Harry Styles’ fiercely anticipated new song was finally released on April 1. “As It Was” is the lead single of Styles’ upcoming third album titled “Harry’s House,” which will be released  worldwide on May 20.

Fans worldwide have been anticipating new music from the artist for quite a few years now. This song is the first Styles has released since his acclaimed 2019 second studio album, “Fine Line,” which included his Grammy-winning hit song “Watermelon Sugar.”

The title of the new track hints at how different Styles’ music is going to be. Fans are becoming used to ambiguous titles that don’t really give much information about the songs themselves or words that aren’t even mentioned in the songs themselves — such as “Kiwi” or “Cherry.”

“It’s a daring change-up for Styles, unlike anything he’s done before musically. He kicked off his first two album eras with grand statements, ‘Sign of the Times’ and ‘Lights Up,’” journalist Rob Sheffield wrote in an article for Rolling Stone Magazine. “But ‘As It Was’ is more nakedly vulnerable, a straight-from-the-heart cry that’s also an irresistible dance-floor challenge.”

The vulnerability demonstrated in the song is also something new for Styles. He’s always been vague on the true meaning of his songs, masking personal experiences with his lyrics. His mysterious nature has always led fans to theorize about what the artist is talking about.

However, in “As It Was,” Styles is more straightforward than ever, telling a story that fans around the world speculate is about his complicated relationship with his father.

There are direct lyrics that point towards the impact that his parents’ divorce had on him: “Ringin’ the bell / And nobody’s coming to help / Your daddy lives by himself / He just wants to know that you’re well.”

The heart-wrenching song discusses reflection through the perspective of a younger self, focusing on how things have changed. The words are accompanied by a cheerful synthpop beat that reminds the listeners of 80s tunes.

In recent interviews about his newest release, Styles has been seen glowing, happier than ever about his work.

“The process of this album for me has been easily the most joyous of anything I’ve kind of experienced so far while making music, and I kinda want to just continue that and putting it out,” the artist expressed on SiriusXM Hits 1.

The happiness he feels, his natural charm and how comfortable he is with himself have also been translated into the increase in his popularity the last couple of years since the release of “Fine Line.”

Before the release “Harry’s House,” Styles is scheduled to play at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festivals as one of the headline artists, and he will resume his worldwide tour this June.