Harry Styles Wins Album of the Year at 65th Grammy Awards

Los Angeles, CA — Pop star Harry Styles took the stage at the 65th Grammy Awards in February 2023, wearing a sparkly top and cream-colored jacket to accept the highly coveted Album of the Year award for his album, Harry’s House.

Holding the gold trophy aloft, Styles expressed his gratitude, saying, “I don’t think any of us sit in the studio thinking [or] making decisions based on what is going to get us one of those. This is really, really kind and I’m so, so grateful.” The album also won awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, and reached the No. 1 spot in both the U.S. and Styles’ native U.K.

Released in May 2022, Harry’s House had fans buzzing about its title. Some noted the connection to a 1975 song of the same name by Joni Mitchell from her album The Hissing of Summer Lawns. That project was remarkable for its experimental, jazz-influenced sound and earned Mitchell a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Mitchell’s song delves into themes of a failing marriage intertwined with capitalism’s emptiness. In a 1973 interview, she reflected, “I’m still searching for meaning and purpose. People have a funny idea that success, that luxury is the end of the road. That’s not the end at all.”

While Styles has not directly commented on any homage to Mitchell, many speculate that her influence is present in his work. He has openly credited her as an inspiration, especially during the making of his 2019 album Fine Line. Styles mentioned a deep dive into Mitchell’s 1971 album Blue, which led him to acquire a dulcimer made by Joellen Lapidus, who had crafted instruments for Mitchell.

In February 2020, Styles participated in one of Mitchell’s “Joni Jams,” informal gatherings at her home. He recalled, “I did go to her house for like a Christmas carol sing-along, and I was invited by the wonderful Brandi Carlile. I wasn’t gonna sing anything, and then Brandi kind of volunteered me to sing ‘River,’ which was one of the more nerve-wracking moments in my life. Singing ‘River’ in front of Joni Mitchell. But it was pretty special.”

In his reflections on the title of his winning album, Styles stated, “I realized that that home feeling isn’t something that you get from a house; it’s more of an internal thing.” Joni Mitchell was quick to respond to the album’s title, saying, “Love the title,” when it was announced, further demonstrating the connection between the two artists.