Born in Mullingar, Westmeath, Irishman Niall Horan got his start in music when he learned to play an unwanted guitar that his brother got for Christmas. Following a promising start as a solo artist, Horan found fame at the age of 16 as a member of the hugely successful boy band One Direction. Following the band’s 2016 hiatus, Horan – who was one of the main songwriters in the band – followed the example of his bandmates and struck out on his own.
Horan’s first single This Town earned comparisons to chart-toppers such as Ed Sheeran, but his debut album, Flicker, found the singer-songwriter exploring more of a Laurel Canyon sound, inspired by the likes of The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, and featuring a guest appearance from country phenomenon Maren Morris. It went straight to No.1 in Ireland, Canada and the US and was certified platinum in the US, Ireland, Canada and Norway.
In 2020, Horan released his second album, Heartbreak Weather, which went to No.1 in both the UK and Irish charts. Earning further comparisons to contemporary solo artists such as Sheeran and Shawn Mendes, the album cemented Horan as a promising act in his own right.
On 7 November 2020, Horan performed a livestream show from London's Royal Albert Hall, with proceeds going towards his touring crew and the #WeNeedCrew relief fund. “I know that live events are something we all miss,” Horan said, “and until we are able to return I want to highlight the incredible people who work in touring that make those events possible and whose livelihoods have been severely affected.”
In 2023, Horan became a judge on TV talent show The Voice. He announced his third album The Show preceding it with the single 'Heaven'. On St Patrick's Day 2023, Horan visited the White House to play the song for US President Joe Biden and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. A second single, 'Meltdown', followed in April 2023.
In May 2023, Horan announced a major return to UK stages with The Show: Live On Tour 2024 – his biggest tour yet and first headline run since 2018’s Flicker World Tour. He’ll be performing songs from all three of his solo albums, including The Show, which is released June 9 2023.
The world tour will kick off on February 21, 2024 in Belfast, UK at the SSE Arena. UK and Ireland dates then include Dublin, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester and a show at London’s OVO Arena Wembley.
“My favourite thing in the world is being on tour." says Nial. "Performing my songs for my fans and sharing those incredible moments together are the reason why I write music in the first place. This is going to be my best tour yet and I cannot wait to see all you “lovers” on the road in 2024. There’s nothing better than watching the crowd sing back to you with all that emotion on their faces and knowing that they’re attaching the song to something meaningful in their own lives. To me, that’s always the greatest thing that can ever come from songwriting.”