"Flicker."

I highly suggest listening to each song as you read the description. I promise you won't regret it.

Niall Horan has created an album for everyone with a genre of Americana/Folk like "On My Own" to pure pop like "Slow Hands" and "On The Loose" – everyone will enjoy listening.

But, "Flicker" is so much more than just a great album. So many songs and lyrics will speak to your heart, and especially girls.

Horan has written lyrics everyone wants to hear. He has written all about being yourself and letting your heart find love. He has written about being comfortable with who you are. He has written about how confident you should be in yourself.

Such a message is so important nowadays, and I hope you find comfort in his words.

I know I have.

1. "On The Loose"

Honestly, if you were to hear “On The Loose" without hearing any other song on the album, you would be questioning why such a song is on a list of empowering women – after all, the song is about a girl (ask any Niall fan and they'll be able to tell you who *insert suspicious eye emoji*) who broke his heart two times and is still on the search for another man and won't stop anywhere.

But, I think the whole idea of the song is that this girl isn't letting anyone dictate what she's doing. She's living her life – even if she's breaking hearts. Although I don't like that she broke his heart in particular, listening to OTL makes you want to dance around like you never have before and totally be a heartbreaker.

2. "This Town"

So, you've heard “This Town" a thousand times before, I'm sure, and you're going to think really hard about why this song is strong for women when it's from a man's perspective. But, the whole idea of the song is that this girl will always be his first love – his beginning love. She will always have a place in his heart, and he will always want her (to a point).

We all crave that love – the love that is unconditional and true and pure, and he has that love for her. So maybe the song isn't about a woman standing up to a man or breaking his heart, but it is about being “it" for someone. It's all about how you make them feel. And, if anything, I think that's pretty special.

3. "Seeing Blind"

Horan's beginning lines of “Seeing Blind" read,

"I have seen, I've seen it all in paper dreams, watched it unfold on the screen, but I never thought you would."

He starts out by saying he's seen true love in books and in films, but never did he think he would have that love with this girl – a girl he's head over heels for, infatuated with, in love with. But, suddenly, she's falling in love with him and they're starting something new. He's beginning a new relationship and he's blind to everyone but her. I think that's a feeling we all have at the beginning of a relationship – where you can only see that person, your significant other. With his career, I think that those lines really set the tone for how much he loved and felt for this girl, and that's something every girl should have.

4. "Slow Hands"

Bop. Of. The. Century. I'm positive you've heard “Slow Hands" more than you've heard any other of his singles (Songs 1, 2, and 5) because it is still on the charts after a year. It's the best song to listen to no matter the circumstance. Feeling happy? “Slow Hands." Feeling sad? “Slow Hands." Feeling angry? “Slow Hands." Honestly, you are in great hands if you're going to listen to that song.

It's all about a girl taking the initiative, telling this man she's been watching all night that she wants to take him home, that she wants to be with him. I'm assuming you can understand the underlying meaning, here. She is calling all the shots. She is inviting him over. It's not the other way around. Sure, many guys tell you that they “like" when a girl takes charge – but in actuality, how many times has a male artist written about that? I can't think of a better song to be played on the radio eight million times a day.

Niall, sweetie, thank you for giving us all the confidence to take charge and thank you, more importantly, for writing a bop.

5. "Too Much To Ask"

Okay, I want to have a little chat with the girl that broke his heart, please. “Too Much To Ask" had been written post-“Flicker" (Song 8) and is about Horan asking his now ex-girlfriend to come back, to have another chance, to be with him once again. He's telling her how much he misses her; how much he loves her – even though she broke his heart.

I think we have all felt that in some way, shape or form – whether that be a friendship or romantic relationship, we have felt that loss of love before. I think that having him sing a song all about how much he misses her and loves her proves that not all men are actual trash. We all deserve a Niall Horan in our lives, ladies and gentlewomen.

6. "Paper Houses"

When I heard this live, I cried. It's such a powerful song. “Paper Houses" is all about the fragility of a relationship – especially when it's falling apart. It talks about how easy it is for a relationship to lose everything, to lose hope in each other, to fall out of love with another person.

Horan talks about how hard it is to keep a strong relationship when apart and how he would do anything to make his love feel important and special to him, even when they're separated by distance – and that speaks volumes. Having that is so important because it's an essence of creating a loving and in love partnership with each other.

So, maybe this song isn't about a woman being powerful or taking charge, but it's about being loved as much as one possibly could, and I think that's pretty great, too.

7. "Since We're Alone"

Okay, my favorite song on the album – my brand. “Since We're Alone" (one of four songs on his album that are separate from his relationship he had been writing about) is all about a boy falling for a girl who's guarded and scared to fall in love. She has been hurt and broken by relationships/friendships in the past, and she doesn't want to open her heart to be broken again. He introduces this story with lyrics such as

“Since we're alone, you can show me your heart. If you put it all in my hands, oh I swear I won't break it apart" and “Why would you want to play someone else, I love you best when you're just yourself" and “Anyone one can see, anyone can your heartache, heartache, you can talk to me, it's more than skin deep, we're trying."

He is singing about this boy telling his love that she can open her heart to him, that'll he'll protect her, that he's different, that he won't break her heart. He knows it's hard to accept and recognize that a relationship and significant other like this does exist, and he wants to prove that he is different. He sings, “If you get lost in the light it's okay I can see in the dark," and I think that is something that is so caring and loving, it physically makes your heartache.

As someone who loves this song with her whole heart and relates to the lyrics more than anything, that is one lyric that will always hit my heart and my emotions the most (I'm actually getting it tattooed). It's something that any girl who's had heartbreak wants to hear. Honestly, I think Horan has hit a real soft spot with a lot of girls with this song. I'd suggest giving it a listen.

8. "Flicker"

I'm angry. Angry that “Flicker" is such an amazing song. Horan really did us all in when writing this song. Go have a listen, then come back, read this description, and if by the end you aren't heartbroken, then, I suggest a self-evaluation.

Horan wrote this song first for the album, and he loved it so much, he titled his first solo-album to it. His iconic piece is all about his relationship ending, his love falling apart, the love of his life leaving him. He sings about how much he doesn't want her to leave, how he would do anything to have her stay, how he missed how she would “rest your head upon my chest" and how he would “tell you things you've never heard before." He quite literally says, “Please don't leave." We all want to be wanted. We want to be loved and cared for.

By Horan singing such words, how she gave him a “flicker of hope," you would be given a hope that there is someone out there that is going to be so in love with you, that they never want you to leave – even when relationships get rocky or a bit messy. He tells us how a relationship should be – with endless love and care – and would hope that you never settle for less than that.

9. "Fire Away"

I have no idea how anyone could listen to “Fire Away" and not feel soft and in love with Niall Horan. Such a song is meant to be felt and shared by everyone because it is so powerful and real. Horan writes and sings a story about a girl who is scared to open up to a relationship because she's afraid of being misunderstood, and having her significant other leaves her.

We can't always express ourselves in our truest fashion because it's true – sometimes people don't understand why you love something/someone so much, or why something is as important to you as it is, and it makes you vulnerable to not only being hurt by another's opinion but their opportunity to leave your life, too.

Horan sings, “You keep sayin' that you're alright, but I can see it through your fake smile, you're now. I can see the reservoir in your eyes, that you've been holding back a long time, what's wrong?" and he's quite literally asking her to open up to him. But, again, she's afraid of being hurt. Do we see a pattern with such relationships and fears? So many relationships aren't filled with care and love as they should be, and Horan is talking about how you can find someone that will give you everything you deserve.

His lyrics sing more than what any girl would want to hear, with “Darlin', you don't have to hold it, you don't have to be afraid, you can go ahead and unload it, 'cause you know it'll be okay" and “Hold me close but at a distance, thinking I don't ever listen, but I do. I know sometimes I get confusing, you might be lost but I ain't losing you" and I think one of the most impactful, “I will steady your hand, when you're losing your grip."

Horan's entire song is about being there to support your significant other, and I think that's more than what anyone wants to know and have.

10. "You and Me"

One of “Flicker"'s more upbeat ballads, Horan is singing about how he is doing everything for his significant other. He is singing about how he would do everything and anything for her, and he wants and wishes she would wait for him – because, after all, he really doesn't have much time with her.

He has quaint breaks in between legs and stops of his tour (as he has a two-week break now in-between Europe and Australia/New Zealand), but he wants to have every moment he can with her. He does everything for her – to make her proud, to make her happy, to show his unconditional love for her. His lyrics “Time has never been on our side, but would you wait for me" and “All that I've got to do, is make you believe, it's all for you and me" are there for him to tell her about how he is doing everything he can to be with her, and she has to have a “bit of patience please" and he knows “what's to come, and it's coming for you and me."

Horan singing so passionately about how he does everything for her is so inspiring because you know that there will be someone to treat you that way. So, my lovely ladies out there, don't settle for anything less than someone who would give you their everything.

11. "On My Own"

Okay, so, I don't think you could necessarily connect this to an anthem with this concept, but it's such a good song – it's being included. We can all relate to it, in one way or another. We have all “drank till it's empty," “stayed out till it's dead," or we have decided to “wake up in midday and marry my bed."

We all have a time period in our lives where we “just want to be alone." It's not a negative against women, but I think it's more of a neutral stance and I am 100% behind the idea. Girls support girls! Do your thing! Don't worry about anyone else! It's time for a bit of “you" loving. Treat yourself. You deserve it. Don't take it personally fellas, I just like being “On My Own."

12. "Mirrors"

Okay, listen, “Mirrors" deserved better. But, beyond than the complete disrespect and dust, such a masterpiece was paid, we should talk why this song is perfect and lyrically beautiful.

Horan opened his Flicker Sessions tour with a speech about “Mirrors" and how he wrote this song (another concept not inspired by his own relationship, but with a story) about a girl he spotted in a café in France during a holiday (a vacation). He had been with friends but had watched as this girl appeared very sad and solemn at her table alone, until her waiter had done something to make her laugh, and her demeanor seemed to change. He had been inspired by how so many young girls (and boys, he added in his many speeches to introduce the song during his gigs) have issues with their mental health and how they perceive themselves, and he wants everyone to know that he supports us and we're perfect as ourselves.

His lyrics,

“She closed the door, she hides behind the face nobody knows, she feels her skin touch the door", “She looks into her mirror wishing someone could hear her, so loud", “When my bones start breaking, my heart starts breaking. I need love", and quite possibly the most important verse in the song,
“Her coffee's cold,
He turned around and said, “I hope you know
You're beautiful, have you ever been told?"
But she's a little shy
As he walks away, she slowly breaks a smile
The skies are blue, haven't been for a while."

He is telling everyone listening, no matter who you are and what you look like, you are beautiful, you are loved. Honestly? He couldn't have made a more beautiful song to add to an album. You all deserve to feel this way. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

13. "The Tide"

Horan's last track on the iconic “Flicker" album. We have felt a lot of emotions over the last twelve tracks and our last song, “The Tide" is going to make us feel no differently. Although upbeat and very fun to dance to (especially at his gigs), the true meaning of this song is quite sad.

Horan said in a soundcheck on his European leg of tour, that the song is actually about how his past relationships have been overtaken by his career, between distance and “fame" (he doesn't like to use that word due to the negative connotation and horrible definition), and not being with her as much as any “normal" boyfriend would be. He is asking his significant other to stay, to hold out and wait for him, to promise that she's not going to forget all about him because of their circumstance at the present moment – he's going to be back for her, he's always coming back.

We hear that story in his lyrics “Hold steady, I don't want it to end" and “Every time we get this close, it's always pulling us apart," “When I go, all I ever seem to fear, is that you're going to find someone, and slowly watch me disappear," and even more so in the chorus “Don't let the tide come and take me, I'm far from with you where I want to stay, so don't let the tide come and take me."

He is (basically) begging her to stay and don't give up on him, because he doesn't want their relationship and love to end because of their situation. He knows someone else could impress her and sweep her off her feet, and he's asking her to please don't lose hope in him. We all deserve that want and need to be with a significant other, or someone who loves us that much. Despite what you may believe about yourself, you should havethat. I hope that listening to “Flicker" gives you a bit more hope – because you truly deserve it.

Buy and Stream “Flicker" on iTunes and Spotify!
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