Harry Styles recreated his 2010 X Factor audition during a Halloween concert at Madison Square Garden on Friday, October 30, 2026, while fellow musicians Lily Allen and Lizzo marked the holiday with costumes inspired by their careers and personal experiences.
Styles returned to his teenage beginnings during the first of two special Harryween performances in New York City. Allen dressed as a Ticketmaster seating chart to joke about disappointing concert ticket sales, while Lizzo paid tribute to country music legend Dolly Parton, who died in August.
The three celebrations offered different approaches to Halloween. Styles revisited the television appearance that launched his career, Allen acknowledged a difficult touring experience through humor, and Lizzo honored a musician who had supported her.
Harry Styles Recreates His 2010 X Factor Audition
Styles opened his October 30 concert dressed as Elvis Presley, wearing a white jumpsuit, a cape and gold sunglasses. His backing band and dancers joined the Halloween celebration by wearing costumes inspired by different periods of his career.
The outfits referenced some of his best-known appearances, including performances at Coachella and the Grammy Awards and his fashion choices at the Met Gala. The elaborate opening was only the beginning of the evening's tribute to his past.
Later in the performance, Styles changed into the clothes he wore when he auditioned for the British television competition The X Factor in 2010. The recreation included a gray cardigan, white T-shirt, yellow scarf, brown trousers and an audition number.
He then performed Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely," the song that helped him advance during the original audition. Styles also repeated a memorable comment about his teenage employment, telling the audience, "I work in a bakery."
At the time of his audition, Styles was 16 and living in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire. He had been working part-time at a bakery before appearing on the television competition.
Although the original broadcast showed him singing "Isn't She Lovely" without accompaniment, previously unreleased footage later revealed another part of the audition. He had initially attempted Train's "Hey, Soul Sister" before judge Simon Cowell asked him to sing without backing music.
Styles advanced through the competition and eventually became a member of One Direction alongside Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson. The group developed into one of the most commercially successful boy bands of the following decade.
His Halloween recreation brought that early moment back to the stage 16 years later. ITV News confirmed the costume details and reported that the performance took place during the 29th night of his 30-concert New York residency.
Harryween Returns to Madison Square Garden
The October 30 performance continued Styles' Harryween tradition, which began with two Halloween concerts at Madison Square Garden in 2021.
During the first show that year, he dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and performed "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." His band appeared as other characters from the film.
The following night, Styles wore a theatrical clown costume and performed Britney Spears' "Toxic." In Los Angeles in 2022, he dressed as Danny Zuko from Grease and covered "Hopelessly Devoted to You," a song associated with Olivia Newton-John.
This year's celebrations came during Styles' Together, Together world tour, supporting his fourth solo album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally., released in March 2026.
His Madison Square Garden residency began in August and included 30 performances, making New York the centerpiece of his American touring schedule.
The residency has included performances of older songs and material from his latest album. Earlier in the week, Styles performed "Ever Since New York" for the first time in four years.
NME also reported that Styles paid tribute to his late One Direction bandmate Liam Payne during the residency with the song "What Is Enough."
The New York concerts were scheduled to end October 31 with a second Halloween performance. Styles is then scheduled to travel to Australia for shows in Melbourne and Sydney during November and December.
Lily Allen Turns Unsold Tickets Into a Halloween Costume
While Styles celebrated his musical beginnings, Lily Allen used Halloween to acknowledge controversy surrounding ticket sales for her recent North American tour.
Allen shared photographs on Instagram on October 30 showing herself dressed as a Ticketmaster seating chart. Her outfit featured a white puffer jacket and matching bodysuit covered in blue dots, with a black section labeled "Stage."
She also carried a thermometer, referencing the phrase "blue dot fever," which has become a popular expression for concerts with large numbers of unsold seats.
Ticketmaster seating charts typically use blue dots to indicate tickets that remain available for purchase. Screenshots showing extensive clusters of blue dots have circulated online as fans discuss ticket demand and venue sizes.
Allen accompanied the photographs with the caption, "Never beating the allegations. #bluedotfever."
The joke referred to changes made to her West End Girl tour earlier in 2026. Several North American concerts were moved from large arenas into smaller theaters after initial ticket demand fell short of expectations.
In Chicago, a performance originally planned for the approximately 23,500-capacity United Center was relocated to the Chicago Theatre, which seats about 3,500 people.
A scheduled San Francisco performance at Chase Center was moved to Oakland's Paramount Theatre. Other locations also experienced changes, and a Montreal concert was canceled.
Allen previously acknowledged that ticket sales had not supported the original plans. She explained that promoters had recommended the larger venues despite her concerns about whether they were appropriate.
She also said she was reluctant to cancel performances because approximately 50 crew members depended on the tour for employment.
Allen's touring production features her 2025 album West End Girl, which explores the breakdown of her marriage to actor David Harbour. The performances use a theatrical format with backing tracks and limited audience interaction.
The singer has defended those choices as deliberate parts of the show's storytelling. Her Halloween costume allowed her to address the ticketing controversy without abandoning the humor that has often appeared in her music and public statements.
Lizzo Honors Dolly Parton With a Jolene-Inspired Costume
Lizzo took a different approach, using Halloween to remember Dolly Parton, who died on August 25, 2026, at age 80.
The singer and rapper recreated a look associated with Parton's "Jolene" era, wearing a fitted yellow jumpsuit decorated with floral designs and a platinum-blonde wig.
She shared an Instagram video announcing plans to sing "Jolene" in Parton's honor. Another video featured her lip-syncing to Parton's 1967 song "Dumb Blonde."
Lizzo also recreated an alternate cover image associated with "Jolene," posing against a red background. The photographs celebrated Parton's distinctive 1970s fashion and recording career.
Singer SZA responded to the costume with praise, writing, "How is everything u do perfect."
The tribute carried personal significance because Lizzo and Parton had previously collaborated on Parton's 2023 album Rockstar. Lizzo contributed flute to Parton's recording of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven."
In another photograph, Lizzo posed with a guitar in front of a framed gold certification plaque for the album. She used the accompanying message to thank Parton for showing faith in her during a difficult period.
Lizzo recalled that Parton had invited her to contribute to the project when she felt isolated by public criticism. She said Parton also recognized her flute's nickname, Sasha Flute, in the recording credits.
The tribute recognized both Parton's musical influence and their personal connection. Lizzo ended her message by expressing gratitude for Parton's kindness.
She also celebrated Halloween with another costume inspired by Japanese animation, dressing as Seiko Ayase from the series Dandadan.
The three musicians' Halloween celebrations combined nostalgia, humor and remembrance. Styles' October 31 concert was scheduled to close his New York residency, while Allen and Lizzo shared costumes that connected the holiday to significant experiences in their lives.