Did Harry Styles Just Give One Direction Fans Something To Smile About?
The last few days have been emotional for Harry Styles and the other members of One Direction. Yesterday saw Harry and the boys release of the video for their latest single “History,” a video that includes former band member Zayn Malik and is in many ways a tribute to the fans. Once again we are seeing Styles being reported as a serial womanizer who cheated on rumored girlfriend Kendall Jenner, and of course, the reported arrival of Louis Tomlinson’s baby has been big news.
With all of the current furor ongoing, Styles fans can be forgiven for missing what could prove to be Harry’s biggest story for quite some time.
There is no questioning the level of support that One Direction fans show to Styles and his bandmates. Harry and his pals are adored by fans, but that adoration does not stretch to Simon Cowell, the band’s management or to their current PR team Hackford Jones.
Many of Harry’s fans are sickened that HJPR and the rest of One Direction’s management have allowed Styles to be “sexualized” since he was just 16-years-old. Fans assume that Harry’s PR team has been keen to link him with a seemingly never-ending stream of women. Harry’s fans believe that Styles has been marketed in this way to appeal to silly and naive 12-year-old girls who think that they will end up marrying Harry.
As One Direction and their fanbase has matured it seems that the tired narrative of Styles as a womanizer continues to be played out. Just this weekend, the Daily Mail was reporting that Harry was “two-timing” Kendall Jenner with London-based stylist Pandora Lennard.
What One Direction fans cannot understand is why the seemingly never-ending stream of negative stories about Styles and One Direction is not challenged more proactively by their management and PR teams. Styles and his bandmates are huge supporters of charitable causes — their kindness borders on legendary — and yet press reporting is overwhelmingly critical. Perhaps the belief is that by not putting out positive stories about Harry and the boys the clamor for information increases, resulting in constant reports in the media that say little or nothing. It may be that One Direction’s team believe that all publicity is good publicity.
It seems that many of Harry’s fans have missed what may well be evidence that all that is about to end. Some weeks ago, it was reported by the Inquisitr that Styles spent time in the Caribbean on a yacht with the Azoff family. Styles is known to be friendly with the music mogul’s family, and it was suggested that Harry may be asking the Azoff’s to manage his career going forward.
Azoff is known to be a fierce advocate for his clients and manages some of the world’s biggest names. Many fans are desperate to see Harry and One Direction dump Modest Management, a team that many blame for overworking the band to the point of exhaustion.
Now it seems that Harry is also dumping HJPR. Press Party report that Harry has signed with Dawbell PR, a team that represents his big buddy James Corden. According to Unreality TV, Dawbell will represent Harry in his solo endeavors, but fans will be praying that this is further evidence of Styles and One Direction distancing themselves from Simon Cowell and the current management. Cowell set up one Direction’s deal with HJPR and is linked with them.
As you would expect, the few outlets that reported Styles has signed a new PR deal are hinting that Harry is also distancing himself from his bandmates. Time will tell, of course, but One Direction fans will be hoping that Harry is preparing the ground for One Direction to break the shackles that Cowell and the current management have over them.
One Direction’s release of the video for “History” may well be a nostalgic look back at the last five years for Styles, for One Direction, and for the fans. Many will hope that Harry Styles is about to drop One Direction’s management into the dustbin of history.
[Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP]
