Niall Horan seems unconcerned about his 30th birthday. The singer-songwriter, who famously committed a chunk of his boyhood to One Direction, will reach that age later this year, and he grapples with adulthood in "Never Grow Up," one of the strongest tunes on his next album, The Show: "I hope we still dance like we're falling in love/ I hope we still drink like we're back at the pub/ I hope we grow old, but we never grow up."
"I don't care anymore," he says of the approaching milestone while speaking with Consequence through Zoom. "We talk about what happens between the ages of 16 and 20, and 20 and 24, but more happens between the ages of 25 and 30 than I thought." Your interests shift, and things happen in your life that you write about."
It's a "lovely day in London town" when we chat a few weeks before the publication of The Show on June 9th, according to Horan. He comes out as calm, humble, and grounded, yet he also appears to be quite enthusiastic about his music. The album's two pre-release singles, "Heaven" and "Meltdown," have given listeners their first glimpse inside The Show, which seems like a natural continuation of his past two full-length efforts.
Most musicians hope that each project will be their favorite to date, and the vocalist acknowledges that his own excitement for this album is strong. "I feel like I've got my best work here," he says. "Who will back you up if you don't back yourself?"
The Show's ten songs were created in collaboration with some of Horan's trusted partners. He admits that a portion of the project was written in Nashville, Tennessee – "What a town," he exclaims, shaking his head. He tries to visit Music City at least once a year, he says, and "Never Grow Up" was one of the songs he wrote while working at Starstruck Studios, which is located on a street surrounded with songwriting houses, labels, and publishing organizations.
"Never Grow Up" was co-written by Julian Bunetta, John Ryan, and Shane McAnally, the latter of whom is a great producing and songwriting jewel in Nashville. The musical environment of the song, like most others on The Show, is where Horan appears to be most at ease, surrounded by acoustic guitar, honest lyrics, and a steady drum rhythm.
"I'm always thinking of something to write if I sit still for even a minute." "I write a lot of stories," he says about his writing approach. Narratives, both real and imagined, are constantly running through his mind. "I like to have an idea before going anywhere near a studio or starting to sit down and write something."
While The Show fits nicely into Horan's history, this album stands out for a few reasons. "There's no heartbreak," he confirms. That's in stark contrast to his last release, Heartbreak Weather, which dropped on March 13th, 2020, as the world came to a standstill. The calm that came with a worldwide standstill inspired him, as it did many other artists. "Stillness was something that was actually more thought provoking than I expected," he says. “Reflection. My worldview, as well as sentiments and emotions that I hadn't really explored, were a huge part of what this record was about."
Horan hasn't had much free recently, since he recently concluded his job as a judge on Season 23 of NBC's The Voice. Next, in support of The Show, Horan has planned a massive 2024 global tour (tickets are available here), and the gears in his mind are virtually apparent while considering the journey. "My favorite part of my job is having an impact on people's lives and creating things for them to relate to," he says. "Hopefully, we can just keep going and meet some new people along the way."
He views himself as inextricably linked to his art. When asked what his ambitions are or what he is looking forward to as Niall the person rather than Niall the musician, he is a little perplexed. "I just want to soak it all in because I'm so fired up." I haven't travelled or performed in five years, so I'm more appreciative than before."
When asked how he wishes to be perceived by others, Horan appears to have his priorities very clear for someone who has spent over a decade in the limelight in a variety of ways. "I've been told that if you're a nice guy, that's a good thing," he quips. "I enjoy meeting new people and chatting with them." To be informed that I'm a composer and a decent person? If I could, I'd take both of them to the cemetery with me."
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