If the whole world were watching, Niall Horan and Shawn Mendes would still make surprise appearances at each other’s concerts. Mendes recently kicked off the On the Road Again Tour, his first time back on the road since cutting the Wonder tour short in 2022 to prioritize his mental health. The singer-songwriter celebrated his latest London stop with special guest Horan, who joined to perform his Flicker single “This Town” at the O2 Arena.
“Everybody, please welcome Mr. Niall Horan to the stage,” Mendes told the crowd. In the video he shared on social media, the audience screamed and sobbed in response. Horan and Mendes both played guitar as they sang together. Before leaving the stage, Horan added, “I love you, and I love this guy. Take care of him.” In March 2024, Mendes appeared during the London stop on Horan’s tour to perform his single “Treat You Better.”
“I’ll remember this for a long time ❤️,” Mendes captioned the post. “Thank you so much London x.”
View this post on Instagram
Love Music?
Get your daily dose of everything happening in Australian/New Zealand music and globally.
The night marked a return to the stage for Horan, too. The musician completed his run on The Show: Live on Tour in October 2024, just days before his One Direction bandmate Liam Payne died at the age of 31. Coincidentally, the final tour One Direction completed together was also titled On the Road Again. One of Payne’s last public appearances was at Horan’s concert in Argentina.
“We got to live out our wildest dreams together, and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime,” Horan said in a statement last year. “I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking.”
Mendes also paid tribute to Payne during a run of intimate shows this past fall. While dedicating his song “Heart of Gold” to the late singer in Brooklyn, Mendes said, “He was a beautiful soul and his eyes gleamed. It was beauty shining through his eyes … Liam, we love you. The world is crying for you, brother, and we’re all praying for your son and your family. I miss you.”
From Rolling Stone US
