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Niall Horan “was really taken aback,” when he received an invitation to perform at the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.
The world-famous pop hitmaker told iHeartRadio that it was an unforgettable experience to step into the storied circle on the stage, a symbol of country music history cut from the original stage from the Ryman Auditorium. Horan, 32, made his Opry debut on Tuesday evening (July 7). The evening also included performances by Rhonda Vincent, Karley Scott Collins, Theo Lawrence (who also made his Opry debut), Charlie McCoy, 2022 The Voice winner Bryce Leatherwood, 2025 Team Niall contestants DEK of Hearts, and surprise guest Thomas Rhett. The show took place as part of the Opry’s ongoing celebrations for its centennial in 2025, and in honor of Horan’s new album, Dinner Party, per a press release from the Opry when Horan’s debut was announced.
“I was really taken aback that the Opry invited me in the first place. I can't believe I'm here,” Horan told iHeartRadio. “To be in this building is nuts, and to step out into the Circle, even just for soundcheck, was an incredible moment—one I won't forget. I'm just trying to take it all in and enjoy it as much as I possibly can. This is a big, big, big deal for me.”
“Country music has been a big part of my life,” he continued. “I mean, growing up in Ireland, the crossover between traditional Irish music and country music is quite strong. And country music is a thing that I got into very young, and when I started writing songs, country music is something that I would always lean on to help me tell a story. Storytelling in country music and in this city is just amazing. It’s something that I always think about and lean into when I go to write a song. So, being in this building and thinking about all the great songs that have been written in this town and then performed in this building is mind-blowing.”
Throughout his set, Horan took the stage with “Tastes So Good,” “This Town” and “Old Tricks,” his collaboration with Rhett. The two artists teamed up on the live rendition two days before they take the stage for their first co-headlining show. Rhett, who receives his star on the Music City Walk of Fame on Wednesday afternoon (July 8), announced earlier this year that he’s playing two stadium shows with Horan. the first is set for Thursday (July 9) at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee, and the other will take place later this month at Hersheypark Stadium in Hersey, Pennsylvania. Lineups will include rising artists Kashus Culpepper and Emily Ann Roberts. The two shows take place amid Rhett’s “The Soundtrack To Life Tour,” which also includes ERNEST, Zach John King, Vincent Mason and Conner Smith on select dates. Scroll below to find a list of tour stops.
“Niall and I have been buddies for nearly a decade now, but one thing we’ve not done yet is officially tour together," Rhett said in a statement at the time. "There’s nothing I love more than being on the road alongside longtime friends—it’s going to be a blast for us and the fans.”
Horan added in a statement of his own, “when TR brought up the idea of doing these, I immediately got so excited just thinking about it. We’ve been friends for ages and it just makes perfect sense.”
THE SOUNDTRACK TO LIFE TOUR Dates:
7/9 - Nashville, TN - GEODIS Park * ~
7/11 - Greenville, SC - Bon Secours Wellness Arena * ~
7/16 - Hartford, CT - The Meadows Music Theatre * ~
7/17 - Gilford, NH - BankNH Pavilion * ~
7/18 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium * ~
8/13 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion * ~
8/14 - Bethel, NY - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts * ~
8/20 - Evansville, IN - Ford Center + ~
8/22 - Grand Rapids, MI - Acrisure Amphitheater + ~
9/10 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center ^ ~
9/11 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center ^ ~
9/12 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center ^ ~
9/17 - Austin, TX - Moody Center # ~
9/18 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center # ~
9/19 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center # ~
10/1 - Los Angeles, CA - Kia Forum ! ~
10/2 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center ! ~
10/3 - Sacramento, CA - Golden 1 Center ! ~
10/9 - Albuquerque, NM - First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater ! ~
10/10 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre ! ~
10/22 - Des Moines, IA - Casey's Center # ~
10/23 - Kansas City, MO - Morton Amphitheater # ~
10/24 - Omaha, NE - CHI Health Center # ~
! ERNEST
* Kashus Culpepper
# Zach John King
^ Vincent Mason
+ Conner Smith
~ Emily Ann Roberts