A week before Harry Styles released his sophomore solo album Fine Line, he shared the album artwork online and one particular photo had fans picking their jaws up off the floor. The picture in question shows the singer laying on a yellow floor with his legs crossed — totally nude.

When the former One Direction star visited The Ellen Show on Wednesday (December 18), Ellen DeGeneres naturally brought up the sensual yet tasteful photo, which caused the 25-year-old to explain how his photographer Tim Walker cleverly got him to strip. "I'd never really done a shoot like this," he said.

"Most of us haven't," the host quipped back.

"[The photographer] was like, 'OK, this shirt's not really working, so let's try it without the shirt. Those trousers aren't really working, so let's try it without the trousers.' And he kind of looked at me and I was like, 'These pants aren't really working, are they?' And he was like, 'No,'" Style said with a laugh.

"Clever, that he did it that way," DeGeneres said with a smile.

"Yes, and now I'm naked," the pop star replied.

Elsewhere in the interview, Styles admitted the new album is about a break up, although he wouldn't confess who it's about despite DeGeneres' prying.

"I think I definitely write from a personal experience. I think a lot of people do. I think if you want your songs to be honest and connect with people, it's usually from writing honestly," he explained. "So yeah, it's definitely about, I guess, what I was going through at the time. And that's both good and bad. I think the thing with this album for me is while I was making it, the times when I was kind of sad were probably like some of the saddest times in my life, but then at the same time the times when I was happy were some of the best times I've ever had in my life. It's both, it's a fine line."

Watch the full interview below.

Hary Styles' Hottest Red Carpet Photos

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