Niall Horan's quest for true love came to fruition when he met his current girlfriend, Amelia Woolley, after experiencing a string of high-profile relationships. Their romance began in July 2020, reportedly after spending time together during quarantine. While they have chosen to keep their relationship private, the couple made their first public appearance together at a charity gala in September 2021.
Prior to finding love with his current partner, the ex-member of One Direction had a brief relationship with Hailee Steinfeld in 2018. Horan admitted to Fault Magazine in March 2020 that he struggles with communication in relationships, and often turns to songwriting to express his emotions. The breakup with Steinfeld inspired Horan's album, Heartbreak Weather, which reflects on the ups and downs of their relationship. Horan aimed to create a unique breakup album that captured the full narrative of their time together, both the joyful moments and the difficult ones.
In May 2020, Steinfeld released her song "Wrong Direction," which appeared to address her side of the breakup. During an interview on SiriusXM Hits 1's The Morning Mashup, the Oscar nominee reflected on the process of creating music and how it can bring back old emotions. "You can pack that away and move on to the next song. Then all of a sudden you're, like, performing and you're like, 'OK, this is still very much attached and it's just like I never left the studio,'" she shared. Steinfeld also opened up about her ideal partner, emphasizing the importance of loyalty, honesty, and self-confidence in both herself and her significant other.
Horan’s relationship with Ellie Goulding ended on a positive note, with the two remaining friends. In an interview with Seventeen three years after their brief romance in 2013, Goulding spoke highly of Horan, describing him as a lovely guy with a great sense of humor and caring nature. She also expressed her genuine friendship with him in the industry. Check out the following list to see all the other women Horan has been linked to throughout the years.
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Niall Horan’s Dating History: Demi Lovato, Hailee Steinfeld, Amelia Woolley and More
Finding his perfect match. Niall Horan has had his fair share of high-profile romances before finding love with current girlfriend Amelia Woolley.
The luxury shoe buyer was first linked to the "Slow Hands" singer in July 2020, with reports stating that they had gotten to know each other during quarantine and had been together for about two months. Horan and Woolley have kept their romance private, but they made their red carpet debut at a charity gala in September 2021. Prior to this relationship, Horan had dated Hailee Steinfeld for less than a year in 2018. In a 2020 interview with Fault Magazine, Horan shared that he struggles with communication in relationships and that songwriting has helped him process his emotions. He also reflected on the ups and downs of relationships, comparing some moments to a music video and others to a rainy day spent watching the world outside.
For his album, he wanted to capture the full spectrum of emotions that come with a breakup - both the good and bad times. He aimed to create a unique kind of breakup album that tells a complete story. In contrast, Steinfeld appeared to express her perspective on the split through her song "Wrong Direction," which was released in May 2020. As an artist, she explained that the process of writing a song allows her to channel her emotions, but performing it can sometimes bring those feelings back to the surface.
Steinfeld shared with Cosmopolitan in November 2021 that she values a partner who exhibits loyalty and honesty, while also being confident in themselves and able to pursue their own interests. Admitting that it had been on her mind for some time, she believed in the power of vocalizing one's desires, including the desire to not be alone. In contrast, Goulding spoke positively of her experience with Horan, stating that they remain friends and that he possesses a great sense of humor and caring nature.
Keep scrolling to see all of the leading ladies that Horan has been linked to over the years:
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Demi Lovato
In October 2012, Lovato appeared to confirm her romance with Horan, whom she had previously admitted to having a crush on. She praised him for being a great listener and making her laugh, which were two important qualities she looked for in a partner. They enjoyed having dinner together and communicated frequently through speaking and messaging. However, a few weeks later, Lovato clarified that they were just good friends and that she was not interested in dating at the moment. Despite finding it flattering that Horan had a crush on her, she had decided to swear off dating for a while.
Lovato put an end to the romance rumors in a May 2013 interview with Company magazine, where she emphatically denied any such relationship with Niall. She stated that they were just friends and that it had never crossed that line. Lovato also noted that Niall was a sweet guy and they had a good understanding.
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Ellie Goulding
Ellie Goulding briefly dated Niall Horan in 2013, which sparked rumors that she had left Ed Sheeran for him. However, Goulding clarified in a 2015 interview with Elle U.K. that she and Ed were never in a relationship and that her dates with Horan were just that - dates. She expressed confusion over the media's portrayal of their relationship as something more serious. Despite the rumors, Goulding and Horan remain on friendly terms, with Goulding describing him as a "really, really lovely guy" in a 2016 interview with Seventeen.
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Barbara Palvin
Although Horan and the model were photographed holding hands in December 2013, it was reported by The Sun that they had split just two months later. Despite this, Palvin spoke highly of the X-Factor alum, calling him a "lovely guy" and noting their shared sarcastic sense of humor in a February 2014 interview with Digital Spy. "He's my friend," she said. "But, I'm sarcastic too."
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Ariana Grande
Despite being photographed leaving Niall Horan's house in London in June 2015 and him being spotted at her hotel a few days later, Ariana Grande denied any romance between them. In an interview with the U.K.'s Sun on Sunday, she expressed her frustration with being constantly linked to guys and emphasized that she is Ariana Grande, not Big Sean's ex or Niall's new possible girl.
Later that month she told The Mirror that while Horan is "really nice," she was "so tired" of talking about her love life.
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Selena Gomez
According to an eyewitness who spoke with Us Weekly, Gomez and Horan were seen engaging in public displays of affection at Jenna Dewan's birthday party in December 2015. The witness reported that the two were kissing in the middle of the club and spent the entire evening together. They appeared to be very close and were seen talking and whispering to each other throughout the night. At the end of the evening, Gomez and Horan left together, with Gomez holding onto Horan's arm as they exited the club.
Gomez was seen with Horan on multiple occasions in the following weeks. However, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight later that month, she made it clear that they were just friends. "Oh my god! No [we're not dating]," she exclaimed. "I love him."
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Hailee Steinfeld
The rumored romantic relationship between The Edge of Seventeen star and the "Nice to Meet Ya" singer began to surface in January 2018, after they were spotted together at the West End production of Hamilton. When asked about the relationship by Us, Steinfeld expressed her gratitude for her fans' interest in her life, but also emphasized the importance of personal boundaries and privacy. Despite being a public figure, she values the ability to share only what she feels comfortable with. The couple appeared to confirm their relationship in August 2018, when they were caught on camera sharing a kiss while out and about in Los Angeles.
"They separated several months prior," a source confirmed in December of that year. "Niall finished his tour and had more leisure time, but Hailee's workload increased significantly, leaving no room for a relationship. Nonetheless, they still share a deep affection for each other."
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Amelia Woolley
While the pair have kept their relationship low-key, they made their red carpet debut at the singer’s Horan & Rose Gala in September 2021.