Harry Styles Reveals How an Outgoing Girlfriend Made Him Less Afraid to Be in Public

Harry Styles credits a romantic partner for helping him feel comfortable stepping out in public more often.

In a conversation with Thom Yorke for a Rolling Stone cover story published Thursday, Oct. 8, the pop singer and Radiohead frontman discussed how they first met while walking around Rome. Styles told Yorke he had always been someone he was scared of meeting, to which Yorke replied that he was impressed Styles was walking down the street without security.

Styles stated that during his time in One Direction, hotel experiences felt locked in, and staying at home felt unsafe for going out.

That changed after he began a relationship with an outgoing girlfriend visiting London. Because staying inside for three days would have seemed unusual, they walked everywhere, realizing it was fine to be outside. Styles noted that the experience changed his life by showing him how to stay connected to the world.

It remains unclear whether Styles referred to an ex-girlfriend or partner Zoe Kravitz, who is reportedly his fiancée. The actress and singer have been spotted in public together multiple times, occasionally greeting approaching fans.

During their discussion for the publication’s “Musicians on Musicians” issue, Styles and Yorke talked about the importance of maintaining a connection to the real world as songwriters.

Styles, known for “As It Was,” described a cycle where creating music that captures the human experience leads to success that can ultimately make one’s surroundings feel deeply inhuman. He added that the goal is shutting that out during the creative process to continue writing music about the human experience.

Yorke noted that songwriting is a naive pursuit that resists strategic calculation. He stated that while hard work is involved, good material emerges unexpectedly, requiring artists to accept that uncertainty and hold onto what they like.

Styles and Yorke appear together on the cover of Rolling Stone.