Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi’s ‘secret project’ in Ireland has been revealed.
The former One Direction star and the ‘Hold Me While You Wait’ singer surprised Irish fans back in August on Grafton Street in Dublin with a busking session.
The pair sang Niall’s track ‘Slow Hands’, Lewis’s hit song ‘Before You Go’, and Coldplay’s track ‘Yellow’ with musician Jacob Koopman.
.@NiallOfficial and @LewisCapaldi performing ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay on Grafton Street in Dublin this evening 😍☘️
🎥: @discoverirl pic.twitter.com/vvUEjcgMnv
— Goss.ie (@goss_ie) August 5, 2022
The singers then headed to Niall’s hometown of Mullingar on Saturday for the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann.
They snuck into a local pub and treated fans to a performance of ‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol.
But what were Niall and Lewis doing in Ireland?
It turns out the pair were filming a documentary, in collaboration with Guinness, called Niall Horan’s Homecoming: The Road to Mullingar with Lewis Capaldi.
Three days, two globally recognised musicians, one incredible road trip documented in an episode filled with fun, friendship and laughter.
What happens when two of the biggest names in music embark on a road trip in Ireland? A film that captures adventure, friendship, storytelling and non-stop laughter.
All inspired by Horan’s desire to revisit and reconnect with all that he loves of home; to retrace the origins of the exciting life journey he’s on and experience the reality of Ireland today, alongside his best friend, Lewis Capaldi.
The boys’ journey saw them meet world class guitar maker George Lowden, up and coming Irish artist and Tullamore native Tolu Makay, as well as local Dublin busker, Jacob Koopman.
And like many an Irish host, Niall takes his Scottish visitor to the home of the black stuff, the Guinness Storehouse.
Across the seven floors of this iconic building, a resident beer specialist takes them behind the scenes of the story, scents, and of course taste, of the world’s most famous stout.
Overlooking the panoramic view of Dublin from Gravity Bar, they learn how to pull a pint of beautiful Guinness and officially become certified pint pouring experts.
Speaking about his return to his hometown of Mullingar, Niall said: “I feel like I’ve never left. Every time I come home, I’m just blown away by the creativity here. Not in a Hollywood way, its real authentic talent, people going out there and doing it for the pure love of the craft.”
Niall shared how he first connected with Lewis over social media after being introduced to his music by his cousin.
Their friendship began when the ‘Nice To Meet Ya’ singer invited the Scotsman to open for him during his 2018 ‘Flicker’ tour in Lewis’ hometown of Glasgow. This gave Lewis a huge boost in his career and marked the beginning of Lewis’ own path to stardom
Speaking about the early stages of their friendship, Niall said: “It was St. Patrick’s Day, we had a couple of Guinness. Seriously, he is the funniest person I know, when you’re with Lewis you never quite know where a night will go, but you’re guaranteed a good time.”
With music a shared passion for Niall and Lewis, along with a mutual love of Guinness, it feels fitting that a visit home should end with an intimate performance in Niall’s local Clarke’s Bar, Mullingar.
The film tells a story of friendship and talent while celebrating modern Irish culture through the lens of two global superstars who have an authentic connection to Ireland. Both Niall and Lewis not only embody the values of camaraderie and friendship, but as two global icons grounded in their roots, they never sway away from where they started from.
Homecoming is a celebration of what it’s like to live in an Ireland simmering with optimistic energy, possibility, momentum, endless inspiration and…chicken fillet rolls.
The episode will air at 10pm on October 16, 2022 on Virgin Media One.
