From Harry Styles to Dua Lipa: why artists no longer want to hide in hotels

For an artist so famous on an international scale, it can be daring to go out on the street normally, especially in Brazil. Harry knows this well: in 2014, he came with One Direction and had the hotel surrounded by a crowd of fans, forcing the team to reinforce security and close off the area. But that doesn't intimidate him anymore and, like Dua Lipa and Shawn Mendes, he is one of the many artists who don't give up going out like a regular person, even selling out shows the next day. In a way, it's a movement that has grown in recent years and taught fans and artists themselves a lot. Are we finding a healthier relationship between the public and celebrities? Understand: British singer Harry Styles drinks coconuts while running in Ibirapuera Park, in SP, and goes shopping in the Liberdade neighborhood, in the Center. Reproduction/Social Media Do you need to limit your life? Since the pandemic, the concert market has changed a lot and many artists have started to consider their own health, both physical and mental, more closely. After all, jumping from hotel to hotel in a strenuous routine, across different time zones and languages, can take a toll on the body and mind. The post-pandemic scenario also caused format changes in tours. To save transportation and logistics costs, today, several artists usually hold several dates in one place. This allows them to have free time to explore the places they visit. "What's the point of having this wonderful experience of traveling and not getting to know these beautiful cities, trying to understand a little of the culture and what people like to do when they go out in the city? (...) These things cheer me up, make the experience richer and make the show better, because I feel like I have more connection and understanding of the people I'm performing for," Dua Lipa explained to TV Globo. Dua Lipa at Maracanã Disclosure On the one hand, depending on how famous the artist is, leaving the hotel involves a security scheme, leaving somewhat disguised and so on. But on the other hand, is it worth giving up a minimally normal life to avoid being harassed? For someone like Harry Styles, who became known as a member of one of the biggest boybands in the world, this had to be weighed up. "During my early days in One Direction, we spent so much time in hotels and concert venues that there are countries I've visited that I haven't actually experienced. So when I travel now, the important thing is to commit to getting out and exploring the world, whether it's running or walking. You experience places in a completely different way," he told Runner's Weekly magazine. A new relationship between fans and artists For a long time, it was agreed that fame included tolerating harassment when going out on the street and, as a result, celebrities began to withdraw. But in recent years, this has become a frequent discussion in the international media. Thanks to statements from names like singer Chappell Roan, many people began to question whether a fan can do anything and whether it is not necessary to respect an idol's privacy more. "Pop stars are catching the attention of 'bizarre' fans. It's about time," Business Insider pointed out in a 2025 article. Chappell Roan School of Etiquette: How a singer teaches fans and the media to respect their limits Of course, not every star has the opportunity to walk normally on the street, whether for safety reasons or simply because seeing Beyoncé on the street could stop São Paulo in its tracks. But some artists can afford to appear and, therefore, have tried to "normalize" the public's view of them. After all, the celebrities who hide the most are the ones who cause the most commotion when they are seen. Dua Lipa and Shawn Mendes enjoy samba in SP Names like Harry Styles and Dua Lipa are there to prove it: when celebrities walk around without much fanfare, the public begins to get used to their presence — especially when they see them behaving like ordinary people. They're running around, going to the cinema, hanging out with the team and so on. This makes people realize that it is invasive to harass celebrities in their leisure time, just as it would be invasive to do so with a complete stranger. Of course, none of this stops someone Harry Styles' size from being stopped for a photo. But little by little, seeing him walk around helps the audience see him as a human being; on the other hand, idols stop being afraid of fans and become more willing to interact. In the end, it's good for everyone: respecting the idol's space in the middle of the street is what ensures that he continues to want to come back (and walk around) here more often.