Harry Styles' highly anticipated fourth studio album, 'Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally', is now available and, as expected, its lyrics have become the center of attention. Just hours after its release on Friday, March 6, the singer's fans began speculating about the possible inspirations behind his new songs, pointing directly to an old acquaintance: his ex-girlfriend, actress and director Olivia Wilde. The ballad "Paint by Numbers" is the main focus of the theories. In it, Styles, 32, reflects on the price of fame and how it affects those closest to him. "Oh, what a gift it is to be noticed / But it ain't my doing," he sings in the opening lines, before giving way to a melancholic chorus: "It's a lifetime learning to paint by numbers / And watching the colours run." However, it's the second verse that has set off alarm bells among his fans. The lyrics say: “Holding the weight of American children whose hearts you break / Was it a tragedy when you told him / I'm not even 33?”

This last line resonates strongly, as Olivia Wilde, 41, was heavily criticized on social media during her relationship with Styles because of their age difference, a recurring theme in tabloids and online commentary.

Details of Styles and Wilde's relationship

The relationship between the singer and the director began in 2021, when they met on the set of 'Don't Worry Darling', a film directed by Wilde and starring Styles. Their romance, which lasted until 2022, was always surrounded by media controversy, partly because it began shortly after Wilde and her former fiance, actor Jason Sudeikis (with whom she has two children), ended their engagement. Olivia Wilde herself addressed the rumors of a possible relationship clash in an interview with Vanity Fair in September 2022. “That absurd idea that I left Jason for Harry is completely wrong,” she said.The actress stated firmly.

“Our relationship ended long before I met Harry. Like any relationship that ends, it doesn't end overnight.” As she explained at the time, her breakup with Sudeikis, now 50, was a “bumpy” process that solidified during the pandemic lockdown in 2020, although they continued to co-parent their children.

Harry's New Album

Beyond the speculation, Harry Styles himself offered clues about the state of mind he had when creating this album. In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, conducted last Wednesday, the former One Direction member spoke about trust and honesty as pillars of his new music.

“I think it was about meeting people, having the trust to spend time with someone and accept things,” Styles explained. “Everything you imagine about friendship, relationships, honesty, and being surrounded by friends who are truly dedicated to honesty, is terrifying if you aren't.” The singer stated that these experiences and new ways of relating to others changed his life and, consequently, directly influenced his creative process.