The last time Harry Styles touched down on our shores, he was welcomed by a sea of maniacal tweens who likely kissed posters of the floppy-haired dreamboat before descending into hysterical exhaustion (on a school night no less). Four years on and the once member of stratospheric boy band One Direction is set to grace us as part of his sell-out, solo world tour. Yet his audience couldn’t be more evolved.

Still voluminously coiffed — enough so to usurp a young Hugh Grant — his upcoming December concert at Spark Arena will this time attract a more diverse crowd; a sophisticated mix of, yes, diehard fans, but also critical music listeners who have sat up to take notice of Styles’ irrefutable talent. Showcasing his flair in his self-titled album, headlined by the single ‘Sign of The Times.’ Variety describes Styles’ allure as “a deepened Millennial sensibility”, void of the smugness that often comes with boy-band emancipation.

Fact is, whether you are a stereotypical fan or pop-culture cynic, you have to admit that Styles is a very real triple threat who was all too easy to sweep under the rug when his only fans were those who spent their pocket money on Dolly magazine. Defying all expectations of boy-band alumni, following the five-piece troupe’s separation in 2015, the Brit has gone on to become one of the biggest solo performers of our time, appealing to a complex audience with his cultivated sound and raw performance ability. Furthermore, he has proven his acting chops too. Debuting on the big screen in acclaimed Director Christopher Nolan’s war epic Dunkirk, the filmmaker gave him plenty of kudos, admitting that he was cast for the role on the merits of his audition tape alone.

It would seem 2017 has been a year of transition for Styles, one that has seen the singer-actor blossom from a stigmatised ex-boy bander to a well-respected artiste in his own right. Where things could have gone seriously astray, he has made celebrity fate work in his favour.

Harry Styles will be in Auckland to perform at Spark Arena on Saturday, 2nd December.
Purchase tickets here.