19 Thoughts I Had About Harry Styles’s Dazzling Coachella Performance (2024)

If you woke up in the wee hours of Saturday morning feeling a mysterious mix of FOMO and titillation, it was likely because at 11:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Harry Styles was emerging in a Gucci sequined jumpsuit and beginning his first-weekend headlining set at Coachella. “We have a full moon, you have a ticket, and I have the flavor,” the consummate showman promised before delivering 80 minutes of sonic joy in the desert. So here are 19 thoughts I had about Styles’s Coachella debut.

1. I’m notoriously not a morning person, but waking up at 7 a.m. and watching Harry Styles’s Coachella performance “for work?” I may be winning at life.
2. Harry’s set is being teased by a video of a fluffy bunny frolicking through a field of dandelions. True fans will spot the multiple references here: the bunnies from Harry’s tour merch and the rabbits his mom, Anne Twist, tweets on the first day of every month.
3. Harry has materialized in a giant, black furry coat—a callback to the black Gucci masterpiece he wore at a Love on Tour stop at New York’s Madison Square Garden last year.
4. He’s standing perfectly still like a classical Greek statue while smoke billows around him and people maniacally cheer. This feels like an appropriate response.
5. The first live performance of his new single (and bonafide bop), “As It Was!” Complete with an upgraded version of his jumpsuit for the video, now with many more sequins. Sorry to all the influencers at Coachella, but this outfit will rule them all.
6. Processing the moment when Harry peels off his jacket. He knows preciselywhat he is doing.
7. As per usual, I want to wear this outfit (albeit to dinner tonight at a steakhouse in suburban Connecticut).
8. The sight of Harry’s ringed hand gripping a mic stand will never, ever lose its novelty.
9. Do not sleep on guitarist, songwriter, and collaborator extraordinaire Mitchell Rowland, or his mustache.
10. Harry’s wild festival dancing is all of our festival dancing, truly.
11. Harry just said “Okay,” and 250,000 people squealed. Sounds about right.
12. Our hopes and dreams are being realized and a new song is being revealed. It’s called “Boyfriends” and Harry is now flanked by tenderly crooning backup singers on this slow, moody exploration of inadequate men: “Boyfriends / They think you’re so easy / They take you for granted / They don’t know they’re just misunderstanding you.” Torturously beautiful! How thoughtful of him to notice.
13. No complaints here as Harry basically runs through his recent Love on Tour setlist, including the One Direction hit “What Makes You Beautiful.” Charming is the man who never forgets his boy band roots.
14. Here comes... Shania Twain, country-pop legend and the soundtrack to my middle school angst?!
15. Okay, Harry Styles and Shania Twain in coordinating sequins singing “The best thing about being a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun” is healing.
16. The jealousy I feel toward the audience to be bopping around to this very special guest duet is visceral.
17. What a heartfelt hug for Shania. Does Harry Styles give the best hugs?
18. The backstory behind this collaboration could not be sweeter: “In the car with my mother as a child, this lady taught me to sing,” Styles said of Twain. “She also taught me that men are trash.” Particularly after “Boyfriends,” men are trash has emerged as a theme of this performance. (Harry is an exception, of course.)
19. Harry is blessing us with still more new music. “Late Night Talking,” not unlike “As It Was,” is bursting with retro-pop, yacht rock vibes that make me want to rollerskate around my childhood rink, aptly titled United Skates. I’m ready to sell all my earthly possessions and move in to Harry’s House.

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