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When he was a boy, Horan recalled, his aunt would visit his native Ireland and take him on scenic drives through the countryside. During one fateful roadtrip, Horan began crooning "Friends in Low Places," the lead single on Garth Brooks' best-selling 1990 album No Fences. That's when his poor aunt — bless her heart — thought the radio was on.
"I was singing, 'I've got friends in low places.' Like I started singing and for some reason she thought I was the radio," Horan told Kelly Clarkson, adding, "which is crazy 'cause I hadn't even hit puberty, and I still sounded like Garth Brooks."
"That would've given me so much confidence," Clarkson laughed.
It's no surprise Horan's vocal talents bloomed early. The "Slow Hands" singer was only 16 years old when he appeared on the British singing competition series The X Factor in 2010. During the course of the competition, Horan formed the boy band One Direction with fellow contestants Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik. The group would release five chart-topping records over their six-year run, disbanding in 2016 to pursue solo careers.
Outside of one very gullible auntie (who should be celebrated), Horan credits his choir instructor with fostering his talents as a child.
"I remember my teacher at school who was running the choir — she kind of took me under her wing and told me I was decent," he recalled.
That makes two things Horan and Clarkson have in common. Outside of their shared love for Garth Brooks, the singer-songwriters share a storied, school choir beginning. "Me, too. That was kind of my thing, too. Just a choir kid," Clarkson reminisced, which begs the question: Is Kelly Clarkson's talk show all the proof we need that the choir kids will always have the last laugh? It tracks!
Horan's new album The Show drops June 9. He will return as a Voice coach for Season 24, airing in late 2023.
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