We know it’s not the same ‘As It Was’ after Harry Styles graced Singapore again with his Love On Tour last Friday.

17 March 2023 soon became one to remember as the British singer-songwriter held his biggest show in Singapore to date at the National Stadium at 8 PM. The evening was nothing short of impressive performances from Harry and his spectacular live band, heartwarming fan encounters, and iconically enough, fruits — in various forms — fitting of a concert from the fruit man himself. 

Following Harry’s momentous win at the 65th Grammy Awards earlier this year, where his latest studio album Harry’s House clinched Best Pop Vocal Album and the coveted Album of the Year, the night saw the ‘Adore You‘ hitmaker performing a mix of popular hits, fan favourites, and more intimate sets. The setlist would also not be complete without a Singapore rendition of ‘She’s Dressed As A Banana’ also known as the ‘Banana Song’ where, as Harry notably pointed out, fans present helped to co-write right there and then.

For an event as large of a scale as this was, Harry was perfectly capable of holding his own stage. Backed by an incredible live band, the gifted artist stunned audiences with his confident, euphonious, and easily-distinguishable vocals and achieved the impressive feat of commandeering an immense 32,000-strong crowd — all signs that pointed to how he was simply born to be a performer.

Dedicated fans were also quick to discern and adore the little quirks that Harry possesses as a performer — the same mannerisms, such as his animated dance steps that are just bursting with vivacious energy, that show how he’s fully immersing himself into the music as all great musicians and performers do.

On returning to Singapore and performing for the fans here, he shared: “A massive thank you for the support over the years. I’ve had the great privilege of being able to play here several times over the last ten years or so. You’ve always been so incredibly wonderful to me and kind for bringing us back here. Thank you so so much for the warm welcome back to Singapore.”

 

 

 

 

 

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For those who may still be high on ‘Watermelon Sugar’, going through major withdrawal symptoms from missing the fruit man, or just wishing to relive the memories of Harry’s milestone concert in Singapore, here are five highlights from the show that stood out to us.

IMPASSIONED FANS

The saying “like artist, like fans” felt palpably apparent at the Singapore concert. Take one look at the brightly-coloured feather boas, pink cowboy hats, green and purple fits, and you’d realise that some of the known comfort totems that make up Harry’s unique flamboyant style have been wholly embraced by his fans.

If that does not already speak lengths of how well they knew and understood Harry, fans who were exceptionally enthusiastic came dressed as life-sized fruits, undoubtedly catching the attention of the artist as he proceeded to include them in the Singapore version of ‘Banana Song’ — a song that has seen many versions throughout his Love On Tour.

A fan project organised by @hearts4harrysg on Instagram saw fans raising beautiful fan banners that state “YOU ARE THE LOVE OF OUR LIVES”, seemingly a zealous reply to the artist during his performance of ‘Love Of My Life’.

 

 

 

 

 

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From knowing every word of the songs performed that night to singing (and screaming) loudly along with the artist where even he was caught off guard by fans’ resounding “leave America” during his performance of ‘As It Was’, it really seemed like the wait for Harry’s return to Singapore since his last concert on our Little Red Dot in 2018 was five years too many for the passionate fans.

TUNES BEFITTING MORE THAN JUST A SUSHI RESTAURANT

The setlist that night consisted 19 songs, of which comprised ‘Music For a Sushi Restaurant’, ‘Golden’, and ‘Kiwi’. But apart from performing known fan favourites and beloved popular hits, Harry presented a more intimate and vulnerable side of himself to fans with ‘Matilda’. Starting out with him saying: “The next song that I’m going to play is very special to me,” fans present that night can attest to just how significant and moving the performance of the tender song was.

Harry impressed all with every performance but nothing was quite like the air of grandeur that seemed to land with his performance of ‘Sign of the Times’. Performed with such emotional intensity that rendered one speechless, the song was immensely captivating and arguably one of the best showcases of his stunning vocal prowess. 

A SALUTE TO ONE DIRECTION

Harry’s performance of ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ saw him returning to his roots and giving a nod to an undoubtedly integral chapter of his musical career. Known to many, Harry made his musical debut in 2010 as part of pop outfit One Direction. It was no surprise, then, that his performance of the wildly popular hit, which was originally released as part of the band’s first full-length studio album Up All Night in 2012, was a tremendously welcomed throwback. 

For fans who have been following his musical career since then, the track ultimately brought with it waves of undeniable nostalga. A song that not just One Direction fans were familiar with, it accounted for all the fans’ spirited singing and dancing that followed, which greatly enlivened the mood of the concert for the rest of the night.

HARRY’S BAND

As with all live music performances, live bands play a crucial role in ensuring the success of the show. Harry’s accompanying live band, comprising guitarist Ariza, bassist and vocalist Elin Sandberg, guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist Ny Oh, keyboardist YAFFRA, drummer Pocket Queen, and percussionist Pauli Lovejoy, elevated the night’s performance with their live music renditions. 

Apart from being talented musicians, they showcased exceptional, fun-filled chemistry with each other, as they could be seen simply enjoying their time and swaying together along to songs such as ‘What Makes You Beautiful’. Fans can also bear witness to their camaraderie and trust with Harry as it shone through the way that they worked together seamlessly to put on excellent performances.

BRINGING LOVE ON TOUR

Love was certainly in the air as Harry helped to bring a proposal to life during the concert. The successful proposal led to the artist jokingly saying: “What am I supposed to do now? You’ve stolen my thunder,” before adding: “You both seem wonderful, I wish you a life of happiness, congratulations.”

Harry’s genuine love for his fans, coupled with his unique endearing humour, goes beyond expectations. From acknowledging a young fan who drew a portrait of him to getting the entire stadium to sing a birthday song to a fan — to which everybody enthusiastically complied — it’s thoughtful events like that which ultimately make the experience so special and memorable for the fans involved.

Regardless if they are long-time fans or newcomers, it was a night that let fans on this side of the world adore him in return.

“If you’ve been following me for 1 year, 5 years, 12 years, whatever it is. You’ve changed my life over and over again. Thank you. I hope you had fun tonight. Please look after each other and get home safely. Goodnight, Singapore.”

Harry Styles Love On Tour 2023 in Singapore Setlist:

1. Music For a Sushi Restaurant
2. Golden
3. Adore You
4. Keep Driving
5. Daylight
6. Woman
7. Matilda
8. Little Freak
9. Satellite
10. Cinema
11. Treat People With Kindness
12. What Makes You Beautiful (orig. One Direction)
13. Late Night Talking
14. Watermelon Sugar
15. Love Of My Life
16. Sign of the Times
17. She’s Dressed As A Banana
18. As It Was
19. Kiwi