Niall Horan is no stranger to success. Having multiple chart-topping hits, and albums, along with his new gig as a judge on The Voice US, joining the series this year.
The job is a prestigious one, with the likes of Ariana Grande, Shakira, Miley Cyrus, Gwen Stefani, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera, and John Legend previously sitting in the spinning chairs. But while it might be a coveted gig, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one, as Niall has opened up about the challenging aspects of the competition.
Speaking with 2FM Breakfast, the Mullingar man, shared the fun aspects of his new job as well as the downsides. Explaining: “I love it and hate it in equal measures, like the great part is picking the team.”
“You get a team of ten and that’s great. You’re pressing the red button, out-pitching Kelly Clarkson. It’s all that kind of stuff — that’s great craic.”
Sharing his love for helping his team pick their songs, as one of his favourite aspects of the job.
But Niall has little love for the singing battles, and knockouts, finding hard to send someone home, and end their run in the competition.
“You literally have to pick on the spot who is going through and who is not and that is when the empathy side of things kick in,” he confessed.
The 29-year-old has first-hand knowledge of the contestants’ experience, have found fame on fellow singing competition, The X Factor, at just 16-years-old. Niall wasn’t originally picked to advance in the show, but was brought back and paired with four other singers, who also hadn’t made it through, forming the band, One Direction.
Sharing how he relates to The Voice contestants, Niall shared: “I know exactly what it is like to stand on the other side of someone that’s got your future and it is just horrible. You’re looking at a 19-year-old up there who if I say no, they’ve convinced themselves already that it is the end of their career.”
Elsewhere in the interview Niall spoke about his upcoming album, The Show.
Being released on the 9th of June, the singer shared what fans can expect from his third solo project.
“I think across the board this album is a bit less story telly like from specific scenarios, it is a bit more bigger thoughts and that’s probably just me getting a little bit older,” he revealed.
The Show’s first single Heaven was released this yesterday, and the Westmeath man shared where the inspiration for the track came from.
“Heaven is like, you know the way society tells us we need to be married at this age and we need to hit certain milestones at this time.”
“I’m a bit of a rebel so I decided I was going to write stuff about that,” he shared.
