Harry Styles’ latest single “Aperture” hadn’t been playing for a full minute when Lindsey (20) was already in tears. She was among the hundreds of fans who waited for more than three hours outside New York’s Rough Trade record store to hear the first song from the upcoming album Kiss All the Time. Listen to Disco, Occasionally, which is released on March 6th. “As soon as I heard his voice, I cried so hard,” Lindsey tells ROLLING STONE. “We’ve been waiting for his comeback for years.”
Lindsey was ushered in along with three other fans she had been waiting in line with. They sat down at a table while four people with black headphones listened at two other stations.
They exchanged wide, incredulous looks as Lindsey wiped her tears with the fur-trimmed sleeve of her jacket. They also danced. Crying in the club is allowed.
International advance reactions and contradictory expectations
The anticipation alone was overwhelming. The first listening events for “Aperture,” which officially releases on January 22nd at 7 p.m. EST, took place hours earlier in Sydney, Tokyo, Berlin and several other cities before fans lined up in New York. That was enough for numerous conflicting reactions to the song’s sound to circulate online. Some international listeners reported that the single reminded them of Lorde’s dizzying song “Ribs,” Billie Eilish’s deep cut “Chihiro” from “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” or even Styles’ own track “Music for a Sushi Restaurant.”
“I went in with no expectations because everyone on Twitter was lying. Some said HS1,” says Sabine (24), using the abbreviation for Styles’ rock-heavy, self-titled solo debut from 2017. “I thought: Okay, would I be happy with, I love HS1. And then others said: ‘Sad, but techno – like ‘Little Freak’ [von Harry’s House aus dem Jahr 2022]’but techno.’ I just meant: That doesn’t exist. It was really funny to see that everyone was lying.”
Loyalty, coldness and total devotion
For some fans, just hearing Styles on a song again is enough – after four years without new music. “He could release five minutes of white noise and I would love it,” says Isabel, 20. That kind of loyalty brought a whole crowd to Rockefeller Center in 30 degrees Fahrenheit – felt more like 15 degrees with wind chill – for more than four hours. Styles warmed her up, if only for a few minutes.
Cell phones and possible recording devices were collected for the duration of the listening to prevent leaks. Fans reacting online therefore only had their memories to rely on. One group, as they left the session, tried to hum the song’s melody into their voice memos before forgetting it. “I’m still singing it in my head,” joked one visitor on the way out, holding a poster of the album cover for “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.”
Different interpretations of the sound
Lindsey describes “Aperture” as “all disco, all techno,” but KJ (25), who had skipped work, heard something completely different. “It had a Jersey Club beat or Lil Uzi Vert vibe,” they tell Rolling Stone. “I was expecting more soul and R&B aspects because that’s what he hinted at. But it was completely different.”
KJ points to “Harry’s House,” which won Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammy Awards, as an important milestone in her musical journey of discovery. They became fans toward the end of the Fine Line era and were drawn to both Styles’ stage presence in Love On tour videos and his attention to detail. “He sampled Brothers Johnson, which I thought was so cool,” says KJ, referring to “Daydreaming.” “He uses different genres that he is really close to and creates something of his own, his very specific sound.”
Growth since One Direction and emotional return
Lindsey and Sabine have been following Styles’ career – like a large part of his fan base – since the One Direction days. Witnessing his development over more than a decade, they agree, is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being a fan. “He’s grown up so much. It’s different, but in a good way. Artists need to experiment more,” says Lindsey. “I’ve always admired him because he reminds me a lot of David Bowie. He just tries new things. It’s incredible to watch him grow. I love that. That’s what we’re here for.”
In July 2023, the “Love On” tour ended after almost two years and 169 shows with an emotional farewell to Styles. “You have given me memories that will last a lifetime, more than I could have ever dreamed of,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “Thank you for your time, your energy and your love. It was an honor playing for you. Take care of each other, I’ll see you again when the time is right.”
Community, cohesion and a new chapter
These listening sessions confirmed that they never let go of each other. Strangers danced and cried together for the short duration of the song. When Styles eventually returns to the stage, they’ll probably find each other again.
Sabine has been waiting for this moment for six years. “I love the Harries community, that everyone goes out and does things together. I haven’t felt like that since before Covid because I couldn’t go to Love on Tour,” she says. “Now it feels like everything is starting again.” This new era is a new beginning. “Hopefully I can make new friends, get tickets, have fun and enjoy everything.”
Fans haven’t heard anything directly from Styles yet. He communicates primarily through cryptic teaser posters and websites. A poster in New York last week bore the words “See you very soon.” In São Paulo, another listening location, another poster promised: “A Gente Se Vê Em Breve” – “See you soon.” Despite different messages, all of the posters had the same declaration: “We belong together.” Listen together, dance together, cry together, be together. This is the Styles way.