Styles Revives His 2010 'X Factor' Audition at Madison Square Garden
Seven Lights
Harry Styles marked Halloween week at Madison Square Garden by going back to where the public story of him began: the audition tape.
Performing the first of two “Harryween” concerts Friday night, the penultimate date of his 30-night residency at the venue, Mr. Styles appeared initially as Elvis Presley, in the King’s signature white jumpsuit with cape and gold sunglasses, NME reported. His backing band and dancers came dressed as various versions of Mr. Styles himself, drawn from across his career.
Then the costume changed again. The singer recreated his 2010 “X Factor” audition, performing Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” dressed as his 16-year-old self, the song and the look with which he first faced the judges Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger and Louis Walsh on the talent show, an appearance that led to his placement in One Direction and, from there, to the residency now filling the Garden.
Mr. Styles also revived a line from that audition, telling the crowd, “I work in a bakery,” a joke from the original television appearance that fans had long made a meme of. Billboard and Rolling Stone reported the performance, both noting it came at the 29th of 30 scheduled nights at the venue.
The residency, which began in August as part of Mr. Styles’ ongoing “Together, Together” world tour, has become a running exhibition of the singer’s archive: earlier this week he performed “Ever Since New York” for the first time in four years, according to NME. The Halloween editions extended the conceit to the wardrobe, with the audience likewise in costume for the fancy-dress billing.
The final night of the 30-date run is scheduled for Saturday, after which the tour moves on from the venue that has hosted its longest stand. Whether the residency is extended, as such runs sometimes are, had not been announced.