Niall James Horan

So, as I told you in my previous post my favorite boy band is One Direction and now I'm gonna tell you about Niall Horan, one of member in One Direction. Let's check this out !  

Niall James Horan was born on September 13, 1993, in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. During his school years, he showed talent for singing and performing. At the age of 16, he auditioned for the television show The X Factor and was accepted into the competition. Although he did not make the final rounds as a solo vocalist, he joined forces with four other contestants to form the successful boy band One Direction.

Niall's Childhood 

Niall has an older brother, Greg Horan. His parents, Bobby and Maura Horan, divorced when he was a child. He and his older brother, Greg, moved back and forth between their parents' two households before settling in with their father.

Niall grew up in Mullingar and attended St. Kenny National School, where he performed in school plays and sang in the school choir. He attended secondary school at Coláiste Mhuire (Mary's College), also in Mullingar. Niall tried to play the guitar that his brother got for Christmas, but was not able to play it. Niall, then aged 11, taught himself how to play the guitar by following YouTube tutorials. His aunt discovered his talent one day when she was in the car with Niall as he started singing. She originally thought the radio was on. As a teenager he performed at the Mullingar Arts Centre (in a fund-raiser for the local football team, the Shamrocks) and at The Academy in Dublin. He was also bagging a support slot with former X Factor contestant Lloyd Daniels at the Academy club in Dublin.

Niall and his brother, Greg

The X Factor 2010 

Niall sang Ne-Yo's So Sick

Niall with One Direction on The X Factor

In 2010, when he was 16 years old, Niall auditioned for the television talent competition The X Factor. He moved up through several rounds of preliminary auditions culminating in a performance for the program's judges, including Simon Cowell and guest judge Katy Perry, in Dublin. He sang a version of Ne-Yo's "So Sick" and was accepted into the official competition. Although he was eliminated as a solo contestant after the semifinals, the judges combined Niall with Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson to form the boy band called One Direction.

One Direction 

Brit Awards 2012

Although One Direction did not win the final round of The X Factor, the band immediately received a contract with Cowell's label Syco and quickly became an international success. Propelled to global success by social media, One Direction's five albums, Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013), Four (2014), and Made in the A.M. (2015), topped charts in most major markets, and generated hit singles including "What Makes You Beautiful", "Live While We're Young", "Best Song Ever", "Story of My Life" and "Drag Me Down".

Niall Horan was a co-writer, along with his fellow group members, of many of One Direction's songs including the critically acclaimed top 10 hit "Story Of My Life." He also played guitar on some of the group's recordings. Niall is the only One Direction member born outside England, and he is the second youngest member of the band. He claims to be inspired by classic swing music and by the vocalist Michael Bublé. He is known for his blonde good looks and boy-next-door appeal.

Photoshoot on 2011

One Direction live on The Today Show 2012

Take Me Home Tour (2013)

The Today Show 2013

BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend 24 May 2014

Where We Are Tour (2014)

On The Road Again Tour (2015)

Liam and Niall attend the private launch of David Beckham For H&M Swimwear at Shoreditch House on May 14, 2014 in London, England.

Summertime Ball 2015

Capital FM 2015

Jingle Bell Ball 2015 

The X Factor 2015

Solo Singles

After One Direction first announced their hiatus, Niall Horan spent three months traveling the world before he settled in to create his own solo music. He co-wrote the song "This Town" with frequent One Direction collaborator Jamie Scott, Mike Needle, and Daniel Bryer. The record was produced by Greg Kurstin, Grammy Award nominee for his work with Adele, Sia, and Kelly Clarkson. "This Town" was lauded for its folk-influenced sincerity. Niall Horan is friends with Ed Sheeran, and the latter's influence on the song has often been mentioned. "This Town" reached #9 on the UK pop singles chart and climbed into the top 20 in the US. It was also a hit across adult contemporary, adult pop, and mainstream top 40 radio.

The song "Slow Hands" was added when Niall Horan decided he wanted something grittier and funkier on his debut album. It has a stronger R&B feel with a heavy bass sound. It was inspired by the early solo work of the Eagles' Don Henley. "Slow Hands" surpassed the commercial success of "This Town." It climbed to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 while hitting the top of the adult pop and mainstream pop radio charts. It also went all the way to #1 on the dance chart. It has been certified platinum for sales in the U.S. Niall performed it live at the June 4, 2017, One Love Manchester concert to benefit the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.

This is the third single from the debut album "Flicker." It was released in September 2017 just before the album. It is a gentle ballad about longing for an ex-girlfriend. Horan has stated that it is one of his personal favorite songs on the album. "Too Much to Ask" broke into the top 20 on both adult pop and mainstream pop radio in the U.S.

Niall released his first solo album "Flicker" in October 2017. He stated that his music was influenced by the 1970s pop-rock of the groups Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles. The album was a commercial success. It debuted at #1 on the U.S. album chart. Country singer Maren Morris appeared on the song "Seeing Blind" from the album. Niall performed it live with her at the Country Music Association Awards in November 2017. They also collaborated on her song "I Could Use a Love Song."

List of songs on the album Flicker :

1. On the Loose

2. This Town

3. Seeing Blind (with Maren Morris)

4. Slow Hands

5. Too Much to Ask

6. Paper Houses

7. Since We’re Alone

8. Flicker

9. Fire Away

10. You and Me

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Niall stated that his upcoming album, Flicker, was inspired by classic rock acts, including Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles, "Whenever I would pick up a guitar, I would always naturally play chords like that, and finger pick a lot and play that folky kind of style." He also described the collection as having a "folk-with-pop feel to it." Niall embarked on a worldwide tour, Flicker Sessions 2017, which started in August to promote the album.

Niall on Flicker Sessions 2017

Niall Horan set out on his first solo concert tour in August 2017. It included twenty dates mostly in North America. The show received strong positive reviews from critics. His second tour, the "Flicker World Tour," is scheduled to begin in March 2018. It is a world tour covering Europe, North America, Asia, and Latin America.

Niall on Flicker World Tour 2018 

Niall has been working on his upcoming second studio album with Greg Kurstin; the two have worked on a ballad called "Put a Little Love on Me". The album's lead single, "Nice to Meet Ya", was released on 4 October 2019. On 30 October, Niall announced that he would be embarking on the Nice to Meet Ya Tour in 2020. "Put a Little Love on Me" was released as the album's second single on 6 December 2019.

My favorite Niall Horan songs is Too Much To Ask, This Town, and Flicker. How about you? What's your favorite Niall Horan songs?

Hope you have a great day! See ya in my next post :D

Sources : wikipedia 

               liveabout.com 

               biography.com