Entertainment

Harry Styles' "Adore You" Video Is A Quirky Indie Film About A Man & His Fish

by Tori Zhou

Harry Styles is exploring what it's like to feel like a fish out of water with the concept of his new music video, based in the fictional island, Eroda. Ahead of the music video release of "Adore You," Styles took his promotion a step further with fake destination websites asking fans to "Visit Eroda." The ads promised an idyllic island vacation, and the video does not disappoint.

"Adore You" opens with a narrator, who introduces the island. Located in between Belfast and Glasgow, Eruda is far from the dream island life. Styles stars as an Erodian who was born with a blinding smile, much to the dismay of the islanders, whose moods matched the perpetually gray skies. Instead of being happy and bright, the island is grey, and citizens aren't overly friendly. And Spanish artist Rosalía acts as an off-screen tour guide, detailing the various superstitions of Eroda that posed ill omens: the sight of a "minister in the morning," the sound of mentioning a "pig in a fisherman's pub," and the touch of "whistling in the wind." (Think Moonrise Kingdom and The Life Aquatic, or your other favorite Wes Anderson movie.)

Singing about his wish to adore his partner, a brooding Styles spends time lounging on a cliff and wading into stormy waters. But his mood changes when he literally rescues a fish out of water, and instead of putting the fish back into the ocean, he begins to care for the North African Jewel-Coat, who gradually grows into an unmanageable size.

The music video's story comes to a peak when Styles needs the help of the Grinch-like community in reuniting the fish with the sea. Together, the Erodians release the fish back into the ocean, setting off a chain reaction that finally brings out the sun and forever changes the island.

The video ends with Styles sailing away from Eroda, with no word on whether or not he plans to return. Regardless, he has fans ready to pack their bags. He even teased the release of the video with a fake Eroda travel advertisement.

Styles' new album Fine Line debuts on Dec. 13, and one can hope that they won't be seeing the last of Eroda. Now if only we could actually set sail to the isle.