One Direction star reveals he turned into a ‘recluse’ who feared to leave the house at the height of the band’s fame
NIALL HORAN was catapulted to superstardom with 1D.
But ahead of the singer’s set at Wembley Stadium for Capital’s Summertime Ball yesterday he revealed their hysteria around their success drove him to become a “recluse”.
Niall explained: “There were periods where you’d go out and you wouldn’t get five yards outside the door.
“I remember one time I stupidly went to Westfield (shopping mall), in West London, and honestly, swear to God, I was like, ‘I’m going to die in here.
“‘I’m never getting out’. It was the fear of that which kept me in.
“I probably became a bit of a recluse in 2012, 2013, 2014 . . . It was probably all in my head but I became a recluse because of the thought of going out, when I probably could have.
“There is a side of it where you’ve just come from zero to hero, the shock of it.
“It’s a shock to the system and you’re trying to live a normal life.”
On how his life has changed as he’s got older and gone solo, Niall continued: “Now I live the most normal life I could possibly live.
“I can go to the shops and buy my own dinner and just general stuff.
“There was a period where if someone said, ‘Do you want to grab a coffee?’ or ‘Do you want to go for lunch?’ I’d have said absolutely not.”
Unfortunately for Niall his pal Lewis Capaldi was unable to join him at the event.
The Scots singer was forced to pull out as he is taking a three-week break, following mental health struggles.
Niall is full of praise for Lewis. He told the Unfiltered podcast: “There’s definitely similarities with myself and Capaldi.
“The second I met him, we were straight in, good mates.
“A lot of people think famous people are all friends with famous people. But that’s not necessarily the case.
“There’s a lot of a***holes around. I don’t really have many new friends.
“I don’t particularly need them or want them.”
Elsewhere at the bash the Jonas Brothers were the biggest divas backstage.
They insisted reporters cleared off before taking to the red carpet.
They are so image obsessed, they insisted only one photographer could take photos of them.
Given their latest single, Waffle House, has only just scraped into the Top 40, you’d think they would want the publicity.
THE BECKHAMS ARE ON BOARD
BEFORE his performance rapper Arrdee was introduced to David and Victoria Beckham’s daughter Harper.
And it turns out the whole family are Capital fans.
After Arrdee told me about the surprising meeting backstage, breakfast show host Roman Kemp added his story.
Roman told me on the red carpet: “Weirdly, we know that the Beckhams listen to the show.
“We had Cruz on when for an interview he was a kid. It was on FaceTime and the first person who came on screen was David.”
He added: “This event spans everyone, it’s not just for celebrities.
“For a lot of people this is the highlight of their summer, so we try and make it great.”
WEEKND’S SILVER SERVICE
THE WEEKND launched the UK leg of his After Hours Til Dawn tour in spectacular, fiery style.
The quirky superstar, who wants to be known by his name Abel Tesfaye, wore this silver mask for the first 17 numbers of his epic 33-song setlist at the Etihad Stadium, which included 12 of his Top Ten singles.
Since he last played the UK six years ago he has stepped up his game following the release of two hit albums and the most streamed song of all time, Blinding Lights.
He performed against a backdrop of a gigantic silver city skyline, with a catwalk stretching across the stadium, featuring a silver statue and a huge moon suspended in the air.
For his Kanye West collab Hurricane, flamethrowers blasted towers of fire into the air.
Then for The Hills, the skyline flanking the stadium was set ablaze.
He’s taken things to a new level with this slick spectacle, featuring 28 dancers and all the swagger you’d want from a headliner.
There was an inevitable lull in the middle with his slower, sexy tracks, but the crowd were back up and jumping to Save Your Tears and Blinding Lights.
Abel will be back in the UK later in the summer for three stadium shows, with tickets available through Live Nation.
He has told in the past about his shyness, which explains his decision to wear a mask for half of the performance.
But his shows are only getting better and this one proves
there is no stopping him.
★★★★☆
HOWELL DAVIES
PLACEBO’S DREAM GIG
PLACEBO are still pulling off spectacular shows 27 years after their debut album.
Brit rockers Stefan Osdal and Brian Molko played Dreamland in Margate, Kent, kicking off a summer full of gigs at the seaside town.
Met with a wall of cheers from the packed, quirky venue, frontman Brian said: “Welcome to all the ladies and the gentlemen but especially those who, like myself, find yourselves somewhere in between.”
As well as treating the crowd to some of their biggest hits, the group performed an epic rock version of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill.
The track shot back up the charts last year after featuring in Netflix series Stranger Things.
ZARA POP AT ’BOT MUSIC
ZARA LARSSON has lashed out over AI music, saying she has to give consent to anyone making songs using her voice.
The technology has meant tracks can be make using existing artists’ voices.
Concerned Zara, who performed new single End Of Time At the event, said: “As of now, it’s not up to the level of a real singer, but it’s probably only a matter of time.
“What I don’t like about it is the feeling of not being in control over your voice and the songs.
“If someone writes a song and puts my voice over it and it blows up, goes viral and becomes a hit, wow great.
“Even if they would give me a percentage, it would still be like, ‘But I didn’t consent to it’.
“What if I don’t even like the song and it’s my voice? It’s the lack of consent and not making the decision for yourself that I don’t like.
“Everybody has to be on board with it.”
Also on the star-filled bill were Jess Glynne and Mimi Webb.
In head-to-toe purple PVC despite the heat, Jess belted out her new single, aptly titled Silly Me.
Mimi opted for a less sweltering zip-up crop top.
TOM’S ’PILLAR FILLER
TOM GRENNAN wasn’t counting calories while getting in shape for Soccer Aid – after gorging on half a Colin The Caterpillar cake, to celebrate turning 28 on Thursday.
Tom, who opened the Summertime Ball before dashing off to the charity game at Man United’s Old Trafford stadium last night, told me: “I was at Soccer Aid training and they looked after me – they got me a caterpillar cake. I had, like, half a caterpillar. I was feeling it.”
Tom, who releases his third album, What Ifs & Maybes on Friday, has also signed up for Celebrity Gogglebox, alongside his dad Martin.
Asked what viewers should expect, he added: “Very funny TV. My dad’s ready to become a national treasure.”
KYLIE RED-DY TO GO
KYLIE MINOGUE was the surprise act yesterday, giving her first performance on British soil of her smash single Padam Padam.
The pop icon, head to toe in red, only found out she was to take to the stage at the end of last week but still pulled off an epic set.
At the side of the stage, she told me: “That was amazing.”
As well as Padam Padam, Kylie belted out her 2001 No1 single Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
JOEL CORRY was seeing double when Caity Baser showed up on the red carpet dressed in his style.
Caity, who worked with the DJ on the song Dance Around It, told me: “We had an interview with Capital and if I lost a game, he was going to give me a forfeit to do.
“The bet was, ‘You have to dress up as me on the red carpet’, and I said, ‘Sure, but I ain’t gonna lose’.
“Then I lost.”