'Amazing!'-- Harry Styles wows fans with one-off gig

British pop sensation Harry Styles delighted thousands of fans in the northern English city of Manchester late on Friday with a one-off concert to mark the release of his new album.

Styles staged a special show at the Co-op Live arena to celebrate "Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally" -- the former One Direction star's first studio album in four years.

For nearly two hours, he performed tracks from the new album, including the single "Aperture", which he sang last weekend at the Brit Awards.

"It was amazing. I've been to see him a few times. That was one of the best experiences of my life," Carly, a 25-year-old primary school teacher told AFP as she left the venue.

She praised the concert's no?phones policy, with fans instead handed disposable cameras to capture the moment.

"He's unbelievable. Every song. Perfect. It was absolutely flawless," said Catherine, another fan.

Wearing yellow trousers and a blue jumper over a floral shirt, Styles spoke emotionally on stage about his return to music.

"I've kind of rediscovered what a privilege it is to be in people's lives through music over the last couple of years," Styles told the crowd, according to the PA news agency.

"You've changed my life. Thank you so, so much."

Most fans paid just £20 ($27) for a ticket, much less than the prices for his upcoming "Together, Together" world tour.

That opens on May 16 in Amsterdam before a run of 12 shows at London's Wembley Stadium.