When One Direction announced that they would be going on their hiatus and pursuing their solo careers, hearts were broken all over the world. There was always the question of whether they would be successful by themselves. So far, each member has released music of their own style. Most recently was Niall Horan’s debut album “Flicker” which was released on October 20th.
With debut singles that made their way to the top of the charts such as “This Town”, “Slow Hands”, and “Too Much To Ask” it was clear that Horan would be demonstrating many different styles throughout this album while keeping his fan base pleased and excited. I don’t think anyone was ready for what he was about to release.
The album includes slow-tempo, yet faster-paced jam-worthy songs such as “On The Loose”, “Since We’re Alone”, “On My Own”, and of course, “Slow Hands”. Each of these songs have a very calming vibe while also keeping his listeners entertained and energized.
Songs such as “This Town”, “Too Much To Ask”, “Paper Houses”, “Flicker”, “Fire Away”, and “You And Me” demonstrate Horan’s soulful side. Each of these songs reflect him as an artist in the sense that they have a very similar style and very similar vibes.
Horan’s collaboration with up and coming country star Maren Morris (“Seeing Blind”) demonstrates Horan’s ability to mesh with other artists, especially when those artists have a very different style from his.
Bonus tracks “Mirrors” and “The Tide” reflect Horan’s maturity in the music world. The use of building up the music and his tone throughout each of these songs a talent that every artist should have.
Overall, Niall Horan’s debut album is very impressive. He showed his ability to break away from his past group work and show his ability to grow into an artist that will do great things in the future. Niall has come a long way from his “Up All Night” days where his voice was barely given a chance. It is safe to say that Niall is proving himself as a solo artist, and us One Direction fans could not be prouder.