‘The Voice’ Coach Niall Horan Reveals Why He Speaks Slowly to Americans
Niall Horan is a major musical star, both as a member of the popular boy band One Direction and on his own as a solo artist. The Irish superstar has lived in America for years, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost his accent. The newest The Voice coach recently shared that he’s even had to change the way he talks around Americans so they can understand him!
Niall Horan has launched a successful solo career
Horan rose to fame after auditioning for The X Factor in 2010. The judges weren’t sure he had what it took to make it on his own, so he was put into a band alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson, and the group was named One Direction.
One Direction didn’t win their season of The X Factor, but that didn’t stop them from finding worldwide success. The band went on to release five albums, four of which debuted at No. 1, and toured all over the world. One Direction sold 70 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
In 2015, Malik left the band. A year later, the remaining members announced they would be going on hiatus as a band and would instead be pursuing solo careers. Horan soon signed a record deal with Capitol Records, releasing Flicker (2017) and Heartbreak Weather (2020).
Flicker debuted at No. 1 in the US and spawned two Top 20 singles, “This Town” and “Slow Hands.” Heartbreak Weather debuted at No. 4 in the US and No. 1 in the UK, Ireland, and Mexico.
Horan has also taken on the world of television. He’s currently serving as a coach on The Voice alongside fellow newcomer Chance the Rapper and alums Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson.
Niall Horan says he talks slowly around Americans for this reason
The singer has spent the last few years living in America, but his Irish accent is still very much in place. Horan recently appeared on Hot Ones, the popular internet talk show where guests answer questions while eating hot wings, where he explained what he does to make sure Americans understand him.
“I’ve kind of spent so much time in America that over the years, I’ve realized maybe I should slow down because [people] actually don’t understand what I’m saying,” Horan laughed. “People will look at me like I’ve got 10 heads.”
He then compared his efforts to make sure Americans understand him despite his accent with pal and fellow singer Lewis Capaldi’s thick Scottish accent, joking that he thinks Capaldi is “actually talking faster to Americans to see how much he can annoy them.”
The musician is preparing for the release of his third album ‘The Show’
In addition to his role on The Voice, Horan is preparing for the release of his third album, The Show. He has released one single, “Heaven,” ahead of the album’s release on June 9. “Heaven” debuted at No. 4 in Ireland — his highest-charting single since 2017’s “Slow Hands.”
