Niall James Horan (born 13 September 1993) is an Irish singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence as a member of the boy band One Direction. In 2010, Horan auditioned as a solo contestant for British televised singing competition The X Factor. After being eliminated as a solo performer, Horan joined four other contestants to form One Direction. As a group, they have released five albums, embarked on four world tours, and won several awards, becoming one of most successful musical groups of all time.