Harry Styles’ music took flight above Times Square September 23, when RiseNY and Playbill welcomed four performers from 54 Below’s upcoming Harry Styles celebration for a special installment of the Playbill Torch Song Series.
Nina Bogosian, Lukas Schoellkopf, Maddy Grace Payne, and Riley Keohane performed from RiseNY’s Statue of Liberty-inspired Torch balcony overlooking 45th Street, bringing two Harry Styles songs to audiences gathered below in the heart of the Theater District.
Hosted by New York City performer and activist Marti Gould Cummings, the free performance began with Bogosian and Payne performing “Taste Back.” Schoellkopf and Keohane then took to the Torch for “Matilda,” Styles’ fan-favorite track from his Grammy-winning album Harry’s House.
The appearance offered a preview of 54 Sings, Together, Together: A Harry Styles Celebration, coming to 54 Below September 29. The concert will celebrate Styles’ music with a lineup of performers putting their own spin on songs from throughout his solo career.
The September 23 event marked the latest installment of the Playbill Torch Song Series at RiseNY, which transforms the attraction’s Torch balcony into a one-of-a-kind performance space above Times Square. The series has welcomed Broadway performers and special guests for live performances overlooking West 45th Street, bringing theater and music beyond the stage and directly to audiences in the Theater District.
The Harry Styles celebration also arrives as excitement builds around the singer’s Madison Square Garden residency. For fans who want to keep the celebration going, RiseNY will host a Harry Styles Look-Alike Contest September 30 at 5 PM, co-hosted and judged by Jan Sport (RuPaul’s Drag Race) and comedian/fashion influencer Jessie Jolles. Jan Sport will also perform during the event.
Despite the name, contestants don’t need to be Harry Styles doppelgängers. The competition will celebrate the singer’s adventurous approach to fashion and personal style, with fans of all ages and genders invited to bring their best Harry Styles-inspired looks, attitude, and creativity.
Two winners will each receive a pair of tickets to see Styles live at Madison Square Garden. Contestant check-in begins at 4:15 PM at RiseNY, 160 W. 45th Street, with the competition beginning at 5 PM. No advance registration is required.
Styles fans visiting RiseNY can also see his 2023 Grammy after-party look by Ernest W. Baker, currently on display in the attraction’s Music Gallery.
The September events continue RiseNY’s celebration of the artists and performances that have helped make New York a global center for music and entertainment. Previous Playbill Torch Song installments have featured cast members of Operation Mincemeat, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Heathers, and more.