By
Fiona MacPherson-Amador
Published Jan 23, 2026, 7:40 PM EST
Curious from birth, Fiona is a music writer, researcher, and cultural theorist based in the UK. She studied her Bachelor of Music in London, specializing in audiovisual practices, and progressed to a Master’s in Arts and Culture from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Her MA research focused on the societal impact of sound within urban communities and how the narratives of art can contribute to their shaping and commentary.
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After nearly four years of silence, Harry Styles is back. He has re-entered the music landscape with a sophisticated and braver sound, alluding to a total musical transformation in his new album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. Styles has released the first single from the record, “Aperture,” and an incredible music video to accompany it. “Aperture” is Harry Styles at his most artistic and what feels like his most authentic self. He has been at the forefront of pop since his solo career, but this new single shows how Styles has matured into pushing and even redefining the boundaries of pop.
Since last year, Styles has been spending substantial amounts of time in Berlin. The move feels pointed and even a poetic nod to David Bowie, and one of the most radical creative rebirths in the history of pop music. The traces of Berlin are also heard in the electronic influences of “Aperture” and its communal, euphoric message. This radical side of Styles is marking a new era, and one that pop desperately needs.
"Aperture" Is the Voice of Warmth Pop Music Needs
Since his solo career, Harry Styles has been taken seriously and rightly so, but nearly four years since his last release, “Aperture,” is a totally new era of authentic artistry. The song feels well-considered, and Styles is taking advantage of the song to really say something.“Aperture” was supposedly inspired by Styles’ experience of seeing LCD Soundsystem live, and you can tell. I mean that in the best possible way, as recent pop has been missing the particular soulful essence that electro-pop synthesizer pulsations can offer. I’m not sure anyone can top how LCD Soundsystem infuses electronica with warmth, but Styles does so in a cleaner, contemporary, and genuinely fun way.
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Posts By Fiona MacPherson-AmadorThe “We belong together” mantra Styles belts through the choruses of “Aperture” speaks to a state of euphoric, communal love we can experience. The initial promo that teased new music and a new tour featured an image of a crowd close together, which feels like a signal that we should aim for more collective happiness. He sings, “It finally appears, it’s only love,” and he’s right. Love is the easiest emotion to feel but perhaps the hardest one to express in the turbulent, cold-feeling world we live in at the moment. Styles is the reminder that we really do belong together, and I’ll happily oblige.
The Chaotic Choreography and Figure of Hope in "Aperture"
Harry Styles on the red carpet.Image via BauerGriffin/INSTARimages.com
The standout element of the “Aperture” music video has got to be the apparent antagonist, quickly turned dance partner of Styles. This seemingly dark and certainly mysterious figure first enters as Styles climbs the escalator, but appears across the hall from him at the top. The figure holds a plastic bag with a yellow smiley face and the printed message “Thank you, have a nice day!” before placing it down and abruptly running towards Styles, seemingly chasing him.
Naturally, Styles runs away, but the attempt to escape was a miscalculation. After all, the figure was holding a message wishing readers a nice day. After some fisticuffs, Styles has a quick drink before running towards the figure himself in retaliation. The figure picks Styles up and spins him above his head, Dirty Dancing-style. The pair break into arguably the most iconic dance routine of the last few years, traipsing through the building together.
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Posts By Jazmin KyleneThe overriding message is that the very possibility of niceness is totally disarming and is actually seen as a threat. But, through the rejection of suspicious violence and accepting those around us, we can dance through the hotel, having a fabulous time and mirroring those we once thought were different. The lifts and flips come at the end of the dance sequence, and boy, are those guys airborne. The freedom and liberation from the moves are really felt through the screen, and it’s so difficult not to smile when watching it. It’s also almost funny how Styles immediately calms back down to a normal state of being, showing the power of dance-induced catharsis. On top of that, a receptionist appears at the hotel desk that was previously empty, showing a restoration of humanity, a resolution of the artistic aperture.
The Cinematic Genius of the "Aperture" Music Video
The “Aperture” music video, directed by Aube Perrie, is nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece. The lines are clear and crisp, and reinforce the sophistication of the new and improved Harry Styles that “Aperture” itself gives. The first verse of the song really sets the video up as a mundane environment. At the beginning, Styles is the only character in a rather soulless-looking hotel, decorated with dull beige furnishings and devoid of any signs of human life, until the mythical figure previously discussed appears. Yet, there are glimmers of hope cleverly and rather wonderfully sprinkled across this mundanity. When Styles brushes his teeth, the sound subtly but perfectly matches the rhythm of “Aperture.” Similarly, the ringing of the bell at the hotel desk and the tapping align with the percussion of “Aperture,” fusing together the song and video seamlessly.
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Want more nuanced context on Harry Styles' artistic shift and music-video craft? Subscribe to the newsletter for thoughtful analysis, scene-setting background, and close readings that expand on what matters in pop right now. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Granted, synchronicity is hardly a groundbreaking part of music video as a medium, but the way it’s approached in “Aperture” is deeply poetic and a reminder that the simple things are truly beautiful when executed well. The choice to include the diegetic sounds intertwines the sonic world of “Aperture” and the sounds we experience in our own, real worlds. In these elevated, ephemerally meaningful moments of synchronization, Styles shows us that art is inherently embedded in our everyday lives, whether we are aware and in tune with it or not.
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