It’s as official as his Twitter username. Niall Horan is back.
After a three year break filled with Instagram photo dumps, TikTok lives and a whole lot of teasing– the music scene was impacted with the release of Horan’s lead single “Heaven” on February 17th, 2023, and further will be on June 9th with the release of his third album, The Show.
The Irish star made his first real comeback in October 2022 with the announcement of his new position as a mentor on The Voice alongside Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton and Chance the Rapper. He thanked fans for their patience during the writing and regrouping process, and two months later announced on TikTok that he would be releasing his first song since “Our Song,” a 2021 collab with Anne-Marie.
Like the majority of the population, I listened to the song immediately at midnight. He had been teasing the chorus all over social media for weeks, and I was so ready to hear the full thing. With the volume all the way up in my AirPods, I intently listened to his lyrics with tears in my eyes. “Beyond infatuation / How I obsessively adore you,” “I believe, I believe / I could die in your kiss / No, it doesn’t get, doesn’t get / Better than this.” It’s a precious proclamation of love that is matched with the angelic background instrumental and his dreamy voice. The rhythmic beat mixed with the lightness of the signature guitar riff makes for a sound that will transport you from Earth to well…heaven! I haven’t been able to stop listening since it came out, it’s a catchy feel-good song that brightens my day when I hear it.
Niall affectionately calls his fans “lovers,” so from a career-long fan this song felt like a completely natural addition to his discography. Some didn’t feel the same however, and the track was caught up in slight controversy. A Rolling Stone review saying, “…the artist crosses the line from romantic infatuation into full-blown obsession…” has gone viral, with people agreeing that the lyrics that are supposed to come off as wholehearted devotion are instead coming off as slightly creepy.
Horan stood his ground however, and his fans had his back. “This album is a piece of work I’m so proud of and now it’s time to pass it over to you to go and make it your own.” He wrote on Instagram, the caption to the post that featured the official album cover.
He seems to be happier than ever and extremely excited for us to hear what he’s been working on. “Thank you so much for being there for me all this time and I can’t wait to share the next couple of years of this new era with you. I’ve missed you all so much. It’s good to be back.”
You can pre-save and pre-order The Show at: Niall.lnk.to/TheShowTP