Photo courtesy of Charlie Dave, Wikipedia
Just over a year since the start of his “Fine Line” era, Harry Styles finally released the long-anticipated “Golden” music video on Oct. 26. Announced last Friday, the British singer’s social media shared a promotional picture for the music video. On Sunday, they said that the music video would release the next day.
However, fans knew the video was coming; it was just a matter of time until Styles and his team released the video.
Styles was spotted filming along the Amalfi Coast in Italy back in late September. Photos and short videos from the shoot were leaked, as well as a few minor fan interactions shared online. As soon as a short video of Styles running behind a moving car with a camera crew playing music was leaked, fans were quickly able to decipher the teaser. They knew the background music had to be from his sophomore album's introductory track, “Golden.”
Following the announcement and leaked photos, fans developed theories about the story of the music video. Some fans were suggesting that the video could be a continuation of 2019’s “Adore You” video, where Styles is on the Isle of Eroda and has a keen relationship with a fish. Since watching the “Golden” video, it is unclear if it has a deeper meaning or connection to his earlier videos. However, the visuals are incredible on their own and a great addition to his collection of music videos.
The video starts with Styles emerging from a tunnel, running towards the camera. The music video then turns into a montage of scenes featuring Styles. Styles is seen running in a loose, white button-down along the scenic back roads of Italy’s coast, as well as driving a vintage car with pure lace gloves and a blue blazer. Styles is strutting moments of exuding effortless happiness amongst a coastal background in the video. There are also shots of Styles swimming and gazing into the clear waters and posing with a fisherman’s hat on rocks surrounded by the Tyrrhenian Sea.
All of the scenes take place within Italy's breathtaking golden hour, truly capturing the essence of “Golden.”
Styles is playful, charming, enchanting, and incredibly engaged with his viewers – or camera – throughout the entire video. The video feels equally formal and relaxed, creating a perfect atmosphere for fans to indulge in. Though it may not be as symbolic or heavily cinematic, it serves its purpose of capturing breathtaking and joyous scenes of Styles exploring the highest beauts of Italy.
The glamour and setting of his “Fine Line” journey portray a world much brighter and happier than the world we are in now, and we can use “Golden” as an escape from our broken reality.
It is charming yet bittersweet to see that Styles started the “Fine Line” era with the self-discovery anthem “Lights Up” music video, where he repeatedly sings (and ends the song) with the line “Do you know who you are?” Fittingly, he presumably ended this series of music videos with “You’re so golden.”
Styles has made this album and series of music videos incredibly focused on his dedicated fanbase, and while this album is primarily about sex, sadness, and self-discovery, he suggests his gratitude for his fans, as we have helped him just as much as he’s helped us. Not only has Styles driven down his own road towards self-discovery, -acceptance, and -love, but he has also led his fans there as well, reminding them of their worth and growth.
“Golden” is most-likely a heartbreaking love song with dreadful lyrics and upbeat, enlighted musical accompaniments on its own. However, with his carefully executed order of videos and the general tone and setting of the music video, it seems as if Styles is speaking to his fans, reminding them how golden they really are, thanking them for their journey through “Fine Line.”
It feels as if our time within the blue and pink world of “Fine Line” is reaching its end as we approach the one year anniversary of its release and conclusion of music videos, but hopefully, this is not the entire case. Styles’ worldwide “Love On Tour” has been tentatively pushed to 2021 due to the pandemic, so we can rest assured knowing that we will get to experience the beauty of “Fine Line” in person when the time and safety comes around.
But in the meantime, we can still live in the bright, glistening moments we still have, and fantasize about running along the steep roads of the Amalfi Coast with our golden idol.
emelvin@ramapo.edu
