Why ‘The Show’ Is Niall Horan’s Best Album Yet
Samantha Colleran, June 2023
March 2020 we watched as the world shut down completely. With no idea what the future held for the state of the globe, many artists used this time to dig deep and create art that was honest and raw. Niall Horan’s sophomore album Heartbreak Weather was released on the day the official shutdown began, leading him to cancel his world tour and resort to connecting with fans online through Instagram lives. With no idea when live music would return, Niall sat at the piano and began doing what he does best; writing songs that people will find it easy to fall in love with. The result is The Show, ten tracks that focus on love, maturing, and being a voice of comfort for those who may be struggling.
Prior to the release of The Show, Niall shared two singles off of the album; “Heaven” and “Meltdown”. “Heaven” is a sweet tune about new love that highlights Niall’s feelings about a budding relationship, more than likely with girlfriend Amelia Woolley. “Meltdown” is an up-tempo track where Niall assures listeners during times of anxiety that they aren’t alone. Despite being out for some time prior to the album release, these two songs still feel fresh when listening to the album from top to bottom.
Mental health became a widely discussed topic of the pandemic, and Niall uses his music as a way to communicate with those who are going through challenging times that they aren’t alone. “Science” is a prominent example; the song starts with questions that signal the subject of the song is struggling, the chorus kicks in and Niall reminds listeners that even when they feel as if life is too hard, “there’s still a heart beating in your chest” and things will turn out okay. “If You Leave Me” also covers topics of anxiety; we see Niall addressing feelings of fear of being left alone in a relationship and how dark things would be without this love. “If you leave me / Oh, I think that I might just lose it completely, yeah / If you leave me / Hope you know that you’re sentencing me / To a life on my knees / I don’t know who I would be” Niall sings on the chorus.
“Never Grow Up” sees Niall reflecting on the joys of lifelong bonds and the refusal to lose that carefree innocence that comes with being young. He wants to “grow old” but “never grow up”; he wants to dance like he’s still falling in love, laugh along with those he holds closest to his heart, and create meaningful memories along the way. Niall has never shied away from being vulnerable in his songwriting, and “Must Be Love” is the perfect way to close out the album. Niall shares his tendency to over analyze things and that it’s hard for him to keep things simple and follow his heart. On the chorus he sings a simple sentiment, “If it feels like love / Then it must be love”. Overcoming feelings of doubt and instead surrendering to the feeling of real, genuine love ends the album on a positive note.
Romance and love are focal points of The Show and are easily among the best songs in Niall’s discography. “Save My Life” is an 80s esque upbeat song where Niall sings about seeing life in a new light once his muse entered the picture. Although he was afraid to open his heart at first, the result was worth the risk, “I’m afraid to feel it / But I just gotta tell you now / Ever since you walked in / I’m seeing a new light”. “You Could Start A Cult” was inspired by Niall and Amelia’s love of true crime documentaries, and Niall uses this dark title to juxtapose the endearing message behind the song. Niall sings about being so devoted to loving someone that if they started a cult, you would join without question. It’s the softest moment on the album, Niall’s tender voice feels like a warm embrace as he sings “You are so much more than beautiful to me”. It’s evident he’s head over heels in love and it’s so beautiful to hear that love translate into his music. “On A Night Like Tonight” is a sultry jam about a summer romance full of desire and passion, “On a night like tonight / Are we just two stars passing by? / Wantin’ your summer skin pressed on mine / Wanna know what your lovin’ tastes like”. Niall’s voice is smooth as he delivers these lyrics over dreamlike instruments.
Of course, the song to best encapsulate the overall feeling of this album is the title track. On “The Show”, Niall reminds listeners that life is a balance of tough times and happy times and emphasizes the importance of having both. On the chorus, Niall sings “If everythin’ was easy, nothin’ ever broke / If everythin’ was simple, how would we know? / How to fix your tears, how to fake a show”, reiterating this idea. The bridge on this track is one of the strongest vocal moments for Niall, I can tell this will be absolutely stunning live.
Sam’s Song Selection
Subject to change, but for now…
- ”Save My Life”- I love how happy this song is. It feels like summer and every time I listen to it I can’t help but dance around. I’m the most excited to hear this one live.
- “You Could Start A Cult”- Simple but effective. I’m a sucker for acoustic romance songs, and Niall does what he’s always done best on this track.
- “On A Night Like Tonight”- A slightly different sound for Niall, his vocals really shine on this track and I know this one will also sound absolutely stunning live.
The Show is available to stream everywhere now. If you’ve listened to the album let me know your favorite track in the comments. If you haven’t listened to it yet, run and do so now! Congratulations Niall on such a beautiful release, I’m so excited to see all of the success this era of music brings your way!