Harry Styles divided fans over his Grammy Awards "people like me" acceptance speech

Harry Styles has alienated some admirers with his contentious "people like me" victory speech at Sunday night's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The As It Was and Watermelon Sugar singer, who had just won Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year for Harry's House, made the divisive remarks on stage. Additionally, Harry, a former member of One Direction, created quite a sensation when he said that winning major awards doesn't "happen to people like me very often." And even though he had a relatively modest upbringing in England and had even worked in a bakery as a young child, some of his followers weren't persuaded by his choice of words.

Reactions of critics and fans

After witnessing the statement in person, one follower criticized the speech on social media: "I gotta be honest I can’t think of a type of people this happens for more." And according to one commenter: "He was middle (upper middle?) class growing up." [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Image credit: TODAY[/caption] Meanwhile, another appeared to defend Harry and wrote: "I am British (and Northern) and anyone in Britain knew exactly what he meant. A working-class boy from the North isn't normally the type of people that becomes as successful as him in the UK. It would have been seen as a success to just finish high school." Also read: Roll Camera: Fans claim Jennifer Lopez “snapped” at Ben Affleck at the Grammy Awards However, one supporter who was obviously not a fan of Harry's speech questioned, "In what way was he working class?" To this, one Harry supporter quickly replied, "He was working in a bakery. His mom used to take him to a restaurant, and it was like a celebration for him." One admirer responded, siding with the critics: "[Harry] grew up in the 18th-least deprived ward in the entire UK in the middle of Cheshire. I've got nothing against him and find him quite likable, but he is absolutely not working class." On the other hand, one responded with what appeared to be a joke: "Yes you’re right, Harry Styles was famously working at his local bakery to put food on the table of his struggling family."

What's more

Harry Styles grabbed attention at the 2023 Grammy Awards by wearing a number of flashy ensembles both on the red carpet and while performing. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1500"] Image credit: PEOPLE[/caption] Moreover, in his full onstage address, he stated, "I think like on nights like tonight, it's obviously so important for us to remember that there is no such thing as bests in music." According to Harry, "I don't think any of us sit in the studio thinking making decisions based on what is going to get us one of these." "This is really, really kind. I'm so, so grateful," he continued. "I'm going to pass it over to my collaborators who are -- I'm just so this doesn't happen to people like me very often. And this is so, so nice. Thank you very, very much."