Is Harry Styles Exhausting Himself? He’s Committed To Three Solo Albums And A Very Demanding Movie Role

Harry Styles of One Direction just signed a contract with Columbia for not one, but three solo albums according to Hollywire. Plus, he is already working on the really big budget Christopher Nolan film Dunkirk. What is Harry thinking? How can he possibly do all this at once? Being a serious musician and a serious actor is going to be a challenge, even for Harry.

One Direction always put out albums faster than most groups. They produced one per year for 5 years. When that was done, though, the guys were exhausted. Five albums, five world tours, and 5 years to do them is just crazy. It must have been grueling, especially for teenaged boys. All the guys have taken a break, except Styles, who has been working hard since the hiatus began.

Harry Styles shut himself off from the world for weeks at a time. He bought a piano. He wrote songs. He talked to expert musicians. He didn’t go out much. He was incredibly disciplined as he searched for the new sound he wanted for his solo album.

One Direction’s other band members have been on a break and are just now starting to work on solo material. Harry has been working nonstop, not only writing songs, and doing a little recording, but also finding the right management company, lining up just the right recording contract, landing a role in a major motion picture, and getting in top physical shape for the Dunkirk war movie.

Is Harry Styles over committing himself? Is it the money spurring him on at this pace? Styles will be paid $75 million to $80 million to make the three albums, according to Hollywire. There is no information on how much Styles will be paid for acting in a Christopher Nolan film but his pay for that is probably tens of millions as well.

Harry Styles has turned down an Apple Record contract of a single album for $25 million, in favor of a three album contract with Columbia. That means he wants a long-term commitment, though there are many reasons he could prefer to record with Columbia over Apple as well.

Harry Styles hit the ground running as soon as One Direction went on hiatus. He is not slacking off at all. He’s intensified his workload by taking on acting and music at the same time.

Dunkirk will not be coming out until July 21, 2017. That is more than a year away, plus the film is being shot on location in at least four different countries. The Telegraph reports different parts of the movie will be shot in France, Holland, the U.K., and Los Angeles. Though Harry may be finished with the filming of his part of the movie months before the release date, it will still take a long time to make this movie.

Harry Styles is good at burning the candle at both ends. He worked very hard with One Direction, getting out five albums and five world tours in 5 years was amazing. Now, if Styles does three solo albums, that also means three tours, right? Could Harry’s commitments encompass 4 years of work or more? Probably. It’s likely going to take at least 3 years to make three albums, if he plans to tour with each one, and that is usually the pattern. What about the movie, Dunkirk, though?

Dunkirk has been an all-consuming project for Styles so far. He’s been filming in France for nearly 2 months. Styles has hardly been seen in public during that time, and he is spending virtually all his time acting. Now the crew has moved on to the U.K. Will Harry be recording while he is in the U.K.? Will he have time?

Even Harry Styles is going to find it hard to be in two places at once, though his fans know how driven he can be. The logistics of recording and filming at the same time would be a nightmare for most people. Will Columbia wait until Dunkirk is complete to begin the first album? Almost certainly the tour will have to wait until the movie is done.

One Direction had planned to get back together after a year, but Harry is going to be tied up for at least 3 years. So, are they getting back together? It’s possible, considering how Harry can handle a workload. If he can put out the first album while starring in a major motion picture, then he could make and promote his own music while singing with One Direction. He may not, but it would be possible, seeing how efficiently he handles a work schedule. It is yet to be seen though what this work schedule could do to Styles long term. He’s bound to get tired and could burn out eventually, but there is no sign of that yet.

Harry Styles has been working very hard since leaving One Direction, and he has committed himself to working even harder but can he stand up to the schedule?

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]