After a three year long hiatus, Niall Horan’s back with more swoon-worthy music. Horan’s been teasing his newest single, “Heaven,” for a long time now. In October 2022, Horan announced his comeback on his social media stories, thanking his fans for their patience as he took some time off from music. Horan was busy that same month as he accepted to be a mentor on The Voice, alongside Chance the Rapper, Blake Shelton, and Kelly Clarkson (honestly, the dream team). Two months later, Horan hinted at “Heaven” on his TikTok and left fans wanting more. The wait is officially over: “Heaven” is streaming now.
Directioners know that Horan and One Direction were frequent guests on the Late Late Show. Making his triumphant return to the show, Horan performed “Heaven” on Feb. 16 for James Corden, Orlando Bloom, and his audience. This marked Horan’s first time singing his new song live — which, evidently, he didn’t expect to do. Corden surprised him halfway through their interview with a guitar, begging him for a snippet of the single.
Horan, who had a reputation in One Direction for being the “sweet one,” is sweeter than ever in “Heaven.” Lyrics like “Let’s not get complicated / Let’s just enjoy the view” and “I believe, I believe / I could die in your kiss” yanked out my heartstrings and stomped on them. No exaggeration. The chorus is just as tender as the rest of the song, with Horan repeating, “God only knows where this could go / And even if our love starts to grow out of control / And you and me go up in flames / Heaven won’t be the same.” It’s hard not to fall for Horan’s dreamy, soft voice, especially when he’s singing about eternal love. Though some people think the lyrics border on obsessive, Horan explained in a press statement, “The chorus of this song is saying that what I have in my life currently is amazing.”
Prior to his appearance on the Late Late Show, Horan posted a letter to his Lovers on TikTok on Feb. 16, where he described the personal significance of his upcoming album, The Show. “These songs are for you as much as they are for me,” Horan said, after mentioning how it took him 18 months to finish this record. “It’s a reflection of where I am in my life today,” he added “As a person, as a musician, and of course as a songwriter.” While we have to wait until June 9 to hear the full album, “Heaven” gives us hope for what the rest of the songs will be like.