Harry Styles fans are in ecstasy today after the singer dropped his first new material in two years. “Lights Up” hit streaming services at midnight, and was followed a few hours later by his new video.
In it, Styles is captured topless and sweaty, showing off his recent tattoo work, and dancing very intimately with a variety of good looking people of all genders.
Lyrically, Styles sings about people discovering their identity: “Lights up and they know who you are, know who you are, do you know who you are?”
He encourages people to, “Shine, step into the light,” saying, “It’s so bright sometimes, I’m not ever going back.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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Harry Styles really brought out a bixsexual anthem on #NationalComingOutDay What a legend. What an icon. pic.twitter.com/1EuJMMZHWB
— Bee? (@allesgutt1) October 11, 2019
Styles’ sexuality has long been speculated over, and some fans are reading much into the fact the new song and video have been released on National Coming Out Day (October, 11).
Harry Styles releasing a song about shining… into the light… being in the light… on national coming out day…. do I need to even say how this is literally daylight. He really did NOT have to do that….but he did. #LightsOut pic.twitter.com/DzjKnQgM9F
— Love, Danny (@DannyWxo) October 11, 2019
so you're telling me harry styles dropped a bisexual bop in national coming out day IM FUCKING VRYING
— carla (@kissymedicines) October 11, 2019
Harry Styles really released his new single about being your true self on national coming out day… honestly ive never stanned anyone harder
— jess (@jesstilf) October 11, 2019
Harry Styles releasing #LightsUp on October 11th, The Coming Out Day… ???
— Chris Monster (@chris_vacariu) October 11, 2019
Is Styles trying to tell us something? Or is he just gifting a song about acceptance and being your true self to his fans? Or is it all just a coincidence and people should just, well – to quote Taylor Swift – calm down?
Related: Harry Styles finally sets the record straight on all that bisexual stuff
In 2017, the former One Direction star told the Sun he didn’t like labeling himself, saying, “It’s weird for me. Everyone should just be who they want to be.”
In 2018, speculation around his sexuality intensified when he released the song “Medicine”, with lyrics about “messing around” with “boys and girls.” He also took to waving rainbow flags at concerts and told one audience, “We’re all a little bit gay, aren’t we?”
Last month, in an interview with Rolling Stone, he still refused to label himself but appeared to imply he was an ally and wanted to show support to all his fans, wherever they may lie on the spectrum of sexuality and gender identity.
“I want to make people feel comfortable being whatever they want to be,” he said. “Maybe at a show you can have a moment of knowing that you’re not alone.
“I can’t claim that I know what it’s like, because I don’t. So I’m not trying to say, ‘I understand what it’s like.’ I’m just trying to make people feel included and seen.”
“It’s not about me trying to champion the cause because I’m not the person to do that. It’s just about not ignoring it, I guess.
“Everyone in that room is on the same page and everyone knows what I stand for. I’m not saying I understand how it feels. I’m just trying to say, ‘I see you.’”
Related: Louis Tomlinson calls renewed Harry Styles gay sex rumors “unprovoked venom”
Either way, most fans are just happy the singer’s back with new material, with his copious flesh flaunting in the video an added bonus.
Where do someone sign to have this job #LightsOut pic.twitter.com/iA60dAAvUD
— ?Shirs ?????#LightsUp (@anchortheship) October 11, 2019
michel_banen
The song is strong on itself… the video a very cool bonus ! The timing for coming out day ? Perfect !
CesarRobinson1442
The song is strong on itself… the video a very cool bonus !– Search engine will help you to find more songs like that: q6yGqeDKbskbatugGsfugu6lu4983896
Donston
I must admit that I’m getting a lil’ exhausted with practically every other day being an “lgbtq day”. A few days ago was “lesbian day” and couple of weeks ago was “bi week”. Never mind “pride month” being last June and all the random days of celebration Twitter comes up with. Now, we’re at “coming out day”. Identity and the supposedly very personal and difficult idea of being “out” has become so politicized and commercialized. I can understand being turned off by it all, especially as far as social media is concerned, where so much is about indulging narcissism.
As far as Harry is concerned, there seems to be this decided effort to make Harry some “queer icon”, and I guess that’s okay. But the execution is indeed very “queer-ish”, and “queer” is “cool”. A song or video too “gay-ish” is likely divide fans, especially female fans. Some are of course equating the video to Harry “coming out” even though he just said he’s not “queer”. I will say that I’m a lil’ tired of most “queer icons” being cis and at least overall hetero-leaning people. The song itself is fine.
Donston
It’s also weird how so many public figures support the idea of “choice” when it comes to identity, sexuality, etc. Yet, they don’t get called out by the typical ranters because they are “for the cause”. And a lot of folks would be accusing Harry of “gay baiting” if this was a different artist. It seems as if this dude is getting the white, sensitive, pretty, at least hetero-leaning privilege. I suppose as long as you sexually and romantically appeal to enough white women then you don’t ever face any widespread social media bitchery. That’s not really a criticism of Harry but rather a critique of social media culture and also how women (particularly white women) have too much power in with how men present themselves, talk about themselves and their orientations and how they identify.
D_Bro
Just an FYI. National Coming Out Day has around since 1988. It’s not a “now” thing.