It is common to see in the media comparisons about artists who have similarities in their music and styles. But as they gain visibility, the comments gain the power to the point of opening gaps for analogies that can be quite absurd.
Among the comparisons are: Manu Gavassi and Rita Lee, Tiago Iorc and Caetano Veloso, Ludmilla and Baby from Brazil…
But why is Harry Styles compared to David Bowie? And what makes them different? Come with me and I’ll explain!
- Harry Styles’ career and David Bowie Inspiration
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In April 2010, when he was just 16 years old, the singer auditioned to compete in the musical reality show “The X Factor UK”. After going through some stages of the competition, Harry failed. But as there is always light at the end of the tunnel, the judges suggested joining him with four other young men who had also not made it to the next stage: Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Liam Payne. The five banded together and formed the famous One Direction. Even not taking the first place, in reality, the newly born boy band won the hearts of the public and achieved popularity.
After five years, the band broke up. Harry embarked on a solo career and released his debut album bearing the artist’s name, just as David Bowie had already done on his first album. Soon after, he released the single: “Sign of the Times”, talking about the end of the world, with references to British rock from the 70s. The singer had already revealed that one of his biggest inspirations for his album and single was David Bowie.
In December 2019 there was a milestone in the history of music with the release of his second album, “Fine Line”. According to him, freedom marks his new work, with doses of pop-rock that perfectly describe the mix of feelings experienced by the singer. The songs move between lively nights on the beach, enjoying a summer love, with a lot of freedom and pleasure, and at the same time, reflecting their entire existence in sad and poetic melodies. Oppositions that refer to the style of Bowie.
- Gender–fluid looks, art, and sexuality
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Shortly thereafter, the singer was already working with his current stylist, Harry Lambert. Together, they revived the idea of an androgynous aesthetic that is controversial to this day. At the end of 2021, Styles was on the cover of Vogue magazine wearing a dress, however, she ended up irritating American conservatives for his outfit and took a position on the subject, highlighting his inspiration for Bowie: “The people I admired in music — Prince, David Bowie, Elvis, Freddie Mercury and Elton John — they’re so ‘showman’. As a child, it was completely mind-blowing. Now I’m going to wear something that looks really fancy, and I don’t feel crazy wearing it.”
As a consequence of the patriarchal and conservative thinking that prevails in society, anyone who doesn’t wear the pre-assigned clothing for their gender raises doubts about their sexuality. This stereotype embarrasses anyone who wants to dress differently with their own style and without labels. Bowie was one of the pioneers in bringing out the androgynous aesthetic and the fight against prejudice. Today, years later, Harry follows in Bowie’s footsteps and contributes to re-signifying sexist thoughts about clothing and sexuality.
- What makes them different and what is the legacy of each
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Now, let’s cut to the chase: Is Harry Styles the new David Bowie?
Personally, I’m a longtime fan of Harry’s and this hot take is being written to his non-stop hits. Harry’s inspirations in David, whether in music with records full of alternations in their lyrics and melodies or in fashion, wearing flashy looks for androgyny, proves how Bowie and his artistic revolution in the ’70s influenced Harry and an entire generation. But there’s no need to define Harry as Bowie’s new successor. Each with their own way, their stories, similarities, and differences.
Bowie has a history and a transcendent legacy. He broke down all barriers in music, moving between different melodies and the divergences between the messages that his albums conveyed. In fashion, using iconic costumes with androgyny to surprise the fashionista universe. On gender issues, he fought prejudices related to sexuality, being a symbol for the LGBTQIA + community. After all its importance and success, it is clear that many artists would be influenced by Bowie, as well as Styles.
Pointing out similarities is fun and interesting. And their legacies bear a beautiful similarity: representation. They include and accept the “different”. They break taboos, stereotypes and promote the individual to be what we want without fear of being happy, giving voice to those who do not fit the standards imposed by society, and that is what the world needs.
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The article above was written by Júlia Arruda and edited by Lívia Carvalho.
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