Harry Styles has revealed how an ex-girlfriend changed his life in a "big way".
In a joint interview with Thom Yorke for Rolling Stone magazine, the former One Direction star recalled experiencing anxiety about being seen out in public while he was still adjusting to fame.
"In the early days, when I was in the band, so much of the hotel experience felt very locked-in," he recalled.
"When I'd be home, it felt like, 'Oh, it's not safe for me to be out.'"
The star then explained how a previous relationship made him realise it was possible to enjoy some degree of normality when he wasn't working.
Styles previously dated stars including Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner, Emily Atack, Caroline Flack and Olivia Wilde before finding love with Zoe Kravitz, with the pair now rumoured to be engaged.
"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 realisation for me: 'Oh, it's fine to be outside.'"
Styles revealed how his ex-girlfriend's perspective has continued to have a positive impact on him.
"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 American Girls star added.
Elsewhere in the interview, Styles explained how being outdoors has always helped his creativity flourish.
"I read something about walking being the artist's kind of perspective, because you're at ground level and you see things that you just don't see if you're driving everywhere," the 32-year-old singer shared.
