One Direction wouldn’t be the same without any of the boys, especially without Harry. He brings so much talent, energy, and passion to the band – both in performance and behind the scenes. In so many ways he’s the ‘glue’ of 1D. It’s almost Harry’s 22nd birthday so we’ve compiled 22 times Harry was the glue of One Direction. Enjoy.
22. When Harry picked up Louis
Harry has been the glue of One Direction since the very beginning. When 1D were first formed on the X Factor Harry celebrated by carrying his newfound bandmate around the stage, showing an incredible bond that had already started.
21. The X Factor 2015 hug
Five years later and Harry is still bringing the band together, literally. After the boys performed on the X Factor 2015 final (one of their last appearances before the hiatus) they ended with the cutest of group hugs – and Harry was right in the middle.
20. Oh Baby Yeah
Harry brings so much LIFE to 1D concerts. The way he owns the stage is amazing. “Oh baby yeah,” anyone? Here’s a compilation of him saying just that obvs.
19. Engaging with fans on stage
Hi! ? @Harry_Styles
This was one of the best parts of the concert yesterday hahah can't stop laughing ?? x76 pic.twitter.com/UsZsnznu4e— Anna (@happistyyles) June 24, 2015
Harry always makes an effort to engage with fans in the crowd. He throws water on them (we’re sure they love that), tells them jokes and even learns their language. Here he is enjoying some Swedish banter.
18. “We’ve had a technical difficulty!”
There was that time the boys had a technical difficulty on stage at the O2 in London and Harry made sure everyone knew – in true Harry style.
17. His live vocals
https://twitter.com/hofita11/status/672726649360818176
It’s very rare to finds an artist who sounds even better in live performance than they do on the recording – Harry is one of those. His Drag Me Down chorus, though. Our ears are blessed!
16. ‘Where Do Broken Hearts Go’ with Ronnie Wood
jamas olviden cuando los chicos cantaron where do broken hearts go con ronnie wood y harry se volvio locohttps://t.co/fiT6AWNVRu
— Nathaly (@iherondevil) December 29, 2015
Speaking of live performances, One Direction’s rendition of Where Do Broken Hearts Go featuring Ronnie Wood quickly became a fandom favourite. Harry BROUGHT IT and in doing so changed the perception of 1D from boyband to respectable artists.
15. When Liam kissed Harry
Even Liam knows how much Harry brings to the band when they’re on stage; after performing Infinity on The X Factor 2015, Liam kissed Harry to congratulate him on his fantastic vocals.
14. When 1D went to Ghana for Comic Relief
When the boys travelled to Ghana to do charity work for Comic Relief in 2013 Harry got so involved. His contribution and his compassion was admirable, we were all reminded of how special Harry really is.
13. When Harry actually, um, answered questions
Whilst having a chat with Yahoo way back in 2014, the boys were obviously really excited about their brand new autobiography – who wouldn’t be? But when things got a bit rowdy it was Harry that made sure to pay attention to the interviewer, even if the other boys were a bit distracted by photos of themselves.
12. When H saved awkward interviews
Harry has made a bit of a habit of saving interviews from becoming awkward in the face of intrusive questions. Here’s a perfect example: when asked about Taylor Swift (for the millionth time) Harry does a good job of laughing it off and giving a diplomatic answer.
11. When he made a joke of an awkward Zayn question
There he goes again, salvaging awkward situations. Recently 1D have inevitably been asked about Zayn leaving the band. In this interview with Ellen (QUEEN) Harry manages to steer the boys away from serious Zayn chat by saying “Let’s make some jokes.” Yes, Harry.
10. …and again. “Zebra!”
In this interview with Loose Women, the host wanted to talk about the “Z word” – which is ‘zebra’, obvs, not ‘Zayn’… Harry made sure everyone was clear about that.
9. When he brought an element of style to 1D
https://twitter.com/harryshappydays/status/676134935133069313
Remember the 2015 AMAs when Harry wore that floral suit? How could we forget? Of course, Louis and Liam had absolutely no clue which designers they were wearing but Harry was proud to announce his Gucci suit. This is why we love him.
8. The Ant and Dec prank
Harry has always been one of the most helpful members of One Direction, and this prank was no exception. When a super-excited fan (who was actually Dec in disguise) collapsed – Harry was the first to bring an oxygen mask and a loving embrace.
7. The pregnant prank
The same thing happened when Louis and Zayn pranked the other boys with a pregnant TV producer. Harry was fully prepared to help a woman give birth, whilst Niall just, um, sat there. Out of all the boys Harry was definitely the most proactive when faced with a crisis. He’s just too helpful. We kinda feel bad that he got pranked but this video is still hilarious.
6. The serial Quickfire champion
Waaaaayyyy back in the good old X Factor days, One Direction created an iconic YouTube series called Quickfire. Even in the early days we knew Harry was special; he always won even though he never participated in the game. How does that boy do it? Unfortunately the original videos were taken down but all four episodes have been uploaded together right here.
5. Spin the Harry
Spin the Harry: what a classic. That game just wouldn’t have been possible without Harry’s spinning abilities. Why wasn’t Spin the Harry commissioned for another series? We’ll never know.
4. Tattoo Roulette
https://twitter.com/UpdatingHES/status/679013971303776258
When James Corden of The Late Late Show thought it was a good idea to play Tattoo Roulette on live TV (why?!) poor Harry had to take one for the team. He’s always been a good sport.
3. When he smashed ‘Torn’ at Judges’ Houses
One Direction’s cover of ‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglia was their first performance as a newly-formed band. Whilst Louis and Niall seemed to take a bit of a step back, Harry took the lead and did a phenomenal job of the chorus. Even as a 16-year old he was an incredible performer and really contributed to the early magic of 1D.
2. ‘Torn’ in the Radio 1 Live Lounge
One Direction decided to finish their first chapter how they started it: with ‘Torn’. This song has become a special symbolic reminder of the band’s journey together, and Harry’s chorus is still as moving now as it was in 2010. His contribution to the group has only become more and more valuable.
1. The Brit Awards 2014
Everybody remembers Harry’s absence when 1D collected their Global Success award at the Brits 2014; it was a stressful few seconds. The other four boys looked totally lost until Harry arrived on stage. They could barely function without him. This shows it more than anything: One Direction just couldn’t be One Direction without Harry Styles.
There you have it: 22 times Harry was the glue of One Direction. Harry is such an important member of the band; he’s just the gift that keeps on giving, isn’t he? And we all know 1D wouldn’t be the same without him.
How are you celebrating Harry’s 22nd birthday? Let us know in the comments or @CelebMix and @CelebMix1D on Twitter.