Fine Line by Harry Styles was quick to be praised, but one song, “Falling”, stood out—purely because it was so sad. Admittedly, I never really shared that opinion and the hype over it got so strong that I started skipping the song. On Friday Feb 28, Styles released the music video for the song, and the devastation I felt made me understand exactly how everyone else felt.

The music video for “Falling”, isn’t complicated; it is a one-room set, and is focused entirely on Styles playing the piano while singing, and watching as water comes from the piano and slowly fills up the room. The simplicity of the music video was nice because it made you focus on the gentle beauty of the song, making it even sadder.

Cinematography isn’t something I usually focus on for music videos, but “Falling” was so well shot that I can’t help but describe it. The colors were very muted and cool-toned, with Styles wearing a lilac flowy shirt, and the walls decorated in dark greens and blues. As the water filled up the room, everything started floating and it looked like a scene out of some indie A24 film—not a pop star’s music video. In contrast to the wide shots, there were moments that simply focused on Styles’ hands as he played the video. Watching it, I felt like I was intruding on an intimate moment, far from the friendly mood of Fine Line. 

I don’t know why Styles is so obsessed with water, but I’m definitely not complaining. The videos for “Lights Up” and “Adore You” both featured Styles absolutely drenched while singing with melancholy. The combination of the lyrics “What am I now / What if I’m someone I don’t want around”, and the imagery of Styles drowning while he keeps on playing the piano set a somber tone, fitting with his new introspective attitude and image.

“Falling” may not have been my favorite song on the album when I started the music video, but it certainly was when I hit the end. Styles packs heartbreak into four-minute music video, creating an aesthetic masterpiece while doing so.