More than a decade before he took a seat as a coach on The Voice, Niall Horan was on the other side of a singing competition. He competed on The X Factor U.K. in 2010 as part of the boy band One Direction, which set the band’s successful career in motion and, eventually, Horan’s solo career. Not familiar with Niall Horan’s days on The X Factor? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a crash course in his experience and how it led Horan to coach on The Voice today.
How old was Niall Horan on ‘The X Factor’? Check out his audition
At 16 years old in 2010, Niall Horan auditioned for The X Factor in Dublin in front of judges Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole, Katy Perry, and Simon Cowell. The Irish singer told the judges he wanted to be as big as Justin Bieber and perform in stadiums around the world.
He first sang an a cappella rendition of “You Got It Bad” by Usher. However, the judges stopped him after a few lines and asked if he had anything else because the song was “too ambitious.” He moved on to “So Sick” by Ne-Yo, singing along to a track this time.
Cole and Perry thought Horan needed to work on his voice a bit more. Cowell told Horan he wasn’t prepared and picked the wrong songs. However, he and Walsh voted to let Horan through. Perry was still on the fence, but she ultimately decided to vote yes. Today, Horan credits Perry with starting his career, as he once revealed on The Late Late Show with James Corden.
“If it wasn’t for her, I definitely wouldn’t be here, and she knows it,” he said.
Unfortunately, Horan was eliminated during bootcamp, but his journey wasn’t over. Guest judge Nicole Scherzinger suggested that he form a group with four other boys who were eliminated: Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Liam Payne. It was Styles who came up with their now-famous band name, One Direction.
How far One Direction made it on ‘The X Factor’
The five contestants fared much better as a group on The X Factor. Cowell thought the group had confidence and sounded great together. They made it all the way to the finals, where One Direction finished in third place. After the competition, the band signed with Cowell’s record label, Syco Records.
One Direction went on to release five albums with several hits, including “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” “Best Song Ever,” and more. They became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
In 2016, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus. Horan and his former bandmates launched solo careers. Horan’s debut single, “This Town,” arrived in September 2016, kickstarting his solo success. He went on to release his debut album, Flicker, a few months later, followed by a second album called Heartbreak Weather in 2019. His third album, The Show, arrives in June 2023.
Niall Horan says he wouldn’t turn for his ‘X Factor’ teen self on ‘The Voice’
That brings us to Horan’s first time coaching on The Voice this season. He brought several singer-songwriters with different styles to his team. Horan often reflects on his own experience with The X Factor, but he recently admitted that he wouldn’t turn his chair on The Voice for his 16-year-old self.
“I wouldn’t have turned,” Horan said in his Hot Ones interview, per NBC Insider. “Not for that guy. I was at the right place, the right time. No, I don’t think I would have turned for myself, put it that way.”
His current self, though, would have a chance.
“I’d turn for me now. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve been around the block a couple of times, which is a lot that can be said for someone that’s 29,” Horan added. “I’d turn now, I wouldn’t’ve turned then. That’s the truth.”
Fans can see Niall Horan in action as a coach on The Voice Season 23. New episodes air on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Next-day streaming is also available on Peacock.
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