Harry Styles has revealed that an "outgoing" ex-girlfriend helped him conquer his early career public anxiety, teaching him "it's fine to be outside." The One Direction alum, who previously dated Taylor Swift and Kendall Jenner, confessed that his free time is now far more liberating than when he was touring with the band, all thanks to a former flame.

During a joint interview with Thom Yorke published on October 8, Styles explained, "In the early days, when I was in the band, so much of the hotel experience felt very locked-in." He added, "When I’d be home, it felt like, ‘Oh, it’s not safe for me to be out.’" However, the 32-year-old, who was romantically linked to Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner, and Caroline Flack in the 2010s, learned to overcome his public anxiety with some assistance.

"I had a girlfriend who was very outgoing, and she was coming to London and I was like, ‘Oh, if we just sit in my house for three days, she’s gonna think I’m nuts,’" he continued. "So we walked everywhere, and it was this realization for me: ‘Oh, it’s fine to be outside.’" Styles further elaborated, "It kind of broke that thing. Now, it’s changed my life in such a big way, because it’s how you stay connected to the world."

The "Watermelon Sugar" singer, who is now linked to Zoë Kravitz, believes that being out and about fuels his creativity. "I read something about walking being the artist’s kind of perspective," he shared, "because you’re at ground level and you see things that you just don’t see if you’re driving everywhere."

Despite his newfound comfort in public, Styles remains firm about not sharing every detail of his life. He has purposefully avoided addressing questions about his sexuality to maintain his privacy. "Sometimes people say, 'You've only publicly been with women,' and I don't think I've publicly been with anyone," he told a separate outlet in a 2022 interview. "If someone takes a picture of you with someone, it doesn't mean you're choosing to have a public relationship or something." He added, "I think everyone, including myself, has your own journey with figuring out sexuality and getting more comfortable with it."

Styles emphasized, "I've never talked about my life away from work publicly, and found that it's benefited me positively."

A look back at Styles' dating history reveals several notable relationships. In 2011, he dated Caroline Flack, who was about 15 years his senior. Flack, in her 2015 memoir, Storm in a C Cup, wrote, "At the beginning it was all very playful. He joked about being attracted to older women. There was 12 years between us...no one seemed to be bothered then about the age difference." She noted that their romance "began to go wrong" after unflattering tabloid stories labeled her a "classic me-first cougar" and "predatory older woman," leading to harassment from strangers and One Direction fans.

In 2011, U.S. model Emma Ostilly appeared in One Direction's "Gotta Be You" music video, and a year later, they sparked romance rumors after being spotted kissing in Auckland, New Zealand. Styles also had a brief romance with Made in Chelsea star Caggie Dunlop in 2012.

In 2012, Styles was romantically linked to Inbetweeners actress Emily Atack. She told Reveal magazine a year later, "We were never boyfriend and girlfriend. I think that's the first time I've ever admitted to what it was, because I've always just shrugged it off before. But I think it's best to clear it up. So, yeah, we had a short-lived thing that was just a bit of fun. Then we went off in our opposite directions."

The superstar duo of Harry Styles and Taylor Swift dated from the fall of 2012 to winter 2013, famously photographed walking together in Central Park. Styles reflected on this in 2017, saying, "When I see photos from that day, I think: Relationships are hard, at any age. And adding in that you don't really understand exactly how it works when you're 18, trying to navigate all that stuff didn't make it easier." He added, "I mean, you're a little bit awkward to begin with. You're on a date with someone you really like. It should be that simple, right? It was a learning experience for sure. But at the heart of it, I just wanted it to be a normal date." Both artists are believed to have penned songs about their relationship, including "I Knew You Were Trouble," "Style," and "Perfect."

In 2013, Styles and Rod Stewart's daughter, Kimberly Stewart, were set up by a mutual friend. A source stated, "Kim is very strong willed, she goes for what she wants and Harry appreciates that. She is exactly his type." Styles and Kendall Jenner have also occasionally sparked dating rumors.