Harry Styles has officially confirmed his return, announcing plans to release a brand new single, ‘Aperture’, later this week.
The track will land at midnight GMT on Friday, January 23, and serves as the first taster from his forthcoming fourth studio album, Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally, which is set for release on March 6.
Here’s everything we know so far – and what it might mean for a potential 2026 tour, including growing speculation that he’s heading back to Manchester.
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The new single and album
‘Aperture’ marks Styles’ first solo release since 2022’s Harry’s House. The upcoming album will feature 12 new tracks and is executive produced by Kid Harpoon, who also worked on Harry’s House. That previous record spawned global hits including As It Was, Late Night Talking and Music For A Sushi Restaurant, and went on to win Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album, alongside a BRIT Award for Album of the Year.
Styles began teasing his return last week via a series of posters appearing in cities across the world bearing the phrase “We Belong Together”.
He then sent fans a brief, lo-fi voice note on WhatsApp, featuring him singing the line: “We belong together.” The phrase has since become the central motif of the album rollout and also appeared in a teaser video titled Forever, Forever.
Rumours of a new record stretch back much further. In August 2022, Styles suggested he was already sketching ideas for his next project, while in 2024 he was spotted arriving at RAK Studios in London, fuelling speculation that recording was well underway.
Tour rumours are already swirling
Alongside excitement about the music, fans have quickly turned their attention to what might come next on the live front.
Styles, now 31, previously played 173 dates on Love On Tour, performing to around five million fans worldwide. His official website currently offers fans the chance to sign up for updates on “pre-sale for future tour dates”, a move that many see as a strong signal that live plans are coming together.
Notably, pre-sale access is available via both merch purchases and a no-purchase option, something fans have praised as unusually inclusive for a major global artist.
Much of the current chatter centres on the idea of mini-residencies. In the UK, online sleuths have noted that Wembley Stadium has availability for a run of dates in mid-June, prompting speculation that Styles could follow his US playbook with multiple nights in one location.
Across the Atlantic, Page Six has reported that Styles has “locked in” a residency at Madison Square Garden. In August and September 2022, he completed a historic 15-night, sold-out run at the venue as part of Love On Tour.
Support acts and festival hints
Fans have also begun speculating about possible support acts. One name repeatedly mentioned is Djo, the musical alias of actor and musician Joe Keery.
The rumours gathered pace after Keery followed Styles on Instagram, with further intrigue added when he hinted at summer plans, saying: “We’re doing Lollapalooza South America so that’ll be really fun in March. Then I think we’re planning a little thing for the summer, but I’m not entirely sure how it’s all shaping up yet.”
There is also longer-term festival talk. Styles previously headlined Coachella in 2022 and attended Glastonbury last summer without performing. According to claims attributed to sources at Worthy Farm and reported by the Sun, he is thought to be lined up to headline the Pyramid Stage in 2027 – something that would align with how far in advance Glastonbury books its biggest acts.
So… will Harry Styles come to Manchester?
This is where things get particularly interesting for the North. Whispers are growing that Styles could appear at the BRIT Awards on February 28, which are being held at Co-op Live – the UK’s largest indoor arena and a venue with which Styles has a direct link as a major investor.
While a BRITs performance wouldn’t automatically confirm tour dates, it would put Styles firmly in Manchester at the very start of this new era. Given Co-op Live’s scale, technical capability and global ambitions, it would be an obvious home for a multi-night Manchester residency or a key stop on a future world tour.
If Styles is indeed balancing residencies in London and New York, Manchester could logically sit alongside them, particularly given the venue’s desire to attract world-defining pop moments.
