Niall Horan Religion

What religion is Niall Horan?

Niall Horan is an Irish singer who was raised Catholic and is generally identified as such. Horan was formally baptized in the Catholic Church and continues to identify as Catholic.

Niall Horan rose to prominence as a member of the boy band One Direction, formed in 2010 on the singing competition The X Factor. He signed a recording deal as a solo artist with Capitol Records. He has since released four albums: Flicker (2017), Heartbreak Weather (2020), The Show (2023), and Dinner Party (2026). Flicker topped the Billboard 200 and debuted at number one in Ireland, reaching the top three in Australia and the UK. The album produced seven songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Slow Hands,” which peaked at number 11. His debut solo set Flicker peaked at number three on the UK Official Albums Chart on its release in 2017. Heartbreak Weather was released in March 2020 and debuted at number one in the UK, Ireland, Mexico, and the United States. Horan released his third studio album, The Show, in June 2023, which featured the single “Heaven,” an uplifting, Beach Boys-inspired pop anthem, along with “Meltdown” and “You Could Start a Cult,” helping push the album to number one in the UK and number two on the Billboard 200. He supported the album with The Show: Live on Tour, which ran from February to October 2024, spanning 86 shows across Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America, and South America, drawing an attendance of over one million.

Early life

Niall James Horan was born on 13 September 1993 in Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland, to Bobby Horan and Maura Gallagher. He has an older brother, Greg. When Niall was five years old, his parents left each other, and he dealt with childhood asthma. After spending time living with his mother, Niall and his brother later moved in to stay with their father. Niall was educated at St. Kenny’s National School and Coláiste Mhuire, a Catholic boys’ Christian Brothers school, both located in Mullingar. Horan’s entry into music began at age 11, when he taught himself guitar using YouTube tutorials after his brother received one as a gift. As a teen, he performed at the Mullingar Arts Centre during a fundraiser for the local football team, the Shamrocks, and secured a notable Dublin support slot before his life-changing audition on The X Factor.

The X Factor and One Direction

In 2010, at the age of 16, Niall James Horan auditioned for the seventh season of The X Factor as a solo contestant. Although he did not progress in the competition as an individual performer, the judges saw potential in him and decided to place him in a group alongside Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. The newly formed group was named One Direction. Despite being together for only a short period, the group quickly became one of the competition’s most popular acts and ultimately finished third in the show. Shortly after the finale, Simon Cowell signed One Direction to a recording contract with Syco Music.

Following The X Factor, One Direction began recording their debut album in early 2011 while also participating in the nationwide X Factor Live Tour. The group released their debut single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” in September 2011. The song became a major commercial success, reaching number one in the United Kingdom. Their debut album, Up All Night, was released later that year and topped charts across several countries. In March 2012, the album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making One Direction the first British group to have their debut album enter the chart at the top position. In November 2012, the band released their second studio album, Take Me Home. The album debuted at number one in multiple countries and helped One Direction become the first boy band in US chart history to record two number-one albums in the same calendar year. The accompanying world tour included more than 120 shows across Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania.

The band’s third album, Midnight Memories, was released in November 2013 and became the best-selling album in the world that year with 4 million copies sold globally. To support the record, One Direction launched the Where We Are Tour, their first all-stadium tour. The tour attracted millions of fans worldwide and became one of the highest-grossing tours ever by a vocal group. By this stage, the band had established itself as one of the biggest music acts on the planet. One Direction released their fourth studio album, Four, in November 2014. The album continued the group’s remarkable commercial success and produced several international hit singles. In March 2015, Zayn Malik announced his departure from the band, leaving Horan, Styles, Payne, and Tomlinson to continue as a four-piece group. Later that year, they released their fifth studio album, Made in the A.M., which featured successful singles including “Drag Me Down” and “Perfect.”

By the time One Direction announced an indefinite hiatus in 2016, the group had sold tens of millions of records worldwide and completed multiple sold-out world tours. Between June 2013 and June 2014, the group generated $75 million in revenue. Between June 2014 and 2015, the group generated $130 million in revenue. Their “Where We Are” Tour generated $282 million, which is the second-highest gross for a vocal group in history. Their band is owned by a corporation called 1D Media, which was formed in 2010 and is owned equally by the five members. In addition to his current work, Horan was featured on a new version of Thomas Rhett’s song “Old Tricks,” released as part of the deluxe edition of About a Woman in October 2025. Subsequently, he went on to make his fourth studio album, Dinner Party, which was released on 5 June.

Personal life

Over the years, Niall has had several public and rumored relationships, including with Hailee Steinfeld and Amelia Woolley.

Outside of music, Niall is an avid golf player and has invested in the sport through Modest Golf, which he co-founded with Justin Rose. Niall co-hosts the Horan & Rose Gala, a charity event supporting Cancer Research UK and other causes. In addition, Horan was a part of the Soccer Aid 2016 and 2019 star lineup to raise funds for UNICEF to benefit children around the world. He is also a longtime supporter of English association football team Derby County.