Former One Direction Band Member Goes Solo

Former One Direction band member, 23-year-old Harry Styles, released his first solo song “Sign of the Times” on April 7th, 2017. Styles released this song as a tribute to Prince, who 30 years ago released his song “Sign O’ The Times.”

Styles released the second song in his album “Sweet Creature” on May 2nd, 2017. Styles released the whole album “Harry Styles” on May 12, 2017.

Shortly after releasing his album, Styles announce he would be going on a North American Tour. According to billboard.com, Styles will be performing 13 concerts in less than a month. The tour will begin on September 19th and end October 14th, 2017. The closest concert for students at Arrowhead High School would be in Chicago, Illinois.

Previous to the release of his concert dates, the last live performance Styles performed in was on October 31st, 2015, in Sydney, Australia with One Direction. That date was also the beginning of the end of the boy band One Direction.

According to Arrowhead sophomores Brenna Hamann and Rachel Foust, many of their friends are ecstatic about the new Styles album and tour .

“I’m really happy that Harry Style’s released a new album because it has been so long. I always listen to some of One Direction’s albums just so I can hear his voice. He is so talented, and I had always hoped that he would be the one to go solo. I can’t go to his concert in Chicago because he booked really small venues but I like that he is trying to be less of a fame hungry singer and more of an intimate performer,” says Hamann.

Styles’ is playing in Chicago, Illinois, on October 14th, 2017 in The Chicago Theatre venue that seats 3,500 people. To compare, One Direction’s concert venue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin sat 85,000 people. Tickets for the Chicago concert sold out five minutes after they were released on May 10th.

According to billboard.com, after Style’s released “Sign of the Times” his former bandmates gave him ample support. Both Niall Horan and Liam Payne tweeted at Styles. Horan said “Love it H” and Payne tweeted “Proud of you H. Glad you’re getting to do your own thing.”

According to Foust, former One Direction fans known as “directioners” were freaking out over the tweet.

“I love that the boys support each other even after all this time apart. It really shows that they didn’t quit the band because of a feud but that they were ready to go their own way. I don’t really have a favorite member so it was hard for me to see the band split up but after seeing how well they are all doing and how much support they give each other it made me confident that they would never split up as friends,” says Foust.