You Could Start a Cult

"You Could Start a Cult"
Single by Niall Horan and Lizzy McAlpine
from the album The Show
Released	27 October 2023 (2023-10-27)
Length	3:20 3:14 (duet version)
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Niall Horan Joel Little John Ryan Julian Bunetta Mark Landon Ruel Vincent van Dijk
Producer(s)	Little Ryan Bunetta
Niall Horan singles chronology
"Meltdown" (2023) "You Could Start a Cult" (2023)
Lizzy McAlpine singles chronology
"Call Your Mom" (2023) "You Could Start a Cult" (2023) "Older" (2024)

"You Could Start a Cult" is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Niall Horan, included on his third studio album The Show, released through Capitol Records on 9 June 2023. The song was written by Horan, Mark Landon, Ruel Vincent van Dijk, and its producers Joel Little, John Ryan and Julian Bunetta. A duet version of the song, with American singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine, was released on 27 October 2023, as the lead single from the album's expanded edition, subtitled The Encore.^[1]

Background

Earlier in 2023, Niall Horan performed Lizzy McAlpine's breakthrough song "Ceilings" during his BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge set.^[2] While announcing the duet version and the deluxe edition of his album, Horan stated about McAlpine: "I've been a huge fan of hers for a while now and am so grateful she was able to hop on the song and write a special new verse."^[2]

Composition

"You Could Start a Cult" was described by People as a "delicate love ballad".^[3]

Live performance

Published on 9 June 2023, Horan performed the song at the Sirius XM Studios for the Hits 1 Celebrity Session series.^[4] The official Vevo Live performance of the solo version of the song was released on 16 June 2023.^[5]

Charts

Chart performance for "You Could Start a Cult"

Chart (2023)	Peak position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[6]	22

References

1. Brandle, Lars (27 October 2023). "Niall Horan Shares 'You Could Start A Cult' With Lizzy McAlpine, Sets 'The Show: The Encore'". Billboard. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
2. Paul, Larisha (27 October 2023). "Niall Horan and Lizzy McAlpine Double Their Devotion With 'You Could Start a Cult' Duet". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
3. Kaplan, Ilana (27 October 2023). "Niall Horan Shares 'You Could Start a Cult' Duet with Lizzy McAlpine, Announces 'The Show: The Encore' Release". People. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
4. Kolgraf, Jackie (9 June 2023). "Niall Horan Explains How 'The Show' Album Was Written for Fans, Performs New Songs". Sirius XM. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
5. Mier, Tomás (16 June 2023). "Niall Horan Serenades a California Landscape in 'Intimate' Vevo Performance". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
6. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2024.