Niall Horan, Nice to Meet Ya | Track Review 🎵

Irish pop artist Niall Horan returns with his first single, post-Flicker, “Nice to Meet Ya.” While he increases the fun, he could take things even further.

When I think of fun, Niall Horan isn’t typically the first pop artist that comes to mind. No offense to the handsome Irish heartthrob, but Flicker (2017), an enjoyable debut solo album, couldn’t necessarily be characterized as a ‘fun’ album.  Apparently, Niall’s new single, “Nice to Meet Ya,” his first post-Flicker, seeks to upgrade the fun factor, and for the most part, I’m up for it. “Nice to Meet Ya” is short and sweet, clocking in just past the two-and-a-half-minute mark. It’s co-written by Horan alongside Julian Bunetta (also the producer), Ruth-Anne Cunningham, and Tobias Jesso, Jr.

“Nice to Meet Ya” commences with Hums during the intro, accompanied by funky, rhythmic piano chords.  This is indeed a great start to the record.  The greatness continues with the playfulness of Niall exhibits throughout his vocal performance. He still maintains a refined sound, even with a bit more of a tongue-n-cheek vibe than we’ve been accustomed to.  That said, it would’ve been nice to hear Horan ‘let loose’ even more – infusing even more attitude, personality, and S-W-A-G-G-E-R.

The songwriting is pretty straightforward on “Nice to Meet Ya,” with nothing encoded or anything like that.  Horan reveals his ‘like’ for this girl he sees in the bar, but clearly states, “‘Cause when the morning comes, I know you won’t be there / And every time I turn around, you disappear.” The chorus section has a slightly more modern sensibility (though still throwback to an extent) compared to the rest of the record, with the reveal of the infectious, titular lyric: “(I got love for you) … / Nice to meet ya.” The bridge section is unique as well, if again, it would be nice to hear Horan provide more oomph and overall punch where he sort of ‘winks at it’ as opposed to fully ‘digging in.’

Final Thoughts 

All in all, “Nice to Meet Ya” is a fun one from Niall Horan.  This is honestly the type of single he needs to build some buzz in a saturated pop field, and particularly, when sophomore albums can end up being a failure or a success. That said, as mentioned numerous times, it would’ve been nice to hear Horan kick up the vocal expression and personality even another notch.

Niall Horan • Nice to Meet Ya [Single] • Capitol • Release: 10.4.19

Photo Credits: Capitol