westlife forever

Westlife

Nicky, Kian, Mark and Shane - No pop band can compare to the remarkable success of Westlife! In their ten years on top, they have sold over 40 million records globally. In the UK alone they have scored nine multi-platinum albums and a record breaking 14 No.1 hits (behind only Elvis and The Beatles). Westlife have also picked up innumerable awards and have appeared on hundreds of magazine covers around the world. Over the years, Westlife's music has evolved from teen pop to an adult contemporary sound, with an emphasis on ballads.They are the only recording artists to win the prestigious Record Of The Year an incredible four times (other top awards include two BRITS and an MTV Europe Award).

Westlife are also the biggest selling UK Arena act ever, holding the record for the most concerts held at Wembley Arena, an incredible 27. In celebration of this, March of this year saw the band immortalised in Wembley Square of Fame with a plaque of their handprints, joining such legends as Madonna, George Michael, Kylie and Dolly Parton.

On the 1st June 2008 Westlife returned to their home country of Ireland to play the biggest concert of their career to date. Fresh from the success of their massive Back Home world tour, the band played to a sell-out, 82,500 strong crowd at Croke Park Stadium, Dublin in honour of Westlife 10th anniversary. A truly unforgettable occasion for Kian, Mark, Nicky and Shane.

Currently on a well deserved one year break, Westlife are due back in July 2009 for what promises to be another successful year.
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Tuesday March 17 2009

Boyzone and Westlife go head to head tonight at Dublin's Meteor Awards -- and singer Nicky Byrne is hopeful his band will come out on top.

Both bands are bidding to clinch the coveted Best Irish Pop Act Award.

Westlife have already scooped a staggering eight Meteor Awards in just ten years -- but Nicky is hoping Westlife will get number nine tonight at the glittering awards ceremony.

Despite collecting a clutch of awards at the ceremony over the years, winning a Meteor is still something Westlife star holds dear.

"I will have the fingers crossed but just being nominated again was a big thrill for all of us," he said.

Both Nicky and Shane will be flying in for the music bash in the RDS tonight -- Kian Egan and Mark Feehily couldn't make it due to other commitments.

Nicky's wife Georgina and Shane's wife Gillian will be accompanying their husbands as they celebrate their achievements.
Father-of-two Nicky, who is married to former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's daughter, Georgina, said of the awards: "I am really looking forward to the Meteors -- it's always a great night.

"It's great to be nominated by the fans, that's what means so much,"

The band have been off the scene since last summer -- but their blistering performance in Croke Park last June might just be enough to tip the category in their favour.

Some 82,000 fans flocked to Croke Park in June to catch their band play its biggest gig. Brian McFadden recently revealed his biggest regret on leaving Westlife was missing the opportunity at the Croker gig.

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A huge congratulations to the boys, who scooped the Best Irish Pop Act prize at last night's Meteor Awards.

Nicky, Shane, Kian and Mark were thrilled to have won and would like to pass on their thanks to everyone who voted for them and helped them pick up the award for the eighth consecutive year!

In other news, Nicky was recently named most stylish man in Ireland by VIP, so would like to say a big thank you to all of you who cast your votes.

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Friday May 08 2009

Westlife star Kian Egan was exchanging vows with stunning Jodi Albert this afternoon.

Jodi became the third member of the exclusive 'Westwives' club, following in the footsteps of Georgina Ahern and Gillian Filan.

westlife Best Irish pop Act 2009

Irish musicians celebrated St Patrick's Day at the Meteor Ireland Music Awards in Dublin last night. favourite Irish bands Boyzone partied at the ceremony alongside Westlife's Shane Filan and Nicky Byrne, who collected the group's gong for Best Irish Pop Act.

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Friday June 26 2009

Westlife star Nicky Byrne could have bitten off more than he can chew this week -- after revealing how he is in agony after getting his wisdom teeth removed.

He was sent reeling by the painful procedure, with the married dad needing stitches in his mouth and having to eat soft baby food as he recovers from the operation.

The Dubliner said he had 10 stitches in his gum and "feels like s**t".

"Jaw swollen but feel a lot better considering... last night was in agony - very sore mouth," he said on his Twitter page.

Jelly

And he had to resort to chowing down on lemon and lime jelly in the aftermath of the procedure, which can leave patients unable to eat properly for several days due to the swelling of their mouth.

At least the proud dad had a nice weekend -- he celebrated Father's Day with his wife Georgina Ahern and their twin boys Rocco and Jay (2) with a relaxing meal in the Castleknock Hotel.

Nicky has just a few weeks left enjoying some quality time with his family at their Malahide house before he hits the road again with Westlife.

The popular foursome will be heading to the States next month to start work on their long-awaited album, following a year-long break
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Monday July 06 2009

Westlife frontman Shane Filan has revealed that he is preparing for a third edition to his family.

Shane's wife Gillian told her husband the news just before his 30th birthday party at their Sligo mansion. And the singer announced that his childhood sweetheart was pregnant after he blew out the candles on his birthday cake in front of 150 guests.

In a speech, the singer said that he was bowled over by the news.

"My wife Gillian has been asking me a lot about what I'd like for my birthday. I thought she was going to get me a watch or something," Shane said.

"But she has definitely surprised me -- by telling me she is pregnant with our third child."

The crowd burst into cheers and then hit the dance floor in celebration. Shane's Westlife bandmates then hit the stage for an impromptu gig, performing their hits World of Our Own and Flying Without Wings.

The Filans already have one daughter, Nicole (3), and a 10-month-old son Patrick. "I'm absolutely delighted," said Shane.

Wednesday July 22 2009
Kian Egan and his brother, Tom, carry their father Kevin's coffin

WHEN Kian Egan stepped up to the altar yesterday for the most difficult performance of his career, his friends stood solid by his side.

The four members of the world's most successful boyband, Westlife, faced the congregation to sing a solemn version of 'You Raise Me Up' in tribute to Kian's father, Kevin, who died of cancer last Sunday.

"Myself and the guys would like to sing this song for my dad. I feel the words of this song really represent the type of man my father was," said an emotional Kian at his father's Requiem Mass in Sligo Cathedral.

And when Kian struggled to fight back the tears as Shane Filan sounded the opening lyrics, he felt the comforting arm of Mark Feehily around his shoulders.

He was finally composed enough to join in a roof-raising final chorus of the moving song which gave the band a number one hit. Then as the last notes still lingered in the hallowed arches, and the congregation wiped away the tears, pals Mark, Shane and Nicky embraced their grieving friend.

Beloved

Father-of-seven Kevin died in the arms of his beloved wife, Patricia, and surrounded by his children and grandchildren at his home on the Strandhill Road last Sunday morning.

"Dad died at home in mommy's arms as she was saying 'I loved you from the moment I first saw you, and I will love you for always'," his daughter Vivienne said.

In a moving tribute, she said her father encouraged all his children to be the best people they could be.

"He loved everything to do with all the Westlife things that happened over the years." But she said her father was so proud of all of his children, "whether they were a Westlife singer or a parent or school teacher".

Kevin, who was in his mid-60s, was too ill to attend Kian's wedding to former soap actress Jodi Albert in Barbados last May.

Leading the mourners yesterday were his wife Patricia, daughters, Vivienne, Marielle and Fenella, and sons Kian, Tom, Gavin and Colm.

Westlife manager Louis Walsh joined hundreds of mourners in the church to pay his respects.

Later, Kian left with the cortege, with his new wife Jodi by his side. They headed to his father's final resting place on the Strandhill Road, not far from the family home that had been a gift from Kian several years ago.

Westlife have postponed recording of their new album to give tragic star Kian Egan time to grieve

Westlife promise 'strongest album yet'
Tuesday, August 11 2009, 12:57 BST

By David Balls, Music Reporter

Westlife have promised that their upcoming ninth studio album will be the group's strongest to date.

The Irish boyband, who have not released any new material for two years, insisted that they will surprise fans when they return later this year.

"The album will have no covers at all - we want it to be our strongest ever," Shane Filan told the Irish Daily Mirror.

"We're working on it in the studios at the minute and it's really exciting. We took a decision that we didn't want to do any covers at all this time round and give the fans 100% new material.

"We know this has to be something special because we have been away for over a year. I think everyone is going to be really surprised when they hear it."

Guy Chambers, former Savage Garden star Darren Hayes and Ryan Tedder, who penned Leona Lewis's 'Bleeding Love', are all rumoured to have contributed material for the new record.

"We're lucky to be working with some amazing writers and I'm sure this album is going to bring us back with a bang," Filan added.

"We want great up-tempo songs and some really strong ballads. That's what we made our name with and that's what we want to do again.

"The plan is to release the album before Christmas and then hit the road for a tour next year."

Westlife have sold over 40 million copies of their nine previous albums, seven of which were bestsellers in the UK

Westlife: 'We've taken a new direction'
Thursday, October 15 2009, 20:37 BST

By Oli Simpson

Westlife have admitted that they took a "new direction" on their upcoming single.

'What About Now', the Irish boyband's first release since 2007's Back Home album, will be the first track taken from forthcoming LP Where We Are.

Singer Mark Feehily told The Mirror: "We wanted the first single from our new album to be somewhere between the Westlife sound our fans know and love, and the new direction we're heading in.

"We've been experimenting with a fresh vibe on this record. After 11 years we see this as phase two of the Westlife story."

'What About Now' is released on October 26. Their tenth studio album Where We Are follows on November 30.

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Westlife attend Stephen Gatelys Funeral,

Westlife join mourners in paying tribute to Stephen GatelyBy Mirror.co.uk 16/10/2009

Irish boyband Westlife joined mourners in paying tribute to Gately tonight.

"We are here today as friends of Stephen, not as popstars," the band said in a statement.

"Thank you to the media for respecting that. Stephen Gately played a big part in our story. "We watched him on TV in our early teens. We met him as fans when Westlife first got together and supported Boyzone. We got to know him as a friend over the many times our paths crossed and he would always have that same smile for us any time we bumped into him.

"It's a shame that today we have to say goodbye to him like this. Our love and support goes out to Andy and the rest of Stephen's family. Also to Keith, Mickey, Ronan and Shane, who have lost their best friend.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to them all. We trust they will be left to grieve in peace."

Feehily nervous over X Factor show
Westlife's Mark Feehily has admitted he is nervous about the group's 'X Factor' performance this weekend which marks their return to the stage after a year off.

The Daily Mail reports that singer Feehily said "There is always something a little bit scary about the 'X Factor' stage. It's so huge and you have the judges in front of you. It's like being a teenager at your first audition.

"It's strange - we've performed some massive gigs and huge TV shows but 'X Factor' always makes me a little bit more nervous than anything else we do."

AdvertisementThe group has appeared on the show more times than any other act as performers, mentors and even judges. They had originally been due to appear in a month's time but according to Kian Egan, Simon Cowell moved up their performance after he heard their new single. Egan said "He went berserk and said it's too big a song - I want to get them on the show as soon as possible."

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