Harry Styles graced the Royal Festival Hall at London’s Southbank Centre with a special orchestral performance. Amid showcasing songs from his repertoire, Styles delighted the audience with a rendition of Patrick Watson’s “Here Comes the River.” The Montreal artist’s track, featured on his 2019 album “Wave,” served as an inspiration for Styles’ recent release, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.” Jules Buckley, the conductor of the 50-piece orchestra that accompanied Styles, also played a role in arranging songs on the album.
According to reports from Variety, Styles shared with the crowd the backstory of his cover of Watson’s song. He expressed his desire for the strings in his song “Coming Up Roses” to emulate those in “Here Comes the River,” which he played for Buckley as a reference. Interestingly, Buckley had also worked on the strings for Watson’s song, leading to a seamless collaboration: “I said, ‘What do you think?’ And he said, ‘I did those strings!’ So I said, ‘Oh, just do that again.'” Styles initiated his performance at the piano before being joined by the string section during the song’s grand chorus.
During the show, a fan expressed gratitude to Styles for introducing them to Watson, showcasing appreciation for the musical recommendation. Styles’ appearance was part of the broader Meltdown Festival, which he curated this year. The festival lineup featured artists such as Beverly Glenn-Copeland, the Devonté Hynes Ensemble, Kamasi Washington, and Warpaint, among others. In addition to Watson, Styles also paid homage by covering Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
Styles is presently on his Together Together tour, stationed at Wembley Stadium in London until July 4, with special guest Shania Twain joining him for the next nine shows. Meanwhile, Watson is embarking on a summer tour with international dates and stops in Canada, including performances at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, and Festival d’été de Quebec.