There is a sense of pride that overtakes me when it comes to Harry Styles. I proudly admit to being a One Direction fan back in the day, and thus, that means I’ve watched Harry Styles learn and grow as a performer. But where that pride comes from is his ability to take on gender norms in a way that shows he’s not afraid to flout society’s idea of what’s meant for him as a man.
When Styles took on Saturday Night Live this weekend, he did it with rings and nail polish, wearing very Mick Jagger-esque outfits and even dressing as a ballerina for one of his title cards, all of which helped drive home the message of inclusion that has been Styles’ driving force throughout his solo career. Since the dawning of Harry Styles by Harry Styles, we have watched as the once very preppy member of One Direction transformed into a man who wasn’t afraid to challenge the idea of what being a man meant.
He loved pink, he loved make-up, and he did whatever he wanted in a way that was freeing for everyone watching his journey from the start. So, to now see him shine on Saturday Night Live by doing double duty as a host and a musical guest? It was a wonderful turn for me, as a fan.
The show was honestly just a typical episode of SNL, but the difference was that Styles fit in so seamlessly that it almost felt like there was no host; it was just another cast member in the midst of it all. A sketch that I personally loved the most? “Joan Song,” where Styles is Joan’s boyfriend who happens to be her 12-pound chihuahua.
Styles also performed his new song, “Watermelon Sugar” on the show, which, of course, sent most of his fans into a tizzy. (Look, I was out and listened to this on a subway platform, and maybe I cried? You’ll never know!)
Fans took to Twitter to make fun jokes about their excitement for the song as well as Styles’ performance on the show in general, because if there is anything to say about Styles fans, it’s that we love this boy and his career, and we are proud of everything he’s accomplished, both in One Direction and outside of it.
i’m still trying to process how snl got harry styles to portray a sara lee social media handler that wants to “get railed to death” by some internet twink on instagram because that was wild pic.twitter.com/A4wlPpxaaM
— sara (@thisbemesara) November 17, 2019
harry styles photographed for snl is actually something that can be so personal pic.twitter.com/Y6nhjIhRJq
— sophie (@nbcwiII) November 17, 2019
#WatermelonSugar
Harry: “Breathe me in. Breathe me out.”
Me: pic.twitter.com/bDbyiIOJFb— AbroadWithAnna (@Anna1Leigh_kty) November 18, 2019
mood of the day #WatermelonSugar pic.twitter.com/ZGcSiRisis
— mel (@foolxyou) November 17, 2019
make harry styles a permanent SNL cast member or i riot
— Matt Bellassai (@MattBellassai) November 17, 2019
Is it weird that I feel like a proud mother, since I remember watching clips from X Factor? Probably, but I’ve seen Harry Styles perform twice in my life, and I would honestly pay good money to go again because he is one of the greatest performers of this decade.
(image: NBC)
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