Robbie Williams sees a lot of himself in Harry Styles

LOS ANGELES: Singer Robbie Williams said that he can see a lot of similarities between himself and Harry Styles when it comes to their careers as he opens up about the 'lonely' side of fame.

Just like Styles, the singer, 48, found fame after joining a boy band before breaking off to launch his own solo career with his debut album 'Life Thru A Lens', reports mirror.co.uk.

Speaking to friend and presenter Scott Mills in celebration of the album, which features the hit 'Angels', Williams was told by Mills, 49, that he sees similarities between the two performers.

Williams replied: "Absolutely. I see a lot. This is inconsequential but the algorithm on my YouTube threw up a video of Harry Styles talking in between songs and what he was talking about was a bit of nonsense, like I talk about, just a bit of banter."

"It was like, I see what he's doing. He's trying to fill a space... That stage is massive and it's a lonely place. You'd better throw some shapes or you're just going to feel awkward."

During the conversation, which took place on 'Robbie Williams: My Life Thru A Lens' on BBC Radio 2, Williams also discussed his initial departure from 'Take That' and the impact on his relationship with former bandmate Gary Barlow.

"I think I was in the middle of a nervous breakdown, my first of many," Williams said of leaving the band. All the information going into the computer had made the computer overload... So it felt like I was in some sort of burning building and I needed to get out.

"That's how it felt at the time. Then I was like, 'okay, I'll do this tour and then I'll leave'. And they actually went, 'actually, if you're going to leave, can you go now?'"

Williams recently revealed that he never actually wanted to be a singer.