Truth be told, I know this question isn’t sent it good faith, but I’m going to answer it in good faith, if only to break someone’s echo chamber, if not yours.
I don’t resent Harry at all for going solo. Which, btw, they all went solo — it wasn’t his decision. If you do a little research, you’ll realize the full circumstances of the hiatus, and the fact that the working situation they were in was completely abusive and untenable, the way most boybands were, but even more exceptionally so because of how much money they were making/how popular they were. Everyone was begging for them to be given a break, but many in this fandom need to find someone to blame when they don’t have the patience to do research and consider context, and Harry’s an easy target because by most objective metrics, his solo career has skyrocketed.
He hasn’t distanced himself from the boys. He was at Niall’s show, dancing and singing. He’s referenced the boys on stage several times and in his BRITs acceptance speech. He constantly collects (and wears) One Direction paraphernalia. Not to mention, he was at Louis’ show after Jay’s death and Liam’s wake. But I’m sure all of this is convenient to omit when you’re pedaling your own narrative of events. That’s your choice.
He hasn’t taken the easy way, though I don’t know how you define that. I suppose you mean because his struggles are less obvious and less relatable. To that, I say, I think your view of what consists as struggle is extremely narrow, but that doesn’t surprise me because I know from the language of your ask that you have no intention of being generous towards Harry as a person, so why on earth would you view him with the nuance and kindness you view whoever is your favorite? Why would you allow him the same grace as any of the other boys?
Neither do I resent him for being “chosen” or for enjoying attention/benefits that he, himself, has worked hard for. I know this is a tough thing to hear because many of you have lost touch with the reality of how capitalist industries work, but making music is, by and large, about making money. The people on the backend of music are not recruiting artists to entertain or because they believe in their voice, they do it because the artists they choose are those that will make the most money.
Harry said it himself in his Grammys speech: he’s aware of how lucky he is because he knows there are other people out there who are more talented than him who will never get the opportunities he has. That is the reality of the world we live in: you cannot take everyone with you, even the people you love the most. Even the people who also deserve it.
What Harry has done, however, is prove he was worth the investment and that he’s grateful for every opportunity he has, which is all any one human can do. He cancelled a show once in three years. He toured during a global pandemic. He constantly gives 500% in and out of his shows (exercise, eating habits, therapy, healthy boundaries with fans). Everything he does is aligned with the longevity of his career, which is as much for his real fans as it is for him.
So, no, I don’t resent a person who’s dedicated his life to providing me with art that has pulled me out of my lowest and most lonely. No, I don’t resent him for working harder than any of us can possibly conceive, personally and professionally. No, I don’t resent him for giving up his privacy and safety and his right to have a quiet personal life in the name of entertaining us. No, I don’t resent him for being rich or privileged, because I can name fifty people who have done so much less for so much more.
The bottom line is, you resent him because you don’t think he deserves it. Thats why you think he’s taken the “easy” way, that’s why you omit his connection to the boys, that’s why you want to characterize his choices as “things that don’t truly matter”, that’s why you want to blame him for “going solo” even if the hiatus was thrust upon them as a collective after Zayn left first. And that’s totally fine. Just say that with your whole chest, because it’s what you believe is true.
I, however, completely disagree with you and truly, earnestly hope no one in your life ever holds your character and ethics to the same standard to which you hold Harry’s. You’d fail, by each and every single one of your own metrics. We all would.
