Naomi stares at the stunning main image of the pop star. She has one of those scientifically beautiful faces: Large, almond-shaped eyes and full brows framing her perfectly symmetrical face. After comparing it to some of her earlier photos, it’s clear Harlow has had some work done over the past few years. She has that “LA face” now: Hollow cheeks, plumped lips, tightened, wrinkle-free skin, and a small, near-invisible nose.
Naomi wonders what she would look like if she had the same amount of money as Harlow. She likes to think she wouldn’t overdo the Botox or plastic surgery, but she knows herself well enough to guess that the pressure to keep up with everyone else would eventually get to her and she’d slowly morph into another clone. She runs her fingers across the deepening lines in her neck, imagining how amazing it would be to make them vanish with a simple procedure, no concern for costs. Naomi tsks, chiding herself for letting her mind drift. She never used to obsess over her imperfections and she wonders if she notices them more now because she’s nearing thirty, or if it’s just a side-effect of living in Los Angeles.
Back on task, Naomi studies the image of Harlow again, this time focusing on her expression. The events of the last few days make it look as if Harlow’s emerald-green eyes are daring the camera to photograph more than her external persona. Like she wants the lens to reveal who she really is.
A killer?Naomi wonders.
She scrolls down the page, past a variety of merch and tour information, before landing on the retro-style film reel promoting her latest album,Legacy.
One thing that really stands out to Naomi is the juxtaposition between Harlow’s first album and her last. How she went from girly and lighthearted to a much darker aesthetic over the years, now only wearing tones of deep emeralds, midnight blues, reds and blacks, and rarely smiling for photos. She even ditched her platinum-blonde locks for rich shades of copper and brown.
Curious, Naomi opens a new tab and searches for information about when Harlow changed her style, clicking on an article fromAvanttitled “Harlow Hayes Shocks Fans with Dark New Look” from August 2023. The article features various photos of a young Harlow next to promo images for herApotheosisalbum. In the photos, Harlow looks away from the camera, not making eye contact.
Naomi scans other articles linked at the bottom of the piece, intrigued by one titled “The Evolution of Harlow Hayes: From Darling Debut to Grammy-Winning Style Icon.”
A weird excitement courses through her as her mind races with theories and questions.
Why did Harlow change so much? What prompted the reinvention? Did her breakup with Colton Scott hurt her more than anyone realized? Enough to plot his murder? And the biggest question of all: Who is the person behind the persona?
AVANT
CELEBRITY STYLE
The Evolution of Harlow Hayes: From Darling Debut to Grammy-Winning Style Icon
BY CINDY ALEXANDER – JULY 1, 2024
Everyone in Hollywood knows the importance of reinventing yourself to stay relevant, but few nail it as perfectly as Harlow Hayes.
When the recent Grammy-winner first debuted at nineteen, she was another spray-tanned, skinny bottled-blonde dressed in sequins and ruffles. And as her career progressed into her mid-twenties, her fashion and beauty remained safe for the most part, leaving much to be desired from the doe-eyed doll. But after a year of mishaps and another year out of the spotlight, Hayes returned with a brand-new look.
In the late summer of 2023, Hayes shocked the nation when she swapped out her platinum-blonde pop princess persona for a darker aesthetic, complete with chocolate-brown locks, bold makeup looks, and a sultry, old-Hollywood-inspired wardrobe—all to match the enigmatic vibes of her long-awaited new album,Apotheosis.
In honor of the star’s birthday this month and the one-year anniversary ofApotheosisin August, we compiled a collection of Harlow Hayes’ most memorable looks, from debut to now. Check out thephoto gallery.
Music Journal
HARLOW HAYESAPOTHEOSISREVIEW: DARK INDIE POP MAKES WAY FOR HARLOW’S FUTURE STAR
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BY DANY BELLADONIS
August 14, 2023
The breakup with Colton Scott must have been worse than we imagined, because this album holds no prisoners. It kills them.
Following her breakup with longtime on-and-off-again partner Colton Scott at the end of 2021—before his quick engagement to Meghan Rhodes—fans were devastated but also hiding a twinge of excitement… because a breakup usually meant a legendary album was on the horizon. I don’t think anyone expected it to be this dark or iconic, though.
The announcement of the album was as cryptic as the titles on the track list, with fans realizing she’d taken a leaf out of Taylor Swift’s book and started leaving Easter eggs in the months leading up to its release. At first, she started by sharing seemingly random lyrics, photos, and videos with little to no context on all her social media channels. Like a clip from Baz Luhrmann’sRomeo & Juliet, featuring the famous “Violent Ends” line. Then there was a clip from the 2004 film Crash, plus references to the Rolling Stones’ “Shattered” and BTS’s “Idol” and “Persona” tracks, all of which ended up being hints to song titles on her own upcoming album. But she didn’t stop there, posting at specific times to hint at both the track order and length of the songs. For example, track three, which was posted on the third of the month at 4:39 a.m.
Since this was new behavior for Harlow, fans didn’t know what to look out for. But we have a feeling they won’t be making that mistake again.
Apotheosishas already been hailed by critics and fans alike as a songwriting masterpiece on par with the likes of Swift and Lana Del Rey. The success of the album proves Hayes’ music can stand on its own, regardless of the tabloids.
Apotheosisis largely constructed around sounds of glitchy electronics mixed with soft cascades of piano, and fractured snippets of white noise. While her best yet, it’s also her most experimental, signaling a strong departure from her first three classic pop albums. Most notably, she’s transcended lyrically, swapping out usually shallow lyrics about love and “livin’ the good life” for deeper, doleful (sometimes even sinister) themes.
More than one song evokes visceral emotions, like “Tortured Soul,” “Crash,” “Invasion,” and the attention-grabbing lead single “Violent Ends.” At the opposite end of the scale, “Shattered,” “Midnight,” and “Chasing the Darkness” grow in orchestral breadth as Hayes’ voice hovers over the tracks like a ghost in a breathy, ethereal register.
