Coachella 2022: Harry Styles dazzles in festival debut, Shania Twain joins on stage
English heartthrob Harry Styles told a sea of thousands of Coachellagoers Friday night that they should expect an evening full of dancing, and the singer did not disappoint, even busting out his dance moves too.
Styles, in his first Coachella appearance, showed off his musical versatility with a set that featured chart-topping pop hits, soulful ballads and a few new songs off his upcoming album “Harry’s House.”
Donning a long, furry black coat with a red glow around him, Styles opened his set with his new single, “As It Was.” It marked the first live performance of the song from his upcoming album.
While the song's lyrics themselves allude to his struggles with love and fame, nothing but good vibes and high energy could be felt from the 28-year-old English singer. Thanks to the song's bouncy feel from its infectious synth (similar to A-ha's "Take On Me") and drum beat, the crowd was jumping and screaming along to the words instantly. A video with rabbits hopping in a garden, and doing other not-suitable-for-watching bunny activities, introduced the song.
As he started moving from one end of the stage to the other, Styles ditched his coat to reveal a shiny, silver one-piece with a plunging v-neckline that showed off his chest tattoos.
The song is off of Styles’ third studio album, "Harry's House," which will be released May 20.
Styles previously said in an interview with Audacy's Bru he feels "very lucky to be able to open (Coachella) back up."
Speaking to the crowd on Friday, Styles coyly introduced himself: "Hi, my name is Harry."
"It's a pleasure to be here tonight," he continued. "This is very special."
His 80-minute set also included a performance of his new song, "Boyfriends." He dedicated the song to "boyfriends everywhere," adding, "(expletive) you."
The song is slower and more folksy compared to his hits "Watermelon Sugar" and "Lights Up." He asked the crowd to "be gentle" with the new song, which was performed for the first time ever, and audience members gave him a loud round of applause at the end.
He also delighted fans with another new song, "Late Night Talking."
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Joining Styles on stage as a surprise guest was country legend Shania Twain for a duet of Twain's 1997 hit "Man! I Feel Like A Woman." The county singer previously said in an interview with Home Now Radio on Apple Music Hits that she wanted to collaborate with Styles and that she is a "big fan."
Styles also performed a number of fan favorites, such as "Adore You" and "Golden" off of his album "Fine Line." The crowd went wild for his sultry dance moves, and he got to show off his guitar skills on the latter.
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His Friday set marked the first time the Grammy winner performed at Coachella. He previously stopped by the festival once to see rapper and producer Pharrell perform.
Before launching his solo career, Styles was a member of the popular English-Irish pop boy band One Direction with Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik.
He released his self-titled debut solo album in 2017, which debuted at No. 1 in the United Kingdom and the United States. His second album, "Fine Line," was released in 2019 and debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at [email protected] or Twitter @ema_sasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Coachella 2022: Harry Styles brings out country legend Shania Twain
