Echo Of Us • Zarry

Epilogue 2/3 - Esquire

Harry Styles Reflects on Music, Fashion and Fatherhood

The singer/songwriter/actor/fashion icon sat down with Esquire to discuss his never-waning career and a recent change in his private life.

By Brad Vettel December 4th 2032

If one thing is certain, it's that we're all obsessed with Harry Styles, and have been for more than two decades now. Kicking off with a successful boyband, the now thirty-eight-year-old artist of many trades, is considered a living legend by many. Styles is our December cover star and Esquire's Brad Vettel sat down for a conversation with him in his London home only a couple of days ago.

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I'm one of the many people who have been dying to get a glimpse on Harry Styles's Hampstead home for ages. Begging for an Architectural Digest photoshoot or even a good Instagram phone. I never thought I'd get to step a foot inside the upgraded Georgian house. Yet the day comes and I'm greeted at the door by Harry Styles himself, sporting his signature smile, a pair of dark blue palazzo pants and a white V-neck sweater. He welcomes me with a hug and an offer of coffee, tea, water, which I gladly accept. To my surprise, he goes to the kitchen himself, after leading me to the living room, not an assistant on hand. The house is actually empty apart from us two, which is a pleasant change to a typical interview for a profile.

Once we both dig into our coffee and have initial chitchat, I ask the first question. How does it feel to release his eighth album? "It doesn't really feel like that?" Styles replies, smiling. "It's technically the thirteenth, if you were pressed to count the five with the band. But it's, uh, it's quite a number. I tend to almost put milestones to my life based on albums. This one's about that, that one's about this." At least you have the awards to remember them by, I comment. He smiles again and nods silently. Not one for bragging, I prod. "I guess not," Styles replies. "It's an honour, of course, to be even nominated by the Academy, the Recording Academy. And winning... when I'm up on the stage accepting an award I often feel like I'm gonna wake up any second and find myself back in my bed, thirteen with my mum calling at me from downstairs to get out of bed at last or I'll be late for school. It's just a massive honour, not a bragging right. At least not to me."

My next question circles the album: Is it harder writing when you're not after a breakup? I can't not ask, it's one of my favourites for artists in stable relationships. "I don't think so," Styles replies. "Everyone writes in a different way. Some people don't like to channel their happiness into songs. I do. I like to write the emotions I'm feeling, whether it's sadness, heartbreak, frustration, happiness. I've been married for over two years now and I don't ever plan to write a breakup album again. Have enough of those."

Styles is one half of a very unique power couple. The other half is Zayn Malik, a successful singer/songwriter in his own right, coincidentally Styles' One Direction ex-bandmate. The pair has a long history and they finally got married two years ago in an intimate ceremony in Italy. Since their reconciliation, Styles assumed the role of a step-dad to Malik's daughter with model Gigi Hadid. In September of this year, the pair welcomed new additions to their family - a twin boy and girl, Milo and Isla. Of course, in true Harry Styles fashion, the twin's godmother is none other than Stevie Nicks.

"Oh, they're absolute darlings," Styles says after I ask him about the newest family members. "I swear they grow a centimetre every day [laughter]. It's been a very moving, very touching experience. I've been Amara's step-dad for a few years now but Milo and Isla are biologically mine. We had a very, very lovely surrogate in LA. I didn't expect two babies but it happens with IVF often, so. The more the merrier, I guess. But yeah, it's been a bit challenging, taking care of them and everything but I try to enjoy every second of it. Zayn keeps telling me that it'll all pass by in a second, that he blinked and Amara went from a baby to nearly a teenager." The house seems too tidy to be housing two infants and a nine-year-old but I do spot a stray pacifier between a stack of art books and a vase on the coffee table. Neither of us notices until the very end of our interview.