<P> The song is a pop rock, soft rock, piano ballad, with glam rock influences . According to a Billboard writer, it "folds in psychedelic soul, indie rock and spacey pop". The "apocalyptic" power ballad shows influences from 1970s British rock . In an interview with Rolling Stone, Styles stated, "The song is written from a point of view as if a mother was giving birth to a child and there's a complication . The mother is told,' The child is fine, but you're not going to make it .' The mother has five minutes to tell the child,' Go forth and conquer ."' </P> <P> According to the song credits provided by Styles' label, the track was co-written by the song's producer, Jeff Bhasker, as well as his frequent collaborators and track co-producers Alex Salibian and Tyler Johnson . Songwriters also include Mitch Rowland, Ryan Nasci and Styles himself . Rowland played guitar and drums, Nasci the bass and Bhasker the piano, keyboard and lap steel parts . The track was recorded at Village Studios in Los Angeles and Geejam Hotel Recording Studio in Port Antonio, Jamaica . The song was mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent . </P> <P> Directed by Woodkid, the song's music video was released on 8 May . It features Styles singing in a meadow, and soaring in the skies, walking on water . A writer from USA Today described Styles to be "auditioning to be Marvel Comics next superhero or in a new biblical epic". It was filmed on the Isle of Skye in Scotland . The video's stunt pilot, Will Banks, stated that Styles flew more than 1,550 feet high during the shoot . Banks also claimed that no green screen or CGI effects were employed during filming . A stunt double was used for some scenes . </P> <P> Billboard's Gil Kaufman wrote, "Every artist is an accumulation of their influences, and in (this song) they come fast and furious, as Styles appears to be both showing his range and making a clear effort to step boldly away from the manufactured, plastic pop of his past". Kaufman opined it "rakes in influences from Pink Floyd and David Bowie to Queen, Spacehog, Suede, Coldplay, The Beatles, Eric Carmen and Prince". Also for Billboard, Jason Lipshutz wrote it is "resolute, determined, wholly committed to its messaging and sound, radio trends be damned . Although it wears its influences on its sleeve (Bowie) nothing about this single bends toward someone else's expectations". He concluded saying the song "sounds effortless, but to arrive without any incomplete features is an accomplishment in a music industry where pop artists are expected to produce new music at an unsustainable rate". </P>

Who directed sign of the times music video