Stans come in many different forms. A ‘stan’ is defined as an overly enthusiastic fan. Stans are known to dedicate not only their time but money as well.
Yenny Mondragon Pineda, a 21-year-old full-time student from South Gate, has been a fan of Harry’s since the “X Factor” days. She fell for his charisma and the way that he presents himself.
In 2022, Yenny saw him perform live for the first time in his last LA show after having 15 consecutive nights at The Forum.
“As someone who’s openly queer, I think it’s ridiculous that people believe he exploits the LGBTIQA+ community. People tend to forget he’s a human and see him as a brand, therefore they feel as though he has to give an explanation of his sexuality.
“This was my first time seeing him and it felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. He’s an incredible performer and I hope to see him again!”
Everyone has their own escape. Whether it’s music or a series, people like having something to look forward to. While others might see it as a plain obsession, being a stan is much more than that.
Harry Styles has a huge fan base, they call themselves Harries or Harry stans. There are many stereotypes when it comes to being a Harry stan.
People often call them crazy or obsessive but he has built a huge community of people who want to spread kindness.
“My favorite album would be Harry Styles. not only because it was his debut as a solo artist after being in such a successful band but I think it’s his most vulnerable album,“ Pineda said.
Harry’s first solo album was released in 2017 and since then his career as a solo artist has skyrocketed.
The amount of fame that he has also come with a ton of hate. The hate mostly consists of people claiming that he is queer-baiting.
“I definitely do not believe he is queer baiting but instead is lifting the community,” she said.
“He has helped multiple people come out during his shows and that is such a beautiful thing! His motto is treating people with kindness and people should learn to do so.”
Jessica Rodriguez, a 21-year-old bartender from Los Angeles, has been a fan of Harry since the One Direction days when “What Makes You Beautiful” came out.
Rodriguez has seen him live a total of six times since the start of his solo career.
Harry’s first single “Sign of the Times” was released in April 2017.
“My favorite album is Harry Styles, the first one, and my favorite song is “Sign of the Times. Listening to that song makes me cry every time.
“Whenever I’m in a dark place in my life I listen to this song and it’s a reminder that everything will be okay, don’t dwell on the small things and have the time of my life,” Rodriguez said.
Before his solo career, Harry was in a boy band called One Direction for six years before the British group went on a permanent hiatus.
When Rodriguez was asked if she’d ever want them to get back together she said “I don’t. I regret not going to one of their concerts but I don’t think the boys were ever happy. They all have different personalities and different music genres.
“If I could go back in time I would have loved to have seen them live but now I’m happy that they all found their own paths.”
Musica Norteña has also become huge in recent years with Gen Zers and Millennials.
When you think of Musica Norteña, you usually think of older people but things have changed recently.
Jesus Angel Navarro, a Boyle Heights resident, is a member of a group called “El Comandante de Jalisco.”
The group is made up of five members including a lead singer and members who play the accordion, drums, guitar and bass.
He played for a couple of years in a different group when he still lived in Mexico and when he moved to the States he decided to keep pursuing music as a side hustle.
His group plays at events like quinceaneras, weddings, birthday parties and even baptisms.
“It feels nice for this style of music to grow, especially with the younger generation it feels very motivating,” Navarro said.
