Lights Up

"Lights Up" is a song by English singer and songwriter Harry Styles, released through Erskine and Columbia Records on 11 October 2019 as the lead single for his second studio album, Fine Line.[4] The music video was also released the same day on his own YouTube channel.[5]

"Lights Up"
Single by Harry Styles
from the album Fine Line
B-side"Do You Know Who You Are?"
Released11 October 2019 (2019-10-11)
Recorded2019
Studio
  • The Cave (Nashville)
  • EastWest (Los Angeles)
  • Henson Recording (Hollywood)
Genre
Length2:52
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Tyler Johnson
Harry Styles singles chronology
"Kiwi"
(2017)		 "Lights Up"
(2019)		 "Adore You"
(2019)
Music video
"Lights Up" on YouTube

Background and release

In the days preceding the song's release, billboards appeared in several cities around the world with the phrase "Do You Know Who You Are?", which was connected to Styles after each of the posters featured both the Columbia Records logo and the acronym "TPWK", standing for "Treat People with Kindness", which has appeared on Styles' tour merchandise.[6] A website also named "Do You Know Who You Are?" that offered compliments to users who entered their name on it was also set up.[7] Styles revealed the cover art and song title on his social media on 11 October 2019.[8]

Composition and lyrics

"Lights Up" is a pop,[1][9] soul[2][10] and pop rock[3] song with 1970s,[11] R&B[12] and indie-pop[13] influences and lasts for two minutes and fifty-two seconds.[14] In terms of musical notation, the song composed in the key of B♭ minor, with a tempo of 100 beats per minute. The song is constructed in the verse-chorus form and follows a chord progression of D–E in the chorus and Em–D–Dsus–Am7 sequence everywhere else. Styles' vocals span from B♭4 to B♭5.[14] The "modern-leaning" production consists of multilayered guitars, keyboards and programmed beats.[15] The song derives its minimalist sound from several vintage and organic elements, including layered synths, drum machines, and heavy bass, among others.[16][17][10] It also makes use of a supple bassline and pummeling percussions.[18][19]

"Lights Up" eschews traditional song structures and is composed of several breakdown pre-choruses and post-choruses with a single chorus.[20][21] The song opens with a 17-second instrumental intro that is followed by a beat leads to the track's opening verse. A pitch-drift is added after this, driven by electric guitars that complements Styles' tightly tuned vocals, resulting in a "hazy, tripped-out" production.[21] The pre-chorus is psychedelic and stilted, throughout which Styles uses distorted vocals.[9][17][22] The song further utilizes piano chords in this section, with vocoder-processed backing vocals from a gospel choir.[9][17][10][16] The central chorus is uptempo and "high-energy" and uses a piano-driven chord modulation similar to Michael Jackson's "Rock with You".[19] In its composition, the chorus has cadences in the chord of B♭ led by a backing-vocal refrain, "Shine". Styles' vocals reach a crescendo shortly before the track's outro.[20] Most of the song uses layered vocal texture consisting of a vocal line doubled at the upper and lower octaves along-with tight and electronic double-line.[21] Critics have compared the song's musical style to Tame Impala.[18][23] Mike Nied of Idolator interpreted the song's lyrics as "being more about self-actualization than a relationship" while Madeline Roth of MTV wrote that the track is about "all about lucidity and self-discovery."[24][23]

Critical reception

Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote that the song is a "soft-touch re-entry into the pop slipstream. Somewhere between '70s soft rock, lite disco and indie pop, it doesn't ask much more of Styles's voice than a gentle coo, and surrounds it with a plangent sparkle." Nicholas Hautman of Us Weekly described the song as a "groovy, melodic track".[4] Roisin O'Connor of The Independent gave the song 4 out of 5 stars, calling "Lights Up" "Styles's most assured song to date. And described the song as “a piano and guitar-based track drenched in California Dreamin' vibes and loaded with psychedelic grooves”. His vocals are surprisingly airy compared to the sharper delivery of earlier cuts; you could easily interpret lyrics as a comment on fame, or else perhaps his embracing of his own identity."[25]

Laura Snapes of The Guardian rated the song 4 out of 5 stars, and praised its production and musical styles, calling the track a "soulful, enigmatic return" that "is laced with surprises" and "sounds nothing like his blandly secular British male peers, or the narcotised synth-pop that's dominated this year".[10] Craig Jenkins of Vulture praised the song, calling it "a breezy tune for the start of hoodie weather and an encouraging sentiment for a day about celebrating what makes all of us unique".[9] Variety staff wrote that "[it] is a bit of a departure from Styles' debut" and described it as "a shimmering pop ballad" that "vaguely recalls songs from Justin Timberlake's early solo albums."[26]

Anna Gaca of Pitchfork's review was positive as well, saying that Styles "[he]'s nothing if not a talented showman" and felt that the song "seems designed to wriggle through the strictures of pop songwriting. It's less than three minutes but its strangeness makes it feel longer".[17] Matt Bellassai called the song a "bisexual bop".[27] Capital radio station and Gay Times called the song a "bisexual anthem" based on its music video.[28][29]

Live performances

On 16 November 2019, Styles performed the song for the first time on Saturday Night Live, on Later... with Jools Holland, and on Capital's Jingle Bell Ball 2019.

Music video

The music video was released on 11 October 2019, directed by Vincent Haycock[30][31] co-produced by “Cine buro” and “Kanan films” both Mexican productions companies. Filmed in Cancún, México. Joalin Loukamaa of pop group Now United appears in the video.[32]

Track listing
Digital download[33]
No.TitleLength
1."Lights Up"2:52
7-inch vinyl[34]
No.TitleLength
1."Lights Up"2:52
2."Do You Know Who You Are? (Locked Groove)" 

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Fine Line.[35]

Recording

Personnel
  • Harry Styles – vocals, songwriting, backing vocals
  • Tyler Johnson – songwriting, production, backing vocals, drums, drum programming, bass, acoustic guitar, keyboards, engineering
  • Thomas Hull – songwriting, electric guitar, additional production
  • Jason White – choir, contractor
  • Brandon Winbush – choir
  • Nikisha Daniel – choir
  • Tiffany Smith – choir
  • Tiffany Stevenson – choir
  • Ivan Jackson – horn
  • Jeremy Hatcher – engineering
  • Nick Lobel – engineering
  • Sammy Witte – engineering
  • Matt Tuggle – assistant engineering
  • Matt Wallick – assistant engineering
  • Jon Castelli – mixing
  • Ingmar Carlson – mix assistant
  • Randy Merrill – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (2019–2020) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[36] 7
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[37] 16
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[38] 2
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[39] 4
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[40] 14
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[41] 10
Denmark (Tracklisten)[42] 30
Estonia (Eesti Ekspress)[43] 5
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[44] 20
France (SNEP)[45] 127
Germany (Official German Charts)[46] 50
Greece (IFPI)[47] 4
Hungary (Single Top 40)[48] 9
Hungary (Stream Top 40)[49] 6
Ireland (IRMA)[50] 4
Italy (FIMI)[51] 37
Latvia (LAIPA)[52] 4
Lithuania (AGATA)[53] 3
Malaysia (RIM)[54] 15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[55] 36
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[56] 7
Norway (VG-lista)[57] 16
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[58] 29
Portugal (AFP)[59] 23
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[60] 6
Singapore (RIAS)[61] 14
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[62] 6
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[63] 65
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[64] 15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[65] 22
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[66] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[67] 17
US Rolling Stone Top 100[68] 4

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[69] Platinum 70,000
Mexico (AMPROFON)[70] Gold 30,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[71] Gold 15,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[72] Gold 10,000*
Portugal (AFP)[73] Gold 10,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[74] Gold 400,000
United States (RIAA)[75] Platinum 1,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 11 October 2019
[33]
Australia Contemporary hit radio Sony [76]
Italy [77]
United Kingdom 12 October 2019 [78]
Various Early 2020 7-inch vinyl
  • Erskine
  • Columbia
 [34]

References
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  3. Catucci, Nick. "Harry Styles Is a Rock God and a Gentleman on 'Fine Line'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  4. Hautman, Nicholas (11 October 2019). "Harry Styles Drops New Song and Music Video 'Lights Up' Ahead of 2nd Solo Album". Us Weekly. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  5. "Harry Styles – Lights Up (Official Video)". Retrieved 11 October 2019 – via YouTube.
  6. Nickolai, Nate (11 October 2019). "Harry Styles Drops New Single 'Lights Up' – Variety". Variety. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
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  8. @Harry_Styles (11 October 2019). "t.co/jA5qCyvi9z" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 October 2019 – via Twitter.
  9. Jenkins, Craig (11 October 2019). "Harry Styles's 'Lights Up' Is Deliciously Unsubtle". Vulture. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
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