Thomas Rhett is shedding light on how Niall Horan felt ahead of his Grand Ole Opry debut. Horan arrived in Nashville a few days before his first-ever co-headlining concert with Rhett, and decided to check a major item off of his bucket list before the Geodis Park show.
On July 7, Horan made his Opry debut, delighting the crowd with performances of “Tastes So Good” and “This Town,” before welcoming Rhett to the stage to sing his and Blake Shelton’s duet, “Old Tricks.”
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While Horan may have seemed at ease on the Opry stage, things were different behind-the-scenes, according to Rhett.
“Watching how nervous he was, a guy who’s played stadiums his whole life, to be like a little boy walking up on stage last night, that was the coolest memory I’ll probably ever have with Niall,” Rhett told American Songwriter and other outlets of the former One Direction band member.
After Horan conquered his nerves, Rhett said the experience was unforgettable to say the least.
“We’ve known each other for about 10 years now. Last night was arguably the coolest moment I’ve ever gotten to have with Niall,” he said. “Making songs with him is great, doing shows with him is great, [but] to watch anyone play the Grand Ole Opry for the first time, if you could bottle that feeling up and sell it you’d be a millionaire.”
Thomas Rhett Expresses Excitement About Co-Headlining Show With Niall Horan
The day after his Opry debut, Horan stepped out to attend Rhett’s induction into the Music City Walk of Fame. Horan, who sat just behind Rhett’s wife, Lauren, and their five kids, clapped and cheered as people honored his pal throughout the ceremony.
When emcee Kelly Sutton mentioned the guys’ July 9th Geodis Park show, hundreds of gathered fans cheered as Rhett and Horan pumped their fists in excitement.
“To get to top off an already awesome week, to get to play at Geodis Park tomorrow night, both of our first times playing there, our first time playing any show together,” Rhett said. “[It’s] just a really special, overwhelming week for me.”
The Nashville concert will serve as the kick off for Rhett’s The Soundtrack to Life Tour, which will see him travel play shows across the U.S. through the fall.
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