Niall Horan has dropped a new track — and it’s a Taylor Swift cover! The 26-year-old Irish crooner put his own spin on her Grammy-nominated single “Lover”, turning the soft ballad into an edgy rock duet with New Jersey-born singer Fletcher, 25. He begins the song with a faithful rendition of the original track, which has a folksy sound. But once Fletcher begins her verse, the electric guitar kicks in, along with heavy drumming. The track totally picks up from there and grows bigger as their voices join together, and it becomes an area rock anthem. What a fun cover! The song dropped as part of the Spotify Singles series on March 4, ahead of his sophomore album’s release on March. 13. “Always love being asked to get involved in the Spotify Singles sessions. It’s nice to get out of the comfort zone and try something different,” Niall said in a statement about the song’s release. “When it came to deciding what song I was going to do, there was only one option for me. ‘Lover’ is one of my favorite songs I’ve heard in a long time and Taylor is a good friend. Let’s hope she likes it.”
The former One Direction singer also released a fresh take on his new single, the breezy chart-topper “No Judgements,” which will feature on his upcoming album Heartbreak Weather. Both songs were recorded at Air Studios in London, and the twofer marks Niall’s second Spotify Singles release (his first was in 2017), making him the first-ever artist to record two Spotify Singles. Fans were quick to show Niall some love, with one overwhelmed Twitter user writing, “CRYING MY EYES OUT THANK YOU,” while another replied to his post with, “ok this is PURE FIRE. I love this so much Niall.” American fans can catch Niall, and his collaborator Fletcher on his Nice to Meet Ya North American tour, which launches on April 20th.
Back in August 2019, Niall took to his Instagram stories to praise the title track from Taylor’s album, Lover. “This song is a classic and it’s so important for music,” he wrote, on a screenshot of the tune on Aug. 27. Taylor reposted the sweet comment, thanking Horan for his kind words. The two performed together during the London stop of her Reputation stadium tour, where she brought out Niall for a performance of his hit, “Slow Hands.” These two are such supportive friends!
Niall is a big supporter of his pop star friends, and recently shot down rumors that he’s dating Selena Gomez. He got straight to the point when asked about the enduring romance rumors on KIIS FM’s The Kyle and Jackie O Show. “Here we go again,” Niall said on Feb. 11. The interview came shortly after a petition from fans circulated, calling for Niall and the “Fetish” singer, 27, to get together. “This petition I feel like has been going on for I think eight years. Myself and Selena are really good friends with the same group of mates.”
