Niall Horan paid tribute to the late Sinéad O’Connor this weekend with an emotional performance of her classic song ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’.
The Irish singer-songwriter played Electric Picnic festival in Stradbally, county Laois on Friday (September 1), which marked his first Irish show in five years.
Six songs into his set, the former One Direction star performed a cover of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’. “You know what to do,” he told the crowd when he reached the chorus, prompting a loud singalong before transitioning into ‘Story Of My Life’ halfway through.
“I can’t even put into words how much this means to me for being here tonight,” Horan told the crowd during the show, adding that it was “good to be back to the midlands and to be here at the famous Electric Picnic with all of you beautiful Irish people” (via Irish Mirror).
You can watch footage of Horan performing ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ below.
| Niall cantando Nothing Compares 2 U! (20)
© PartyWhelan #NiallElectricPicnic #NiallHoranTheFestivals pic.twitter.com/LLg4iRm6mf— Niall Horan Latam On Tour (@NHLatamOnTour) September 2, 2023
— NHDTour (@NHDTour) September 1, 2023
niall horan pays tribute to sinéad o'connor and performs 'nothing compares 2 u' at ep festival in ireland tonight
pic.twitter.com/pk9LY8JH2g
— twany
(@niallernroses) September 1, 2023
Horan told the crowd as he came on stage: “I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous for a gig in my whole fucking life. But I know you’ve got my back.
“This is by far the biggest audience I’ve played to as a solo artist and I really appreciate it, the support from my home nation,” he added, performing for a 70,000-capacity crowd just an hour away from his hometown of Mullinger.
Horan has also announced extra dates for the UK and Ireland leg of his upcoming tour, supporting his Number One album ‘The Show’.
Since musician and activist O’Connor died at the age of 56 last month (July 26), a number of artists have paid tribute with renditions of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’.
Fall Out Boy covered the song at a recent gig, while Brandi Carlile and P!nk performed it in Cincinatti, Ohio.
Fans of the late singer also gathered in Dublin in July and sang her song ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ in her memory.
A host of stars also paid tribute to O’Connor after her death including Garbage, Billy Corgan and Michael Stipe. Bob Geldof and Bono were also among mourners at her Dublin funeral last month.
The singer’s children and family have since thanked fans for their “outpouring of love” after her death in a statement shared last week.
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