So, I decided that for this week I was gonna switch it up a little. Instead of highlighting a recently released album, we’re going to talk about Niall Horan’s debut single, “This Town.” I’m posting it here instead of at the end of the article like I usually do so that you can listen to it first.
Go ahead. I’ll wait.
Alright, so here’s why this is important. This is Niall Horan’s debut as a solo artist after signing with Capitol Records USA, so “This Town” kind of sets the stage for what the rest of his music should sound like. Let me start by saying that this song was not at all what I expected it to be…and I honestly loved it.
I’ve always kind of been a secret One Direction fan. I used to wonder why Niall didn’t get more lines on tracks because I really liked the sound of his voice. I realize now that it’s because his voice isn’t as particularly suited to that style of music. Harry Styles, Liam Payne, and Zayn Malik (even though he isn’t part of 1D anymore) have much stronger voices that are perfect for pop-dance-boyband music. Niall’s voice has a much softer, almost sweet tone to it. With One Direction on hiatus, this is the perfect time for Niall to showcase his talent in a way that seems more suited to him.
Okay, so back to the song. It’s the kind of song that you listen to when you’re laying in bed on a rainy day and pondering life. When I first heard that he had released his first single, I was expecting to hear an upbeat pop song similar to other One Direction songs. I knew that Niall had helped co-write a lot of One Direction songs before. Instead, it’s a super mellow, romantic acoustic song about missing a previous love. There are a few lines like “if the whole world was watching I’d still dance with you” and “them butterflies they come alive when I’m next to you” that make you melt a little bit inside. If you like Ed Sheeran’s music, you will definitely like this song. “This Town” reminds me a lot of what Sheeran’s music sounds like, which isn’t at all surprising since the two are/were friends (I honestly can’t keep up). I was actually really surprised to find out that Sheeran didn’t help co-write “This Town” at all.
This is only the first of hopefully many more songs to come from him. I love love love this song and cannot wait to hear what else Niall has in store for us!