Harry Styles Says “Outgoing” Ex-Girlfriend Helped Him Conquer Anxiety

Harry Styles and Zoe Kravitz’s Rare Kiss Is Indeed a Sign of the TimesHarry Styles didn’t want his reclusive lifestyle to continue as it was. The Grammy winner explained that his free time is now much more liberating compared to when he was touring with One Direction—and it’s all thanks to a former girlfriend. “In the early days, when I was in the band, so much of the hotel experience felt very locked-in,” Styles said during a joint Rolling Stone interview with Thom Yorke published Oct. 8. “When I’d be home, it felt like, ‘Oh, it’s not safe for me to be out.’” However, the 32-year-old—who dated Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner and Caroline Flack in the 2010s—learned to overcome the anxiety of being in public with some help. “I had a girlfriend who was very outgoing, and she was coming to London and I was like, ‘Oh, if we just sit in my house for three days, she’s gonna think I’m nuts,’” he continued. “So we walked everywhere, and it was this realization for me: ‘Oh, it’s fine to be outside.’” Styles added, “It kind of broke that thing. Now, it’s changed my life in such a big way, because it’s how you stay connected to the world.” In fact, the “Watermelon Sugar” singer—who is reportedly engaged to Zoë Kravitz—now believes that being out and about is what fuels his creativity. Karwai Tang/WireImage“I read something about walking being the artist’s kind of perspective,” he shared, “because you’re at ground level and you see things that you just don’t see if you’re driving everywhere.” But while Styles may be comfortable stepping out for a stroll in public, he has been adamant that he isn’t interested in sharing the entire story of his life. In fact, he purposefully has not addressed questions about his sexuality in order to maintain his privacy. "Sometimes people say, 'You've only publicly been with women,' and I don't think I've publicly been with anyone," he told Rolling Stone in a separate 2022 interview. "If someone takes a picture of you with someone, it doesn't mean you're choosing to have a public relationship or something." He added, "I think everyone, including myself, has your own journey with figuring out sexuality and getting more comfortable with it." And even when the night changes, it’ll never change Styles. "I've never talked about my life away from work publicly,” he emphasized. “and found that it's benefited me positively." For a deep dive into Styles’ dating history through the years, keep reading… Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesCaroline FlackStyles and the late X Factor host dated in 2011. Flack, who was about 15 years older than him, wrote in her 2015 memoir, Storm in a C Cup, "At the beginning it was all very playful. He joked about being attracted to older women. There was 12 years between us...no one seemed to be bothered then about the age difference." She said "it began to go wrong" after there was an unflattering tabloid story about her romance with him, in which she was dubbed a "classic me-first cougar" and "predatory older woman." She said strangers called her "pedophile" and "pervert" to her face and that One Direction fans harassed and mocked her.Stephen Lovekin/Getty ImagesEmma OstillyThe U.S. model appeared in One Direction's music video for "Gotta Be You" in 2011. A year later, the two sparked romance rumors after they were spotted kissing while out in Auckland, New Zealand.Stuart C. Wilson/Getty ImagesCaggie DunlopHe very briefly romanced the Made in Chelsea star back in 2012.Fred Duval/FilmMagicEmily AtackIn 2012, Styles was romantically linked to the Inbetweeners actress. A year later, she told Reveal magazine, "We were never boyfriend and girlfriend. I think that's the first time I've ever admitted to what it was, because I've always just shrugged it off before. But I think it's best to clear it up. So, yeah, we had a short-lived thing that was just a bit of fun. Then we went off in our opposite directions."Getty ImagesTaylor SwiftAh, they Haylor days. The superstar duo dated from the fall of 2012 to winter 2013. During that time, the two were famously photographed walking together in Central Park. "When I see photos from that day, I think: Relationships are hard, at any age," Styles told Rolling Stone in 2017. "And adding in that you don't really understand exactly how it works when you're 18, trying to navigate all that stuff didn't make it easier." "I mean, you're a little bit awkward to begin with," he added. "You're on a date with someone you really like. It should be that simple, right? It was a learning experience for sure. But at the heart of it, I just wanted it to be a normal date." Since going their separate ways, they have both seemed to pen songs about one another: "I Knew You Were Trouble," "Style" and "Perfect."J.Santos / Pacific Coast NewsKimberly StewartIn 2013, Styles and Rod Stewart's daughter were set up by a mutual friend, an insider revealed to E!. "Kim is very strong willed, she goes for what she wants and Harry appreciates that," the source said. "She is exactly his type." Getty ImagesKendall JennerThe two have occasionally sparked dating rumors on and off since 2013 and remain friendly. In December 2019, they showcased great chemistry as they reunited on The Late Late Show for a funny and pretty gross segment.Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesNicole ScherzingerStyles and the Pussycat Dolls singer had a fling in late 2013 when he was 19 and she was 35, according to The Sun. Though the duo never confirmed the report, Scherzinger did raise eyebrows when she wore a T-shirt bearing the name "Harry Styles" while out in London in 2017.Frazer Harrison / Staff / GETTY IMAGESErin FosterStyles and the TV and Instagram star and David Foster's daughter dated for a bit in the fall of 2014. At the time, a source told E! News that the twosome had a romantic relationship going on right, but noted it was "nothing serious."Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Victoria's SecretNadine LeopoldStyles and the Austrian model first sparked romance rumors when they stepped out together in November 2014. Set up through her agent Jeff Azoff, they went on to date for several months before calling it quits in early 2015.Matt Baron/Shutterstock Georgia FowlerNick Jonas' ex was linked to the boy bander in 2015 after she shared a snap of him playing Scrabble with her. And while many fans believe his 2017 hit "Kiwi" is about her, the New Zealand model isn't sold. "Ah, don't really know anything about it," Georgia, who called Styles her friend, said in an interview. "I think it's highly unlikely."247PAPS.TV / Splash NewsSara SampaioThe pair and sparked romance rumors when they were spotted looking cozy while out together in NYC in June 2015. "She came over to his hotel and they grabbed dinner," an eyewitness told E! at the time, noting they "hugged and kissed goodbye."Nathan Congleton/NBC; Dave Benett/Getty ImagesTess WardDuring her romance with Styles in the summer of 2017, the chef and food blogger received an almost unbearable amount of online hate. "It's been so weird, the hate messages…very bizarre," she told The Times that year. "I'm not the kind of person who's interested in fame, and if you're put in an environment which you don't understand and you can't control and you don't want, it's horrible."Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic, Amanda Edwards/WireImageCamille RoweStyles and the French-American Victoria's Secret model dated for a year until summer 2018. And while he hasn't outright said it's her voicemail that plays at the end of his song Cherry, he did confirm those vocals were provided by an ex. "We're friends and stuff, so I asked her if it was OK," he teased, "And she was OK with it." Broadimage/Shutterstock /Nathan Congleton/NBCOlivia WildeThe artist and director, who directed him in Don't Worry Darling, rang in 2021 by going public with their romance at Jeff Azoff's wedding in Montecito, Calif. In November 2022, a source confirmed to E! News that the two were taking a break after about two years of dating.XNY/Star Max/GC ImagesZoë KravitzAfter privately dating for some time, Styles and the Big Little Lies actress reportedly got engaged in April 2026.For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App