#something has changed

An Assertion of Identity

Summary: Feline ferocity manifested itself in different ways. Sharp claws and thundering roars were all well and good, frightening and dangerous when called for, but a simple but forceful declaration could be just as effective.

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I am also genuinely surprised and I think that surprise is a useful place to start. It makes perfect sense to be surprised, because whatever Harry might have said - he has shown very little interest in going away - ever.

It is now 17 months since Harry last performed. It was 16 months between 1D's last performance and the first promo performance of HS1. It 16 months between the last date of Love on Tour and the first promo performance from Fine Line. It was 18 months between Harry's last promo performance of 2020 and the first show of love on tour. Whatever happens this will be the biggest break in Harry's live performances since he was 16 - and will be longer than the time he stopped for the global pandemic. The fact that he might wait another year, or even another 10 months before performing live is surpising, because it is unprecedented.

I think we have every reason to believe that Harry was very driven to perform before. I am personally obsessed about the time where he talked about how importance performing was to him with his therapist from stage, but there are obviously other signs.

To me, the break is a sign that something has changed something quite fundamentally for Harry. I don't think he can be driven to perform in the same way he was.

But that shift was not necessarily the cause of the gap in touring - it's what made it possible. But a necessary precondition is not the same thing as a cause.

It is possible that this is all about touring - he toured for two years straight under very intense circumstances (first with the pandemic, and then with the very strange media hype). It may be that he recognised that it wasn't good for him, he wanted to do something else.

But there are so many other possibilities about what could be going on. It could be the music - he might want to make a different album from the one he wanted to make a while ago. It might be about his personal life - all sorts of things might be going on that he wants to spend time on away from the spotlight - his wellbeing, the wellbeing of people he loves, relationships more generally. He might have another project he wants to work on.

I think you're absolutely right that Liam's death might have had an impact - in all sorts of ways. As well as any changes that Harry might want to make in his own life, next time Harry releases something he will have to be able to perform grief in a really narrow way. Quite frankly it would be enough to stop me ever releasing music again (but obviously I am not Harry Styles).

For me the most compelling question is part of what's up in the air is how he's going to present himself. I was quite sceptical that he could release another album where the main thing he has to say is that this was the freest he's ever been and he had been holding himself back, but he didn't this time - and have someone else give an anecdote about his life and not answer questions about his sexuality.

But I think there's real risk in doing anything else - I think it's reasonably clear that large numbers of people who spend money for tickets like who Harry is - they want to have someone to project fantasies onto. Saying something about who you are is a very big deal if you're Harry Styles. It wouldn't surprise me if they took some time to get it right.

every single time we say that something has indeed—shifted.

buck and eddie’s relationship is constantly changing and evolving in whatever way you may think, and just because it hasn’t gotten to the Obvious romance portion does Not mean that we’re “crazy” or “delusional” …

there is 100% something going on, and yea i see it as a slow burn. nothing makes more sense to me