Fans are praising Harry Styles’ new song and music video, and we can’t help but wonder about the message.
At the stroke of midnight earlier today, Styles dropped new music. Namely, the song “Lights Up.” The song’s lyrics speak of stepping into the light, knowing who you are, and embracing the here and now.
Some of the lyrics go, “Lights up and they know who you are, know who you are, do you know who you are?”
The song then proceeds with lines saying, “Shine, step into the light,” saying, “It’s so bright sometimes, I’m not ever going back.”
While the song could take on several different meanings such as being a celebrity in the limelight with little privacy, LGBTQ people on the internet have already started to claim the song as a bisexual anthem.
To be fair, Styles did drop the song on National Coming Out Day. He also included a scene of himself shirtless while rubbing up against a crowd of men and women. Adding that on top of the lyrics creates a very easy case for bisexual pride.
https://twitter.com/guccitwinkk/status/1182530705961697280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1182530705961697280&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gaytimes.co.uk%2Fculture%2F128271%2Ffans-praise-harry-styles-for-serving-bi-energy-in-lights-up-music-video%2F
https://twitter.com/Deenashire/status/1182550095780290560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1182550095780290560&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gaytimes.co.uk%2Fculture%2F128271%2Ffans-praise-harry-styles-for-serving-bi-energy-in-lights-up-music-video%2F
https://twitter.com/ColonelKickas69/status/1182508170545119232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1182508170545119232&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gaytimes.co.uk%2Fculture%2F128271%2Ffans-praise-harry-styles-for-serving-bi-energy-in-lights-up-music-video%2F
This is the latest in an ongoing saga of conversations around the singer’s sexuality. From the original rumors and fan speculation of him being in a relationship with fellow One Direction member Louis Tomlinson to the release of his song “Medicine” where Styles sang about “messing around” with “boys and girls.”
That said, Styles told the Rolling Stone last month that he refuses to label himself. He simply wants to be seen as an ally.
“I want to make people feel comfortable being whatever they want to be,” he said. “Maybe at a show you can have a moment of knowing that you’re not alone.
“I can’t claim that I know what it’s like, because I don’t. So I’m not trying to say, ‘I understand what it’s like.’ I’m just trying to make people feel included and seen.”
“It’s not about me trying to champion the cause because I’m not the person to do that. It’s just about not ignoring it, I guess.
“Everyone in that room is on the same page and everyone knows what I stand for. I’m not saying I understand how it feels. I’m just trying to say, ‘I see you.’”
With all this in mind, we think Styles was definitely intending for the song and music video to have “bisexual energy.” And while we may not wish to label himself as bisexual or anything else, we can be confident that he is an ally (and maybe even a member) of the LGBTQ community.
We don’t need to know any further than that.
