Many students at Yorba Linda High School have big dreams. Some aspire to be athletes, while others dream of being politicians or actors, and some even dream of being musicians. In this day in age, the music industry is wildly competitive, so becoming an A-list, award-winning musician is a major accomplishment. A musical residency is essentially a series of several performances done by a musician in one specific place. For example, Elvis Presley performed 636 consecutive shows in Las Vegas, which is astounding considering the commitment that takes. Furthermore, some places reward performers for their accomplishments; an example of this is a banner given to sports teams or fortunate musicians at Madison Square Garden. 

Recently, the singer/songwriter Harry Styles was awarded his very own banner for his fifteen-night residency at Madison Square Garden. Very few musicians have ever been awarded a banner here: only Billy Joel and Elton John have received banners. Billy Joel was awarded for his 100 performances at Madison Square Garden in total. 

While receiving his banner, CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King awarded Harry Styles stating, “No artist has ever done that before. Twenty-thousand people, Harry, on their feet.” Fifteen nights at the garden have been followed by several performances in other states and another fifteen-night residency at the Los Angeles Forum. Many people do not give enough credit to Styles, despite being arguably one of the most influential people in our generation. Styles now has his name hung next to some of the greatest musicians of all time. 

So what does this mean for YLHS students? Well, many students, specifically musicians, will now be able to imagine their own names next to the greats. In other words, students can look at Harry Styles as a symbol of hard work. After starting his career at just 16 and now only being  28, Styles has made his mark and achieved greatness from having courage and confidence. It is commonly known that Styles got his start on the X-Factor and therefore rose to fame in an instant; however, it was his persistence that kept him relevant. Styles would not be where he is today, receiving awards and banners if it wasn’t for his hard work. 

Despite the hate that Styles gets for being called a legend, it is clear that he does have the persistence to truly be great. Styles has made history at Madison Square Garden, and he can rightfully be compared to “the greats.” With hard work and dedication, anyone can become truly great.