Matilda (Harry Styles song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Matilda
| type = song
| artist = Harry Styles
| album = Harry's House
| released = {{Start date|2022|05|20|df=yes}}
| recorded = 2020–2021
| studio = * Real World (Box, Wiltshire)
- Shangri-La (Malibu, California)
- Angelic (London)
- Henson (Hollywood, Los Angeles)
| genre = Folk{{cite web |last=Stewart|first=Frances|date=20 May 2022|title=The Subject Of Harry Styles' "Matilda" Might Not Know It's About Them|url=https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/who-is-harry-styles-matilda-lyrics-about-the-harrys-house-song-has-fans-in-tears|website=Bustle}}
| length = 4:05
| label = *Erskine
| writer = * Harry Styles
| producer = * Kid Harpoon
- Tyler Johnson
}}
"Matilda" is a song by English singer-songwriter Harry Styles, from his third studio album Harry's House (2022). The song was written by Styles, Thomas Hull, Tyler Johnson and Amy Allen, while production was handled by Kid Harpoon and Johnson.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
Background
Harry Styles announced the title of his third studio album as Harry's House on 23 March 2022, unveiling its artwork, a 40-second trailer and the album's release date as 20 May 2022.{{cite web |last=DeVille |first=Chris |title=Harry Styles Announces New Album Harry's House |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2180640/harry-styles-announces-new-album-harrys-house/news/|website=Stereogum|access-date=23 March 2022|date=23 March 2022|archive-date=5 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405040339/https://www.stereogum.com/2180640/harry-styles-announces-new-album-harrys-house/news/|url-status=live}}
In an interview with Zane Lowe after the album's release, Styles spoke about the title and why he wrote the song:
{{blockquote|"I had an experience with someone where, in getting to know them better, they revealed some stuff to me that was very much like 'Oh, that's not normal, like I think you should maybe get some help or something.'This song was inspired by that experience and person, who I kind of disguised as Matilda from the Roald Dahl book. I played it to a couple of friends and all of them cried. So I was like, 'Okay, I think this is something to pay attention to.' It's a weird one, because with something like this, it's like, 'I want to give you something, I want to support you in some way, but it's not necessarily my place to make it about me because it's not my experience.' Sometimes it's just about listening. I hope that's what I did here. If nothing else, it just says, 'I was listening to you'".{{cite web|title=Everything you need to know about Harry Styles' song 'Matilda'.|url=https://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/harry-styles/18495|website=Coupdemain|access-date=25 May 2022|date=25 May 2022}}}}
Critical reception
The song received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise being given to its lyrical content.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/harry-styles-matilda-lyrics-meaning-explained|title=Why Harry Styles' "Matilda" Is Resonating With Everyone|website=Nylon}} Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone described it as the "centerpiece of the album".{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/harry-styles-matilda-harrys-house-1355846/|title='You Can Let It Go': Why Harry Styles' 'Matilda' Is His Heartbreak Masterpiece|first=Rob|last=Sheffield|date=May 20, 2022}}
Commercial performance
Following the release of its parent album Harry's House, "Matilda" entered at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 dated 4 June 2022, becoming one of the four top-ten entries; the others being "As It Was", "Late Night Talking" and "Music for a Sushi Restaurant" which peaked at numbers one, three and eight, respectively.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/harry-styles-as-it-was-harrys-house-hot-100-number-one-1235078922/|title=Harry Styles Returns to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 With 'As It Was,' Debuts 3 Songs in Top 10|magazine=Billboard|date=May 31, 2022|access-date=June 28, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldderby.com/article/2022/harry-styles-matilda-harrys-house-songs/|title=‘Matilda’ is the best song on Harry Styles’s ‘Harry’s House’ according to fans, but where do the others rank? [Poll Results]|first=Daniel|last=Montgomery|date=June 13, 2022}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Matilda" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Billboardargentinahot100|86|artist=Harry Styles|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Australia|3|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022|refname="AUA"}} |
| {{single chart|Austria|21|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022|refname="AUI"}} |
| {{single chart|Canada|5|artist=Harry Styles|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022|refname="CA"}} |
| {{single chart|Denmark|24|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
| {{single chart|France|103|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|6|artist=Harry Styles|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Hungarystream|31|year=2022|week=21|rowheader=true|access-date=25 August 2022}} |
| scope="row"| Iceland (Tónlistinn){{cite web|url=http://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/|title=Tónlistinn – Lög|trans-title=The Music – Songs|language=is|publisher=Plötutíðindi|access-date=24 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530100959/http://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/|archive-date=30 May 2022}}
| 10 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Ireland4|3|date=20220527|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022|refname="IR"}} |
| {{single chart|Italy|61|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|3|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022|refname="NZ"}} |
| {{single chart|Norway|23|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Portugal|4|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=25 September 2022}} |
| {{single chart|South Africa2|20|year=2022|week=21|rowheader=true|access-date=1 June 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Spain|80|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Sweden|25|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|23|artist=Harry Styles|song=Matilda|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022|refname="SWI"}} |
| {{single chart|UK|37|date=20220909|rowheader=true|access-date=9 September 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|9|artist=Harry Styles|rowheader=true|access-date=28 June 2022}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Matilda"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Platinum|relyear=2022|certyear=2022|access-date=5 September 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Diamond|relyear=2022|certyear=2025|access-date=13 April 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Platinum|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|access-date=23 May 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Gold|relyear=2022|certyear=2025|id=15065|access-date=13 April 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Gold|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|id=11448|access-date=13 April 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Platinum|relyear=2022|source=radioscope|access-date=13 April 2025|certyear=2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|access-date=27 October 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Gold|relyear=2022|certyear=2022|id=file_2022-10-14-14-01-20.pdf|access-date=13 April 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Gold|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|id=-499|access-date=13 April 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Platinum|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|id=17186-4394-1|access-date=12 April 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Harry Styles|title=Matilda|award=Platinum|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|access-date=21 June 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Harry Styles}}
Category:Songs written by Harry Styles
Category:Songs written by Kid Harpoon
Category:Songs written by Tyler Johnson (musician)
Category:Songs written by Amy Allen (songwriter)
Category:Song recordings produced by Kid Harpoon
Category:Song recordings produced by Tyler Johnson (musician)