It’s not every day a musician creates a fictional island in order to promote their new single—but Harry Styles has defied that norm. If you’ve been scrolling through stan Twitter like the rest of us, there’s no doubt you’ve seen “Eroda” plastered on every post, tweet, and account. It made us all curious about this so-called “island” with a slogan stating there is “no land quite like it,” reminding us a bit too much of a possible Fyre Festival repeat.
But soon enough, word got around that it was none other than mysterious promo for Harry’s new single “Adore You” from his upcoming sophomore album Fine Line. The investigative skills of his dedicated fandom shed light on what this enigmatic Eroda could potentially be.
Twitter user @heavenlyfringe created a thread detailing all the possible connections Harry possibly had with the pretend island before his official single announcement. Better than the FBI? We think so.
HARRY AND ERODA: A THREAD.
— lu 141 (@heavenlyfringe) November 24, 2019
Not long after these theories came to the surface, an official Twitter account for Eroda was created. The tweets included fictional history about the island—marketplaces, bed and breakfasts, and anything else you can think of that’d make a perfect getaway vacation. It began advertising on YouTube and local cinemas as if it was really a dream destination.
No Land Quite Like It #VisitEroda pic.twitter.com/QAbyUlWWbG
— visiteroda (@visiteroda) November 23, 2019
Earlier this week, Harry finally revealed “Adore You” will be released on December 6. Accompanying his announcement was an eerie but ambiguous trailer for the song’s music video.
We see Harry baring smiles to gloomy local Eroda islanders—but unfortunately, it doesn’t bode well for him. He quite literally “bottles” up his emotions—yes, he screams into glass jars hoping it’ll help him cope. But eventually, it comes to a head as he traipses into the ocean, pockets filled with rocks until he finds a meaningful purpose—saving a floundering fish.
“Loneliness is an ocean full of travelers trying to find their place in the world but without friendship, we are all lost and left with no hope, no home, no harbor,” the pleading voiceover says.
While some parts throughout the trailer have us cracking a smile, the message underneath is bleak. But perhaps Harry is saving the happy ending for the video’s inevitable second part. “Adore You” is sure to rip our hearts in two—but what do you expect when it comes from Harry Styles.
Featured image source: YouTube