Shawn Mendes Brings Out Niall Horan For a Run Through ‘This Town’ During London Show: ‘I’ll Remember This For a Long Time’
Mendes hosted Horan at the O2 Arena on Saturday night (Aug. 16).
Niall Horan and Shawn Mendes during the 2017 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Nov. 19, 2017 in Los Angeles.
Shawn Mendes had a very special treat up his sleeve for fans at his O2 Arena show in London on Saturday night (Aug. 16). The singer brought out his old pal former One Direction member Niall Horan for a run through the latter’s debut solo single, 2016’s “This Town.”
In his first stage appearance since the death of his former bandmate Liam Payne in October 2024, Horan was greeted with ear-piercing screams by the fans in the arena, as evidenced by a video of the special moment posted by Mendes. “Everybody please welcome Mr. Niall Horan to the stage,” Mendes said casually as bedlam broke out.
Horan, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeve white shirt made his way to the stage holding an acoustic guitar and gave Mendes a big hug as the duo broke into song together, crooning the ballad’s chorus together. “If the whole world was watching I’d still dance with you/ Drive highways and byways to be there with you,” they sang while smiling at each other and plucking out the song’s melody on their guitars. “Over and over the only truth/ Everything comes back to you.”
“I love you… and I love this guy. Take care of him,” Horan grinned as he pointed to his friend amid the screams of joy. In the caption to his video of the duet, Mendes wrote, “I’ll remember this for a long time [heart emoji]. Thank you so much London.”
Mendes’ world tour will continue on Wednesday (Aug. 20) with a show at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, followed by four more European shows before a return to North America on Sept. 25 at TD Garden in Boston. Horan is gearing up for the return of The Voice on Sept. 22, where he will be in the big red chair again alongside castmates Reb McEntire, Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg for season 28.
