Niall Horan Shares Final Moments With Liam Payne in Heartbreaking Tribute
Niall Horan is getting back in the studio.
Indeed, the One Direction alum revealed that he has been busy cooking up his fourth album, just one month after releasing an expanded version of his 2020 album Heartbreak Weather, which featured two previously unreleased songs.
“Well hello lovers,” Niall said in an April 23 video shared to his Instagram channel, “long time no see. Hope you haven’t forgotten about me.”
“You’ll be happy to know that this is where I am right now,” the 31-year-old continued, moving the camera to reveal a dimly lit recording studio in the background. “I’m in the studio. I’m making an album at the moment.”
As for when exactly fans can expect the new album’s release? Well, it’s safe to say that it will be upon us very soon.
“I don’t know when it’s gonna be out,” the “Small Talk” singer admitted, “but I'm trying my best to get it done as quick as I can, and to get some new music for you.”
“You deserve it after what you did last year,” he added, having wrapped up The Show: Live on Tour last October. “It was incredible. Let's do it all over again, ey?"
In a separate video posted to his main grid, the Irish native also shared a rare video of himself singing “Dress” off the re-release.
“I wanted to say a massive thank you for everything you’ve done around the 5th anniversary re-release of Heartbreak Weather,” he captioned the recent post. “The album needed its day in the sun again so we had to give it to it.”
And now that he has given his previous album ample time in the spotlight, it is time to move on to new projects. After all, he has been teasing new music since the final show of his world tour at Colombia’s Movistar Arena over six months ago.
"This stands from tomorrow onwards, you'll never find me,” Niall joked onstage. “I'm gonna be hungover tomorrow! And I'm gonna disappear for a while. I'm gonna make you guys a brand new album and I will be back, I promise."
But within weeks of his tour ending, Niall—as well as bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik—got the tragic news that Liam Payne died after falling off a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires Oct. 16.
"I'm absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend Liam," Niall wrote on Instagram days after his friend’s tragic passing. "It just doesn't feel real."
"Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious," the “Slow Hands” artist continued. "He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure. All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness. We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever."
To look back at Niall and the band during their One Direction days, keep reading.
NBC / Contributor / GETTY IMAGES
They've Got the X Factor
Despite winning over audiences around the world, the band finished in third place behind Rebecca Ferguson and Matt Cardle in 2010.
FOX / Contributor / GETTY IMAGES
Live From New York
The U.K. band made their Saturday Night Live debut in 2012 with an electric performance of their single "One Thing."
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Winning Big at the 2013 VMAs
The band took home the coveted moonman trophy for Best Song of the Summer for their song "Best Song Ever."
Syco/Kobal/Shutterstock
Hitting the Big Screen
The band gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at live on the road of their This Is Us Tour with their concert documentary movie This Is Us.
Yui Mok - WPA Pool /Getty Images
Music Royalty
While attending the Royal Variety Performance in November 2014, the band met Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
Where They Are
The band's Where We Are Tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2014, beating out Justin Timberlake, The Rolling Stones, Katy Perry as well as Beyoncé and Jay-Z's tours that year.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
One Direction Minus One
In March 2015, Malik announced that he was leaving the band to launch his solo career.
Mike Windle/Getty Images for iHeartMedia
End of an Era
After releasing 2015's Made in the A.M. as a foursome, Styles, Payne, Horan and Tomlinson announced that One Direction would take an indefinite hiatus.
Instagram/Getty Images
Fatherhood
Tomlinson became a father to his son Freddie Reign in 2016. One year later, Payne welcomed his son Bear Grey with ex Cheryl Cole.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Reunion?
In 2020, fans suspected that a reunion of sorts was underway when Styles, Payne, Tomlinson and Horan all started following Malik on X—then known as Twitter—again.
Further fueling reunion rumors, Payne told The Sun at the time, "We've got a 10-year anniversary coming up so we've all been speaking together a lot over the last few weeks which has been really nice."
Instagram/Zayn Malik
Another 1D Baby
Malik and his then-girlfriend Gigi Hadid welcomed daughter Khai in September 2020.
Justin Palmer/GC Images
Friends First
Payne attended the London premiere of Tomlinson's 2023 documentary All of Those Voices.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App