All about Harry Styles' single "Adore You" - the idea, the video, the criticism

"Adore You" - hit single from his second solo album Harry Styles Fine Line 2019 of the year! This is a gorgeous and moderately energetic pop tune with touches of disco and funk. The ballad is about love, and it's obvious from the first notes, even if you don't know English: the tender and warm sound makes everything clear... The track was warmly received by critics and listeners (and even by those who were sceptical about the artist's work earlier...) Many even noted its similarity with his earlier works Mark Ronson and Justin Timberlake.! The song has reached the top 10 in various countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom! The attractive music video is like a mini-film with a fascinating story that is really interesting to listen to... It's about a mysterious fictional island Eroda off the coast of the UK... Well, one thing at a time! Let's start with what exactly inspired Stiles to write this ballad....

A source of inspiration, a message...

From an inexperienced teenager from X-Factor to an award-winning musical icon of millions! Harry Styles has amassed a loyal fan base around the world who have supported his career through its ups and downs, including when he landed a role in the film Dunkirk! The British performer has released his first solo single "Sign of the Times" in 2017, a year after One Direction's hiatus, and the song reached number four on the chart Billboard Hot 100! Since then, Styles has released two solo albums featuring charming summer hits, including a romanticised pop ballad "Adore You".

It is worth noting that for almost every artist recording a second album is not an easy task. You could say it's a test of perseverance and endurance! It is the second record that demonstrates the lyrical, contextual and conceptual maturity of the singer... However Harry Styles was more than up to the task! Fine Line is truly a masterpiece, and "Adore You" - one of his prized gems... The song seems quite easy to understand at first glance! But... that's only at first glance. Combined with the uniquely sweet, yet mysterious music video, "Adore You" takes on new shades... All in all, it's a love song. Here's what Styles himself said about its meaning:

"As I see it, we're talking here about the initial stage of infatuation with someone... It's a very joyful, blissful feeling and emotion..."

Well, that sounds nice. However, the phrase "You don't have to say you love me / You don't have to say anything / You don't have to say you're mine" hints that this love story is mostly platonic....

Recording and command

"Adore You" - it's a great track in the style 80-х! By the way, the ballad was written by himself. Stiles in conjunction with Tyler Johnson - the key author of the solo debut of the same name. Harry 2017 of the year. Together with Kid Harpoon Johnson also produced the track. In addition to this, the charming "Adore You" was recorded by the lovely Amy Allen (backing vocals).

Lyrics and sound

В "Adore You" Stiles singing about his absolute devotion to the girl:

"Oh, darling,
I'd walk through fire for you!
Just let me adore you!
Like it's the only thing I ever do..."

In this ballad, Harry also continues to use his references to fruit (as in "Watermelon Sugar."), mentioning strawberries (Strawberry lipstick state of mind) and lemon and ice (....lemon over ice). Curious as to what that would mean...?

Music video

In the music video for "Adore You" Stiles uses "against the public" the vague maritime glamour of the fictitious of the Erode Islands off the coast of Great Britain... It's a very curious place, and the people here are peculiar too! So, in the story. Harry - a kind of weirdo whose smile causes spontaneous combustion and temporary blindness! He doesn't want to be friends with him, and eventually he meets a rainbow fish... She gives him hope for a relationship. It's cute to watch Harry messing around with this fish throughout the video.....

The finale of the clip can be both surprising and heartwarming, as the residents of the quaint town become a team for the sake of releasing the already noticeably grown fish into the water! A ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds....

Graduation and success

Upon release, the track became a big hit, as indeed did the album, dubbed by critics as "a pioneer of an era of pop music that combines energetic late 20th century synth rhythms with topical themes and culturally relevant topics to create memorable and insightful music...". The ballad won the "Most Played Song" award at the Ivor Novellos in 2021 (the premium is based on performance data collected by the organisation PRS).

Shortly after graduation. "Adore You" has been certified platinum (or double platinum) BPI, ARIA and RIAA!

One last thing...

Remarkably, unlike other tracks from his second solo album. Harry Styles didn't explain what or who inspired him to do the "Adore You". It is quite possible that the ballad is based on their romantic relationship with the Camille Rowewhich were broken up shortly before the album was recorded... Anyway, the track feels the presence of the most important "component" - the soul!