Harry Styles has revealed that he finally felt the "freedom" to have "fun" and be himself on his upcoming sophomore album, Fine Line.

The former One Direction star previously admitted that he was nervous about what the boy band's fans would make of his debut solo record. However, their warm reception has given the English singer-songwriter, actor, TV host and philanthropist, the confidence to truly make the kind of music that he really enjoys making now.

The 25-year-old told Music Week:

"The fact that the last album wasn’t necessarily a radio record, but I could tour it and people came to the shows and enjoyed them, made me feel I had freedom to make what I wanted to, and I wanted to make some fun songs.

"Coming off the road, there was a definite feeling of, ‘OK, now I know what it feels like to play a show on my own, what do I want the songs to be like if I’m going to tour again?’

“So I definitely went into this album with a freedom, that I didn’t have, or didn’t allow myself to have, last time."

Styles also said that he was "afraid to make fun music" after being in One Direction.

“I was a little subconsciously afraid of making fun music having come out of the band. 

“I tried to get rid of that a little bit.”

He'd also recently compared releasing new music to childbirth, saying:

"It's a little bittersweet because you live with it for so long and it feels like it's yours. Then you start giving it away. That's the most exciting part, having people hear it for the first time. It's fun. I assume the pain's not the same, but it feels a little like giving birth.”

The enormously talented star is refreshingly coming into his own and already carving out an illustrious musical career for himself. With his new music and mesmerizing performances, it's easy to see how he could be set to follow in the highly acclaimed footsteps of predecessors like Michael Hutchence, Mick Jagger and David Bowie.

The Lights Up singer-songwriter releases his eagerly awaited and highly anticipated second album Fine Line this coming Friday on December 13 via Columbia Records, and what better Christmas present could any of us wish for, than that!

The album is available to pre-order here.

Last month, Styles announced his Love On Tour 2020 world tour. Check ticket availabilty for the global tour HERE.  

HARRY STYLES' MUSIC IS AVAILABLE TO STREAM & PURCHASE HERE.