop culture is as much about texture and implication as it is about sound. 

“Aperture” is a very, very telling title. In a photographic sense, aperture controls light: how much light is let in and how much is withheld. The delicate balance between control and restraint is reflective of Styles’ artistic character. The single feels like it was designed for an audience that is fluent in aesthetics, one that can appreciate the value and meaning of negative space and can appreciate value and intention over excess. Rather than trying to fit into current trends and maximize profits, Styles’ latest single invites the listener to work harder to make sense and meaning of the five-minute song. It's almost like a perfectly tailored piece of clothing, it looks minimal at first glance, but the intention and architectural nature of it are clear upon deeper inspection. 

This release is coming at a point in modern pop where top stars are no longer just chart-toppers. These stars have become signals of lifestyles, something Styles understands better than most. His work is incredibly versatile and fits in countless settings. From playlists to late-night thoughts, Styles’ music serves as a soundtrack for listeners' daily lives. His new single is no exception. “Aperture” functions as an accessory for fans to frame their own identities.

Styles’ upcoming album still has quite a bit of mystery surrounding it. The vagueness of the content of the album is another way Styles redefines himself within modern pop. In the current era of oversharing and instant gratification for listeners, this ambiguity becomes a luxury and feels special. Styles refuses to overexplain, which is an intentional choice that makes him feel objective and chic. There is an expectation for his audience to sit with this uncertainty and romanticize the waiting. This patience and process mirrors high fashion's own rhythms. Seasons get teased and collections are theorized about long before they are released. There is nothing that feels mass-produced about Styles’ album.

The release of “Aperture” and the upcoming release of HS4 highlight a shift away from spectacle solely for spectacle's sake. Cohesion is becoming more desirable for artists and audiences alike, sounds, style and identity are becoming co-dependent instead of functioning independently. Pop singers are no longer just faces for superficial feel-good music, they are expected to act as editors, designers and artistic directors, meant to redefine and shape their industry instead of just participating in it.  Styles’ new emergence in the pop world suggests the future of pop belongs to those who understand the power of curation. With “Aperture”, Styles opened the lens the perfect amount. The soft, but deliberate, light he let in with this single created unbelievable amounts of excitement for his album release, proving that pop, at its most effective, doesn’t demand attention,