Los Angeles: Singer-songwriter Harry Styles has come out in defense of the controversial staging for his Together, Together tour after some fans branded the design “offensive”.

The fans had complained parts of the show left them unable to see the singer perform, reports ‘Female First UK’.

The former One Direction star, 32, is currently midway through a 10-night run at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff Arena, where the latest leg of his world tour began on May 16.

As per ‘Female First UK’, Harry, whose solo career has included chart-topping albums Harry’s House and Fine Line alongside acting roles in Dunkirk and My Policeman, has faced mounting criticism from some concertgoers over the stage’s large walkway structures, which circle the stadium floor and have reportedly obstructed views for sections of the audience.

Addressing the criticism during the concert in Amsterdam, Harry explained the thinking behind the stage design directly to fans.

He said, “The reason why we made the stage like this is because I wanted to be in it with you. I wanted to be as close to as many of you as possible, because that’s what this tour is all about. It’s about being together, having fun together, sharing a moment together, dancing together, being with your friends, being with strangers, getting swayed with your friends, getting swayed with strangers”.

He further mentioned, “That is how I made this album and that is how I would like you to listen to it tonight. Thank you for being here with us, thank you for coming back to stay with us, it means a lot to us, thank you so much”.

As per ‘Female First UK’, the backlash comes during another hugely successful touring era for Harry, who continues to remain one of the world’s biggest live music draws following the global success of As It Was and the continuing cultural impact of One Direction.

Harry’s comments followed days of online criticism from fans attending the Amsterdam shows, with some claiming they were unable to properly view Harry for large portions of the concert because of the elevated bridges surrounding the stage.

One fan described the stage set-up on social media as “the worst of all time”, while another called the design “offensive” because of restricted sightlines from certain areas inside the stadium. (IANS)