Undoubtedly, one of the most legendary figures to spawn from The X Factor UK, Harry Styles’ 2010 audition tape has sealed itself in pop history. Nearly 15 years on, it captures the core of Harry’s charm: a lovably eccentric, cheeky, and confident talent that’s since been refined to near perfection.
On this throwback audition tape, Harry performed a rare a cappella snippet of Stevie Wonder’s 1975 hit, “Isn’t She Lovely.” At this point, he was the lead singer of the four-piece indie rock band, White Eskimo. But by the end of his X Factor run, Harry had been merged with four other solo singers, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Zayn Malik, creating the X-Factor boy band, One Direction.
The five soloists looked set to be eliminated early on in the show after their solo performances in the Bootcamp round failed to impress the judges. But thanks to a life-changing tactical decision from judges Nicole Scherzinger and Simon Cowell, the boyband One Direction was created, promising Harry & co. a second chance to qualify for the show, this time in the Groups category.
One Direction soared through to the X Factor finals, gaining nationwide attention as teen heartthrobs in the process, before finishing in third place, where they were offered a record deal with Simon Cowell’s label, Syco. After an unstoppable career with four #1 albums and 14 Top 10 singles in the UK in just over four years, One Direction’s indefinite hiatus led to Harry Styles’ solo career — the most successful of all ex-1D members.
Harry’s three solo albums — 2017’s eponymous “Harry Styles”, 2019’s “Fine Line” and 2022’s “Harry’s House” — have all hit #1 on the US album charts, while legendary tracks “Sign Of The Times” and “As It Was” both hit #1 on the UK Top 40 Singles chart, padded out by another five Top 10 UK singles.
Now 30 years old, Harry has spread his wings across the arts, dabbling in acting with a role in Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed 2017 film, Dunkirk. A long-lived partnership with Gucci has made Styles a flamboyant, gender-neutral fashion icon, while spurring the launch of his own fashion brand, SS Daley, in 2020.
Harry Styles’ list of accolades is tremendous: two AMAs, three Grammy Awards, four MTV VMAs, and six Brit Awards, amongst 22 other wins and 66 additional nominations, excluding those in One Direction’s trophy room. And his social media holds just as much weight — boasting 14.7M YouTube subscribers, 47.6M followers on Instagram, and 37.3M on Twitter, Harry Styles has flourished from his X Factor audition tape into a living legend of pop.
For more fantastic content from Harry Styles, make sure to subscribe to his YouTube Channel. You can also follow him on Facebook and Instagram. To check out his latest tours and music, visit his official website. From his humble beginnings on The X Factor to becoming the legendary artist he is today, Harry Styles’ awe-inspiring journey is a testament to his unfathomable talent and charisma. Ever evolving, his unique style continues to inspire and entertain fans all around the globe.