Niall Horan Chats With Billboard on Solo Success and the Future of One Direction
Fans of One Direction have always called Niall Horan the biggest One Direction fan of all time. He’s the biggest supporter of his band mates in their own lives, he’s always spoken so fondly of their time together as a band, and he’s even tweeted some perfect things, like the one where he read a rumor that he’d left the band and said he’d still be wearing 1D t-shirts when the band called it quits.
Haha what's this all about me leaving one direction hahahah, I'm gonna be goin around wearing 1D t-shirts when 1D is over hahahah
— Niall Horan (@NiallOfficial) December 26, 2011
While One Direction isn’t over, the band is on a hiatus so that, as individuals, they could explore solo projects and interests. Many people have been counting down the days until one of them ‘spills the beans’ that they’re not coming back or news breaks that they never planned to at all, but those people aren’t real fans of the band or the boys at all. In his interview with Billboard, about his solo project and career, Niall made a statement about the band that again solidifies his spot as the biggest and most true One Direction fan, ever.
‘I told my managers from the start: When One Direction comes knocking, fook what I’m doing. I don’t give a shit if I sold out arenas or won Grammys. I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for that.‘
For now, though, it’s Niall’s time to shine on his own and he discussed his solo sound, how his album is finally something he’s proud of and content with, and how he finally got to go backpacking and experience the things he was jealous of his mates for doing while he was moving from hotel rooms to tour busses for the last almost six years.
In fact, he went on a trip for months and it was just what he needed after being on the road for so long.
Niall took two of his cousins and an awesome security guard and flew to Asia. They rented scooters, ate anything and everything, shared dump hotel rooms and took flights to wherever they wanted when the sun came up. Niall says that he didn’t wear a shirt for weeks in Thailand. However, in Bali, it rained a lot and they also got some history lessons in Vietnam. When the guys made it to Boracay they got stuck in a horrible hotel room, but they couldn’t have been happier.
‘Lights flickering, cats drinking out the pool, spiders walking the wall, damp bedsheets, plus you’ve got the shits from the dodgy food.’
In addition to that time off, Niall gained experience and had a new set of experiences to write from. This helped shape his new album and helped him to figure out what he wanted to sound like. He’s also his own harshest critic so he wasn’t happy with the first set of songs he wrote, however, he’s totally pleased with what he’s finished with now and hopes his fans will be too.
Niall also spoke of his family and how proud they are of all he’s accomplished. To him, the fame and the fortune aren’t where the importance lies. It’s in being able to do something he loves. He does, however, know that his job does give him circumstance which he tries to use to help those around him. His mom let her pay off the mortgage, but his dad was not having the big gift Niall was hoping to give him. I always say there’s ignorance and there’s Irish ignorance. It’s on a different level. He’ll barely take a Christmas present off me. He doesn’t want any of it. He just wants me to come visit.” Horan’s own home in Laurel Canyon — a five-bedroom, 4,400-square-foot house on a 9,600-square-foot lot, bought for $4 million — is modest for a guy in his tax bracket. And while he does have a trophy wall in it, you get the feeling it’s because he doesn’t buy knickknacks — just the occasional $20,000 guitar, like the 1961 Gibson ES-335 he toured with in December.
‘I always say there’s ignorance and there’s Irish ignorance. It’s on a different level. He’ll barely take a Christmas present off me. He doesn’t want any of it. He just wants me to come visit.’
Niall’s humble nature definitely comes from his family, and he’s as proud of them as they are of him.
Speaking of being proud; friends, family, and fans of Niall have a lot to be proud of him for. He’s currently doing some radio shows as he prepares for his solo album debut and he’s working hard to perfect the sound so that he can tour that album soon after.
For more of Niall’s interesting interview with Billboard, you can check it out online or buy the issue in store.
‘…but I knew him’
