Harry Styles Reflects on Singing ‘River’ for Joni Mitchell & Making a Human Pyramid With One Direction

There are probably very few people left in the world who wouldn’t recognize Nardwuar’s latest interviewee, but just in case, the famously chaotic YouTuber started off by asking his subject, “Who are you?” “I’m Harry,” replied Harry Styles, before going on to answer questions about the time he sang a Joni Mitchell song to Joni Mitchell, and the One Direction concert when he, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne formed a human pyramid.

During the interview — filmed back in April during Coachella, which Styles headlined — Nardwuar first drew comparisons between Joni Mitchell, who released a song in 1975 called “Harry’s House,” and Styles’ new album, also titled Harry’s House. He then asked the “As It Was” singer whether he’d ever actually been to “Joni’s house.”

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“I did go to her house for like a, she had a Christmas carol sing-along one time and I was invited by the wonderful Brandi Carlile and it was very fun,” the Grammy winner answered. “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.”

Later on, Nardwuar asked Styles about some mementos from his boy-band days, including an action figure of himself circa 2011 or so, One Direction trading cards, and an electric toothbrush that played the band’s music — which the Pleasing founder confessed he himself owned back in the day. “This is a classic item,” he said. “I remember using one for a brief moment and I think it made noise, didn’t it?”

He also commented on a photo Nardwuar dug out of an old One Direction concert, when the “Watermelon Sugar” musician and his former bandmates tested out their cheerleading skills onstage by forming a human pyramid; Tomlinson and Payne were on the bottom, Malik and Styles in the middle tier, and Horan at the very top. Also on the bottom was a friend named Mike, who was actually behind the camera filming Styles and Nardwuar during their interview.

“I’m thrilled that you found this. I’m sure Mike is not, but I am thrilled,” Styles said with a laugh. “My knee is somewhere between his mid and lower back, so I apologize.”

Watch Harry Styles talk about Joni Mitchell, One Direction and more with Nardwuar below:

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