Harry Styles' Evolution From One Direction Heartthrob to Glam Rock God

Harry Styles has had quite the transformation since the early days of his career.

The Brit entered into the spotlight in 2010 after trying out for The X Factor UK. During Styles’ time on the show, creator and judge Simon Cowell paired him with fellow contestants Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik as the boy band One Direction.

The fivesome’s career quickly took off, and they became household names in the U.K., the U.S. and beyond. Over a five-year period, they released five studio albums — Up All Night, Take Me Home, Midnight Memories, Four and Made in the A.M. — before breaking up in 2016 to pursue solo careers. (Malik quit the group early in 2015 due to stress.)

In June 2016, Styles signed a solo contract with Columbia Records, the same label behind 1D. He released his self-titled debut album 11 months later to critical acclaim, and later embarked on a world tour. His sophomore effort, Fine Line, dropped in December 2019.

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In addition to his megasuccessful music career, the Brit Award winner has ventured into TV and film. He made his acting debut in the 2017 movie Dunkirk, and later executive-produced the short-lived CBS sitcom Happy Together. He has also guest-hosted The Late Late Show With James Corden twice and appeared on Saturday Night Live five times.

Styles has made headlines for his relationships too. He infamously had a fling with The Xtra Factor presenter Caroline Flack from late 2011 to early 2012, causing controversy due to their 14-year age difference. He later dated Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner, Camille Rowe and Olivia Wilde.

The Pleasing founder went on to star in Don’t Worry Darling — directed by Wilde — and My Policeman. He later made a surprise appearance as Thano’s brother, Eros, in a post-credits scene of November 2021’s Eternals.

“Harry as Eros was very much a package deal for me,” director Chloé Zhao gushed over the pop star’s casting during a November 2021 interview with Deadline. “I pitched the idea of Pip the Troll [voiced by Patton Oswalt] and Eros to Kevin [Feige,Marvel Studios president] a while back, and I love the idea of exploring an Eternal who is beyond Titan and who may have influenced Thanos throughout the years the same way Eternals influenced us, earthlings. … I kept tabs on Harry since Dunkirk, I thought he was very interesting. After meeting him I realized he is that character — the same way I cast the rest of my cast. There’s so much of Eros in him.”

Scroll down to see photos of Styles through the years:

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1990s

Styles grew up in the Holmes Chapel area of Cheshire, England, with his parents, Anne Twist and Desmond Styles, and his older sister, Gemma Styles. Anne and Desmond divorced when Harry was 7, and she later remarried Robin Twist, who died from cancer in 2017.

Credit: YouTube

2010

Styles auditioned for season 7 of The X Factor UK in 2010 with Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.” He made it to the next round but was subsequently eliminated. Then, Cowell decided to give Styles a second chance and grouped him with Horan, Payne, Tomlinson and Malik to form One Direction. The band almost instantly became an international sensation and finished the singing competition in third place.

2011

One Direction released their debut album, Up All Night, in November 2011. It featured the hits “What Makes You Beautiful” and “One Thing.”

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2012

Styles confirmed via Twitter in January 2012 that he and Flack broke up after three months of dating. “Please know I didn’t ‘dump’ caroline,” he clarified. “This was a mutual decision. She is one of the kindest, sweetest people I know. Please respect that.”

2012

One Direction’s second album, Take Me Home, hit stores in November 2012. It included the singles “Live Like We’re Young” and “Little Things.”

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2013

Swift ended her brief romance with Styles in January 2013. A source told Us Weeklyat the time that the former couple “had a fight” after the boy bander “said something he shouldn’t have” during a trip to the British Virgin Islands, prompting Swift to fly home to Nashville.

2013

One Direction released their third album, Midnight Memories, in November 2013. Its singles included “Best Song Over,” “Story of My Life” and “You & I.”

2014

The group dropped their aptly titled fourth album, Four, in November 2014. It featured the hits “Steal My Girl” and “Night Changes.” It was their last release with Malik.