westlife gravity tour 2011

CAPTION:Westlife meet O2 Blueroom meet and greet competition winners at Dublin's O2 - 20.08.2010

BACKSTREET BOYS AND WESTLIFE ACOUSTIC 2012

Westlife may not have been favored to win this competition, but from day one they proved they were fighters and were out to make a statement. They got everyone's attention early on when, amidst accusations of cheating, they fairly beat out fan favorites the Backstreet Boys in the first round. They had no trouble at all beating out their next two opponents, O-Town and the Beatles, and managed to get past newcomers the Wanted in the Final Four to ultimately take on the Jonas Brothers in the championship. This win in the Battle of the Boy Bands seems to come at a perfect time for the group because their 14-year career is about to come to an end. Westlife have decided to go their separate ways after the conclusion of their Greatest Hits Tour, which kicks off later this week and wraps up at the end of June in front of a hometown crowd in Dublin, Ireland. Congratulations to Westlife and to all their extremely loyal fans: You have certainly proved your devotion and didn't let up no matter how tough the competition was. Thanks to all the bands that participated. From newcomers One Direction, Mindless Behavior and Big Time Rush to veteran groups Boyz II Men and the Backstreet Boys, it was truly an epic tournament. But it wouldn't have been possible without all of you, the fans. All of your vigorous voting resulted in some shocking upsets, some heated matchups and some rally-from-behind wins, making this a true battle of the boy bands. 

IRISH BAND WESTLIFE has been voted the world’s best ever boyband in an MTV competition. MTV said that the Irish group received over 70 per cent of the final vote, easily beating the Jonas Brothers, the Backstreet Boys and the Beatles. “Congratulations to Westlife and to all their extremely loyal fans: You have certainly proved your devotion and didn’t let up no matter how tough the competition was,” MTV said this evening. Band member Brian McFadden left the group several years ago. Late last year, the remaining four members announced they were to separate after 14 years together. They are just about to start their Greatest Hits tour, which is due to finish up in Dublin’s Croke Park at the end of June. Band members Shane Filan and Mark Feehily have been tweeting their thanks to fans for supporting them in the MTV vote: 

Meanwhile, Nicky Byrne took the opportunity to poke fun at one of the losing contestants: 

Backstreet Boys Out Of Boy-Band Battle? Westlife Are Surprised Too 'When I saw the bands that were listed, I thought we haven't got a hope in hell in this,' group member Nicky Byrne says. By Christina Garibaldi (@ChristinaMTV) . The first round of MTV's Battle of the Boy Bands certainly shocked a lot of fans when Westlife overtook early favorites the Backstreet Boys. And fans aren't the only ones surprised by this early victory: Westlife themselves never thought they would be able to overtake BSB. "When I saw the bands that were listed, I thought we haven't got a hope in hell in this, especially being up against the Backstreet Boys, to be honest with you. When I looked, I thought, well, these guys are probably going to win this, gonna be there or thereabout," Westlife member Nicky Byrne told MTV News on Thursday (April 26) via Skype from Dublin, Ireland. "How it came about, I noticed it on Twitter and I went into the MTV website and I said, 'What's all this about?' and I see us up against the Backstreet Boys and I thought, 'Oh no, what a challenge that is!' So I put it on my Twitter account and it kind of snowballed from there," he continued. And snowball it did. The group beat the Backstreet Boys by a fairly large margin after their fans from all over the world rallied for their victory. Yet, according to Byrne, even though he's ecstatic with the win, he expects there will be no hard feelings between the two groups. "The funny thing is we've met the Backstreet Boys quite a number of times," Byrne said. "It will be interesting to see if and when we ever bump into the guys again to have a little bit of fun, a bit of a chat about it." Westlife, who have been together since 1998, had minimal success in the United States, with only one single, "Swear It Again," charting Stateside, back in 1999. Last year, the group announced that after 14 years they were calling it quits following their Greatest Hits Tour, which kicks off next month. "I think our manager really wanted us to announce it as a break, just to say to people that it's going to be a couple years. We'll do some different things on our own and see where we go," Byrne said. "But I think we all knew it was the right time to get away from each other for a long time. And genuinely, I would hate to think that I spent half of my life ? more than half my life with the lads ? I would hate to think that we would never sing again. But I think what we couldn't do was lead people on false promises, and you know, whatever the rest of us go on to do, we can't be holding on to maybe one day do a tour again. So it was the right decision to be made. Everybody is going to walk away from this with great memories and, most importantly, our friendship intact. " And even though they will remain close after the tour, Byrne is adamant that this will be the last time they will be together as a group. "Right now, there's no chance of anything ever again with Westlife," he said. "I know when I'm on my Twitter account, the amount of fans that would love me to say, or would love us all to say, 'No, there's still a hope, we'll do something down the road,' ... but right now, if that happens, that would be incredible. But we haven't even finished yet. The right thing to say ... is right now, Westlife, come June 23, will be no more." Before they go their separate ways, Westlife are still hoping to have some success in the United States, and what better way to do that than to win MTV's Battle of the Boy Bands? "What an amazing story it would be to finish our final 14 years to be named or even get far in this competition," Byrne said. "But even if we don't, we'll hold our heads very high and say we never cracked the States, but we gave them a run for their money." Voting in round two of MTV's Battle of the Boy Bands runs until noon ET on Monday, April 30. Winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite band made the cut, make sure you keep voting. Tune in to AMTV and MTV Hits for their boy-band video takeovers each day and make sure to spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag  and like us on Facebook for updates!

The Irish pop group were voted the best boyband during a two-week poll of an MTV audience of some 12million viewers, also beating The Wanted and Disney superstars, The Jonas Brothers. The foursome can head out on their farewell tour next week proudly embracing the title after they emerged as the surprise winners of the poll of 32 bands, voted for by an audience of US and European music lovers. A spokesman for MTV was quoted in the Irish Daily Mail as saying: “The fans have spoken. After two weeks of intense match-ups and more than 12 million votes Westlife have come out on top in MTV’s Battle of the Boybands.” This win in the Battle of the Boy Bands seems to come at a perfect time for the group because their 14-year career is about to come to an end. Westlife have decided to go their separate ways after the conclusion of their Greatest Hits Tour, which kicks off later this week and wraps up at the end of June in Croke Park.

Westlife Call Beatles 'The Ultimate Boy Band' 'We'll just leave right now,' Nicky Byrne jokes when told Westlife are facing Beatles in third round of Battle of the Boy Bands. By Christina Garibaldi (@ChristinaMTV) . MTV's Battle of the Boy Bands is certainly heating up. We have seen some shocking eliminations throughout the first two rounds, with the Backstreet Boys, 'NSYNC and New Kids on the Block all making early exits in the competition. And as we head into the Final Four on Wednesday, fans will be tirelessly voting for their favorites to move on, hoping to land a spot in the championship matchup. A clear fan favorite in this battle has been Irish boy band Westlife. The group so far has taken down the Backstreet Boys and O-Town, but in the Elite Eight round, they are up against the original boy band, the Beatles. We spoke to Westlife member Nicky Byrne via Skype from Dublin, Ireland, as the group rehearses for their final farewell tour, and he told us what he thought their chances were for beating their latest opponent. "We'll just leave now, we'll just leave right now," Byrne laughed when told he was facing the Beatles. "The only thing we have in our favor is that our fanbase would still be very, I suppose, relatively young and want for Westlife to win. I mean, it goes without saying the Beatles are the ultimate boy band and nobody is ever going to take that crown." Westlife still have a good chance of advancing to the next round. And if they continue to maintain momentum, they could ultimately face the new wave of boy bands, which Byrne admits he is a fan of. "You've got the Wanted coming through and One Direction, and it's brilliant for them. I've met the guys, both bands, lovely guys, an Irish guy in each band, which is great," Byrne said. "It's brilliant for pop music. The Wanted, they're supporting our stadium shows here in Ireland, so they'll be our support band, so that's pretty cool. I suppose a little bit of me probably thinks I wish I was 20 again to do it all over again. But you have to hold your hands up — we've had a wonderful time and it's time to pass the reins on to someone else."

Westlife 'Honored' To Win MTV's Battle Of The Boy Bands 'It's been an amazing 14 years for us, and to top it off, to win this is really, really incredible,' Nicky Byrne says in a message to fans. By Christina Garibaldi . Fans of Westlife spent the past two weeks tirelessly voting for their favorite group to win MTV's Battle of the Boy Bands, and all their hard work paid off. On Monday, the Irish boy band won it all, defeating the Jonas Brothers in the final round. And for all those Westlife fans: Don't think your voting went unnoticed. All four members, who are in London rehearsing for their upcoming farewell tour, took time out of their busy schedule to send over a message to MTV News thanking each and every one of you for their big win. Westlife Thank Fans For Their Battle Of The Boy Bands Triumph "Hi, MTV, we just found out that we've been voted the #1 ultimate boy band of all time. Thank you very much, guys!" Westlife's Shane Filan said. "We are very, very honored." Nicky Byrne added, "I just want to say: Thank you to all of our followers, on Weibo in China, on Twitter around the world, on Facebook and everybody. To all the bands we beat, well done. It's been an amazing 14 years for us, and to top it off, to win this is really, really incredible, so thank you to everybody who voted. See you on tour!" After the first round of competition, when Westlife took down fan favorites the Backstreet Boys, we talked with Byrne via Skype, who told us a win in this competition would mean a lot to the band, since they have decided to break up after 14 years following the end of their tour next month. "What an amazing story it would be to finish our final 14 years to be named or even get far in this competition," Byrne said. "But even if we don't, we'll hold our heads very high and say we never cracked the States, but we gave them a run for their money." Well, Westlife, you certainly have! Congratulations to the group and all their dedicated fans.

Republic of Ireland group Westlife have been crowned the ultimate boyband in the world in a poll which saw them overtake legends like The Beatles. The Dublin pop group were voted the best boyband during a two-week poll of an MTV audience of some 12million viewers, also beating The Wanted and Disney superstars, The Jonas Brothers. The foursome can head out on their farewell tour next week proudly embracing the title after they emerged as the surprise winners of the poll of 32 bands, voted for by an audience of US and European music lovers. A spokesman for MTV was quoted in the Irish Daily Mail as saying: “The fans have spoken. After two weeks of intense match-ups and more than 12 million votes Westlife have come out on top in MTV’s Battle of the Boybands.”

 brain & delta (live)

 They met while recording their duet "Almost Here", on August, 2004, an their first kiss was after the Royal Variety in London, on December 2004.
Later, the relationship became public, when Brian and Delta was caught on camera on their South African Christmas Holiday.

Brian about their first kiss: "At the Royal Variety she was wearing a lovely dress and she looked stunning. At the after-show party I snogged her. I don't think she was too drunk but I was a bit."






18/04/2008 4:13:00 PM.

Delta Goodrem and Brian McFadden have pushed back their wedding until 2009 as both singers spend this year focused on their careers.

The couple, who became engaged late last year, had originally hoped to marry this year.

But they will spend much of this year apart, with Goodrem in America for months at a time trying to crack the US market, and McFadden travelling in support of his second solo album, Set In Stone.

"Next year's the wedding," McFadden said.

"We've had three years together every single day, and I think that whole three years was preparing for this year apart.

"It's been hard but because we're so prepared for it we knew we'd just work hard this year and try to set up the rest of our life."

Set In Stone, which is being released Saturday, is the result of two-and-a-half years' work for McFadden.

The 28-year-old wrote 150 songs for the album, with 10 finding their way onto the record.

"When I'm in writing mode I pretty much write every single day," McFadden explained.

"As I wrote I went through a period of writing rock songs for a couple of months, and then pop songs, and dance songs and all different kinds of songs.

"By the end I just kind of had the best ones from each genre, because I wanted every track to be something different ... to keep me from getting bored."

McFadden said most of the songs are autobiographical, but since his last album, Irish Son, that is not so obvious because he is better at disguising their meaning a little.

"I didn't really leave much to the imagination in the lyrics (on Irish Son), so this time I wanted to make sure people wouldn't judge me from the words," he said.

"I wrote the lyrics in the way that they could have three or four different meanings.

"If people ask me I'll just say make up your own mind."

However, McFadden readily admits Like Only A Woman Can is about Goodrem.

The entire album is dedicated to his fiancee, whom he credits with having a "massive" influence on him, musically.

"I didn't really want to write songs or perform any more and she just kind of dragged me out of that box," he said.

"She breathed a lot of confidence into me as well, which I never had."

While he is a star in his own right in the UK from his days in the Irish boy band Westlife, in Australia McFadden is better known for being Mr Delta Goodrem.

He doesn't get sick of talking about her, but would like to be recognised primarily for his music.

"It can be a little frustrating at times," he said.

"I did something last night where they introduced me as Delta Goodrem's boyfriend Brian McFadden.

"I'm like, 'Am I actually changing my passport to that now? Is that my full title?"

"It would be nice to have the tag: Brian McFadden, musician and singer. And Delta's Goodrem's partner."




Brian, Delta & Kids

Former Westlife singer Brian McFadden was back in his home-town of Dublin at the weekend with his Australian girlfriend Delta Goodrem and his two adorable children Molly & Lily Sue...






Deltra Goodrem talks wedding plans
Former Neighbours actress turned recording artist Delta Goodrem has revealed that she is in the process of planning her wedding to singer Brian McFadden for 2009.

The 24-year-old bride-to-be is currently making preparations to tie the knot with the Westlife star later next year.

Speaking about her wedding plans at a recent red carpet event in New York City, Delta commented: "It's going, it's on its way. We're looking forward to it, we're looking forward to getting married now.

"We're just trying to organise it at the moment."

The celebrity couple announced their engagement in November 2007, after three years of dating.

A year before they met, when Delta was just 18, she was diagnosed with a form of cancer - Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Brian separated from ex-wife, reality TV personality Kerry Katona, in 2004 after two years of marriage. During their relationship they had two daughters, Molly, seven and five-year-old Lilly-Sue.






Brian McFadden and girlfriend Delta Goodrem enjoy dinner with her mother and brother at an Italian restaurant in Castle Hill. Sydney, Australia. 18TH MARCH 2006






December 07, 2008

FOR their sake, let's hope they can break the curse of the singing lovebirds. Romantic bliss has famously eluded such crooning duos as Ike and Tina, Sonny and Cher, Peter and Liza, Kylie and Jason.

Now Delta Goodrem and her Irish fiance Brian McFadden have announced they will hit the stage together when the lovers team up for her Believe Again national tour in January.

Goodrem is billing beau McFadden as her "special guest" rather than her "support act".

It will be Goodrem's first national tour in more than three years. She has been concentrating on cracking the US market.

Since leaving the group Westlife, father-of-two McFadden has achieved success with his solo album Set in Stone featuring hits such as Like Only a Woman Can and Twisted.

"I'm very much looking forward to the tour with Delta. Performing is what we love to do and being on the road and touring together makes it even more special," said McFadden.

Published: 31 Jul 2009

LOVEBIRDS BRIAN McFADDEN and DELTA GOODREM have called in security experts after the ex WESTLIFE star was overwhelmed by a torrent of abuse on Twitter.
Brian has exchanged a series of public online arguments with a cyber stalker, who calls himself "Saviour Mankind".

The chilling messages profess Saviour's love and "ownership" of Delta, while urging Brian to call off their engagement.

In one sickening post he wrote: "Brian McFadden if you harm a hair on Delta's head you will be the first to return to the gas chamber."

Angry Brian then replied: "You are close to harm! I have your address and if something unfortunate happens to you I will be very sad! Be carefull (sic).

"If you tweet me or Delta one more thing I will find you and hurt you."

The cyber stalker also called himself the "last new soul of our kind" and in a message for Delta said: "I'll kill to be with you."

Brian, 29, and Delta, 24, are now reportedly



considering seeking a restraining order.

Delta's agent Jennifer Fontaine told Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper: "We have security looking into it."

Brian and Delta were due to tie the knot at Christmas but the nuptials have now been delayed.




Brian McFadden and Delta break-up rumours




Former Westlife singer Brian McFadden out and about in sunny Santa Monica, California




News that Brian McFadden moved out of the Sydney house he shared with Delta Goodrem and into a roomie situation is a sign the betrothed lovebirds may have split, according to a UK report.


The UK Mirror claims McFadden's move not to mention Goodrem's clearing out to the US is to allow the pair to get a bit of 'space'.


The paper notes the couple has been 'engaged for yonks with no sign of an actual wedding'. McFadden, previously married to the notorious Kerry Katona, is now shacking up with a video director, Dan Reisinger.


The father of two girls with Katona has cleared out of the $2million (£1.2million) Sydney home he shared with the clean-cut Australian songstress while she jets back to the US for yet another attempt to break it and make it there.


A friend said: 'Delta working away a lot in LA and Brian gets bored by himself. Dan been staying with his mum for a while and wanted to spread his wings a bit so they decided it would make sense to move in together. They get on really well and are looking for a bachelor pad they can call home.


'Delta hasn,t been around to have any say in what he does, things don,t seem great between them at the moment. Brian kids have been asking when they will get married, but they have come up with excuse after excuse blaming everything from hectic work schedules and the World Cup, to Brian,s smoking habit. Now his moving out sounds like alarm bells to us. Delta must be worried he is going to be doing some serious partying with his pal.'


llllllllllllll



April 08, 2010
LA style is fine in Bondi too for Delta Goodrem

LA style ... Brian McFadden and Delta Goodrem in Bondi
AFTER just a few months in Los Angeles, Delta Goodrem has become accustomed to Hollywood.
Rocking the messy hair/mega footwear look that is all the rage in la la land, the songbird cut a swath through Bondi this week following lunch with her fiance-forever, Brian McFadden.

The I Believe singer returned to Oz last week to spend Easter with family and has been organising a super-secretive 30th birthday party for her Irish crooner.

Due to take place this Saturday, guests will include McFadden's good mate and fellow Australia's Got Talent judge Kyle Sandilands and wife Tamara Jaber.




McFadden's parents in dark over 'wedding'

Friday July 02 2010

SINGER Brian McFadden has not contacted his family about whether reports that he married Delta Goodrem recently are true.

The McFadden family insist they have heard nothing from him to suggest his alleged secret wedding took place last month.

The former Westlife star's parents Brendan and Mairead told the Herald that Brian (30) has not contacted them to say that he and Delta are now married.

"I don't know anything about it," said Brian's father Brendan. "They are big enough now to do whatever they want."

Brendan said he would be happy to confirm the news if he was sure it was true but insisted Brian has not been in touch to tell him.

"The only one who has told me they're married is you," he said.

The Real to Me singer, who has made Delta's native Sydney his permanent home, has been referring to his gorgeous blonde girlfriend as his "wife" for the last two weeks.

They have also been snapped wearing rings on their wedding fingers.





DELTA Goodrem has just thrown a glass of red wine in a fit of rage. The target the forehead of her fiance, Brian McFadden. Her aim is spot on.
A bleeding McFadden is eyeing off a chainsaw with a destructive glint in his eyes.

He's swearing at her, she's yelling at him. Then the director says "cut".



The loved-up pair are playing combative lovers in the video for their duet Mistakes.



Loosely based on Brangelina's Mr and Mrs Smith, the clip starts with a romantic dinner that triggers an explosive domestic dispute.



The pair may have the occasional argument, but this fictitious one is turbo-nuclear.



On set in Sydney last week, director Dan Reisinger is yelling obscenities at Goodrem to get her in the (war) zone for the fiery feud.

"It's not every day Australia's sweetheart gets called a f----g b----,"Reisinger laughs.



"I had to get her motivated."



"The first word I said after 'cut' was sorry . . . before re-loading and letting her have it again."



While Goodrem taps into her Logie-winning Neighbours days for angst-on-cue ("Brian's like 'I don't want to offend you' I'm going, 'Come on!"'), McFadden struggles to abuse his partner of six years.


"The happy bits are easy," McFadden says, "trying to get each other riled up is hard."


Reisinger, director of McFadden's last two videos, closed the set after a string of failed takes.


"They are such private people when it comes to their relationship, which is why it is so successful," Reisinger says.


"Brian was reluctant to hurt Delta's feelings, particularly in front of strangers on set. She kept trying to reassure him it was just acting, but he couldn' t bring himself to insult her where it hurts, a thing anyone's partner knows better than anyone else."


The words hurt, but McFadden is at ease with the string of button-pushing stunts.


Goodrem makes a digital smoothie when she throws his watch in a blender and smashes one of his platinum discs.


She uses the disc to slice his guitar (James Bond fan Reisinger's nod to villian Oddjob) while he retaliates by using the chainsaw to turn Goodrem's piano into firewood.


"Delta was genuinely traumatised by us doing that," Reisinger says. "It was like us chainsawing the family pet."


Goodrem, worried about instrument karma, admits it was like "a horror movie".


"I feel physically sick," she says. "When we finished the treatment the biggest issue I had with the whole video is the chainsawing of the piano."


McFadden researched the lineage of the doomed instrument.


"There'll be a lot of people pissed off we ruined a piano, but apparently the piano was in the graveyard and about to be destroyed anyway," he says. "No real pianos were harmed in the making of this video."

The duet, like their previous collaboration Almost Here, is anything but a love song.


"We don't feel the need to express that in public," Goodrem says.


"Privately we're very romantic and very much in love."


McFadden, meanwhile, is seeing how long it takes to microwave Goodrem's teddy bear until it blows up a brand new Freedom kitchen.

"Everyone has their arguments,"he says. "This is the biggest one we'll ever have! HEAR Mistakes (Universal) out September 17.





Broken glass, a chainsaw and a teddy bear in the microwave...it's a quiet evening in for Delta Goodrem and Brian McFadden

September 2010
It's the sort of on-screen outburst you'd expect from an Eminem video, not two popstars known for their wholesome images and happy relationship.

But in Brian McFadden and Delta Goodrem's new video for their duet Mistakes, they're subverting their goody-goody image and shown having a row of epic proportions.

The real life couple begin by having a romantic meal, which then degenerates into a blazing and violent argument.



Brian McFadden takes a chainsaw to real-life girlfriend Delta Goodrem's piano in the video for their new duet, Mistakes









Goodrem launches a glass of red wine at McFadden's head. The video begins with the couple enjoying a romantic meal but erupts into a violent row

Daily Mirror 2/04/2011

Brian McFadden splits from Delta Goodrem


EX-Westlife star Brian McFadden and fiancee Delta Goodrem have separated after a series of rows.

The couple, who have been engaged since 2007, announced the end of their seven-year relationship yesterday.



It's thought the pair were finding it hard to maintain their long-distance relationship after selling their home in Sydney. Delta, 26, bought a house in LA earlier this year while writing and recording her fourth album. Brian, 30, has stayed in Sydney with pals filming the next series of Australia's Got Talent, in which he's a judge. A friend said: The conversations were getting more and more fraught. It's really sad.

The pair yesterday issued a statement saying they Care no longer engaged and have mutually decided to end their relationship. Brian later tweeted: I love Delta and always will. She is one of God's living angels. I thank her for giving me the best years of my life.

Brian had recently insisted they were still planning the wedding. He said: Of course we'll get married, we just haven't set a day yet. We're trying to organise our schedules so we can be in the same place at the same time. But we won't just rock up to a registry office. Delta,s a princess, and she deserves a proper wedding.

ISPCC launches anti-bullying week
Monday, April 23, 2012 - 12:29 PM



The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) is this week highlighting the negative impact bullying has on children.

The ISPCC today launched its Anti-Bullying Awareness week calling on supporters to buy and wear a shield badge, showing their support for the ISPCC and rights of all children and young people in Ireland.

The organisatyion will be running a 24-hour helpline - contactable on 1800 66 66 77 - throughout the week for anyone who needs advice on tackling bullying.

The campaign is being supported by celebrities including Mark Feehily, Brian O'Driscoll, Brendan O'Carroll, Cher Lloyd, Colin Farrell, Jamie Heaslip, Jedward, Keith Barry, Laura Whitmore, Louis Walsh, Olly Murs, Saoirse Ronan, The Wanted and Westlife.

Westlife star Feehily said he knows 35-year-olds who still cry themselves to sleep because of bullying they experienced as children.

A former victim of bullying himself, the singer said it led to a complete withdrawal from a social life.

"I just kind of… held it all inside," he said.

"I was too afraid to tell anyone about it.

"I was scared that if I told people it would make it 10 times worse."

Caroline O'Sullivan, Director of Services with the ISPCC, said bullying has a seriously damaging effect on children.

"It has a huge, damaging effect on young people, particularly… following a long period of bullying," Ms O'Sullivan said.

"They effectively don't view themselves as being capable or effective individuals that are worthwhile.

"Bullying affects self-esteem; children feel isolated; they become withdrawn; they become depressed and they are insecure.

"For some children… that leads them to consider suicide."

Tuesday April 24 2012

WESTLIFE star Mark Feehily has had counselling to deal with the severe bullying he suffered as a teenager.

The newly single chart-topper, who recently split from fiance photographer Kevin McDaid, confessed that the dark memories of what he endured during his school days still haunt him.

The 31-year-old told the Herald: "I'm not afraid to say that I've definitely had some counselling.

"It's weird the stigma that can be attached to counselling, I don't know where that came from, but as I say, yeah, I have done it and I think it's a fantastic thing to do."




Break-up

He was speaking at the launch of the first ISPCC Anti-Bullying Awareness Week in Dublin's Westbury Hotel.

Mark also broke his silence on his relationship with Kevin and confessed he has found it difficult to get over the split.

"It's still very fresh for me ... Talking about it isn't something I really want to do.

"It's fresh and like anybody, you take everything as it comes.

"It's my first major relationship and obviously my first break-up, so I'm dealing with it."

The Sligo man is now setting his mind on reuniting on stage with Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Shane Filan for Westlife's Farewell Tour.

labutler@herald.ie







Mark Feehily was joined by The Voice contestant Keira Bryne



Westlife star Mark Feehily says he knows 35-year-old’s who still cry themselves to sleep because of bullying they experienced as children.

The popstar has joined forces with the ISPCC to highlight the issue of bullying.

A number of people from the entertainment worldincluding Jedward and Louis Walsh will wear a ‘blue shield’ badge to show their support for those affected.

Mark says childhood bullying can shape persons life forever.

He says for him it lead to a complete withdrawal from a social life

 

Wednesday Nov 30 2011

IT’S ONE of the oldest PR tricks around, wear a wedding ring; appear loved up, and bingo – the press will speculate that you are after getting hitched.

Brian McFadden and Vogue Williams clearly hoped to hit the headlines when they appeared at the MTV awards last night in Sydney with one of them wearing a wedding band and the other keeping her ring hand firmly out of sight of waiting photographers.


The pair have been inseparable since the model relocated to Sydney after meeting McFadden in a Donegal night club earlier this year.


McFadden tweeted from the awards: “My girl VogueWilliams is so f**king beautiful. Just sayin”.


He split from Australian star Delta Goodrem shortly before meeting Williams and was married to Kerry Katona with whom he has two daughters.


McFadden has been sporting the gold wedding band on and off for a few weeks, including during an appearance on an Australian TV chat show. Showbiz websites speculated he was sending a message to ex fiancé Goodrem, who is now dating superstar Nick Jonas, eight years her junior. Goodrem is the darling of the Australian press, and photos of her and Jonas are much sought after by newspapers and magazines.


A spokesperson for McFadden said the ring belonged to someone close to the former Westlife star who has passed away and was now worn by the singer "for safe keeping".


And as to why he is wearing it on his ring finger:


"I think that's the only finger it fits on."

02 Dec 2008
Follow your dreams, Westlife star tells students



Westlife's Shane Filan urged young people from the North West to follow their dreams at a Gaisce awards ceremony.

The Sligo pop star was guest of honour when over 120 teenagers from Donegal, Derry and Sligo received the President's award in recognition of their spirit of adventure, personal skills and service to the community.

Among those honoured were students from Sligo Grammer School who went on a kayaking trip to Belgium earlier this year.

"They spent their days on the river and their evenings orienteering in the forest or undergoing very physical obstacle courses," explained teacher and President's Award Leader, Fidelma Lipsett.

She took 17 fifth year students from the school on the outing which also involved a day trip to Luxembourg, last Easter.

Students from Grange post primary school in north Sligo also rose to the challenge when they took up kayaking in a more local setting at the Lough Allen Adventure Centre.

"They learned how to set up camp, they had to cook their own food and learn how to survive with fairly basic facilities," explained teacher Siobhan Evans, who supervised the project with colleague, Lorna Craven.

The Grange students undertook several community projects, setting up homework clubs, a soccer league and producing a newsletter.

They also did a mix of sports activities with one student having qualified as a beach life guard as his endeavors.

"They inspirational are

group an of young people and we could see they were developing leadership skills in this process. In fact many of them are now prefects," said Ms Lipsett.

Gaisce medals were also presented to students from the Ursuline and Mercy Colleges Sligo and to young people from several schools in Co Donegal.

The President's award or Gaisce is presented to young people aged from 15 to 25 who prove themselves in the areas of community involvement, personal skills, physical recreation and adventure.


SLAM TROPHY RUGBY CUP IN SLIGO 2009

The second and last part of Louis Walsh & Kian Egan next big thing Wonderland was broadcast last night on ITV2!
Enjoy Kian as a manager and all the Westlife lads talking about Wonderland.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymSvA46qYy0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4evpkDXbn1M 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecq8Uky5ihk 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OycS_jgZlBY


2011 The part-Irish, part English quintet
Sharon Condon, Corrina Durran, Jodi Albert, Kasey Smith and Leigh Learmont were hand-picked by Louis Walsh at a 2008 audition in Dublin.
Managed by Kian Egan from Westlife, they released debut single Not A Love Song in March on Mercury Records and it peaked at number seven on iTunes.
Next single Starlight is out on June 6 along with their eponymous album.
Wonderland have already supported Westlife and Boyzone on tour and made an appearance at the 2010 Isle of Wight Festival.
They also had their own ITV2 show Louis Walsh & Kian Egan's Next Big Thing: Wonderland that aired last autumn.
About their 32-date Olly Murs tour they say: The past year's been such a dream come true for us all writing and recording our album, and then having so much fun touring with Westlife and Boyzone. We feel really lucky.
Jodi Albert feels under pressure to succeed Wednesday 1 June 2011 Kian Egan's wife Jodi Albert has admitted that she feels a lot of pressure for her band 'Wonderland' to succeed.
Jodi and her bandmates hosted a launch party for their album, which is out here this week and in the UK next, titled 'Wonderland'.
The band, which is managed by X Factor's Louis Walsh and Westlife's Kian Egan, are finally being launched, three years after auditions for the band began.
Speaking to The Star, Jodi said: "You feel a little bit of pressure because Louis Walsh is obviously such a big name and Kian has been extremely successful with 12 years in Westlife." "All they have been able to do for us is create this opportunity." "Once we get on stage it is up to us to do our thing and show people we are worthy of being here." More than 1,500 girls battled it out for a spot in the band in the Dublin auditions in 2008.
By Melanie Finn Friday
September 09 2011



Girlband Wonderland have been sensationally dropped by their record label.
However, co-manager Louis Walsh (below) has said they should feel "very proud" for trying their best to make the group a success.
Speaking from his holiday home in Miami, he confirmed the news to the Herald -- and said the girls shouldn't feel too devastated about what happened. "They had some great songs, they could all sing and they worked really hard.
They tried to do something different and it's just a shame it didn't work out.
But people haven't heard the last of them," he said of the Irish group.
News that Mercury Records had decided to drop them after just one album was greeted with shock by their fans, who inundated them with messages of support.
Members Kasey Smith, Leigh Learmont, Sharon Condon, Corrina Durran and Jodi Albert were put together after a series of nationwide auditions held by Louis and Westlife's Kian Egan. However, there was huge speculation about the future of the band after former Hollyoaks babe Jodi got pregnant with her first baby in July.
She always insisted that her impending motherhood wouldn't get in the way of the band's future -- and performed on stage with her band-mates last month. They have been busy promoting their self-titled debut album and performed a string of dates over the summer.
Lucky She said in interviews how she had been "really lucky" with her pregnancy and that she hadn't experienced much nausea at all.
She and Kian are expecting their first baby on January 1, 2012. The happy couple met while she was touring with her previous group, Girl Thing.
They married in a spectacular ceremony on Turtle Beach in the Caribbean in May 2009, after five years together.
Last night Wonderland was still listed on Mercury Records website, but on their own site, it stated how they had no forthcoming gigs.
They were formed in July 2008 and were unveiled on the Late Late Show shortly before they nabbed a record deal.
Their co-managers spent years making sure they were polished performers before they released their debut single Not a Love Song.
mfinn@herald.ie


Monday September 19 2011
WONDERLAND singer Sharon Condon is going solo
even though music boss Louis Walsh is desperately trying to keep the band together.
The 25-year-old has admitted that the band's days are numbered because they haven't got the dancers or the production to succeed.
In recent weeks Wonderland were dropped by their record label and Jodi Albert announced her pregnancy.
So while their managers,
Louis Walsh and Jodi's other-half Kian Egan,
want to give it another try, Sharon says the gig is up.
Speaking about Jodi's pregnancy, she explained that it would have made things even more difficult in the coming months.
"If you look at Una Healy now from The Saturdays, she's fine because they are an established band, but we weren't. "At the end of the day, I don't really know the reason we were dropped, maybe our music just wasn't good enough, but I think there was more to it than that.
"But I don't think Jodi was one reason in particular.
Wonderland weren't what people were looking for," she said.
Sharon revealed to the Diary that talks are taking place behind the scenes about redesigning the band, but it might be too late. "Personally, I felt this coming.
Wonderland tried to be something very different,
it was country rather than pop.
More people are into dance now but we were more of a vocal group," she said. "Those days are gone.
People want to see a performance. We were up against Beyonce and Lady Gaga.
There was no way we could compete against that." According to Sharon, the five piece had "an amazing journey" but she now wants to go solo.
"Maybe it just wasn't meant to be with Wonderland.
But I've made so many contacts and it was an amazing three years, I learned so much and I just want to get up and go again.
"We have hundreds of fans behind us and it will be great to launch my own career from that platform,"
she said.


 




Wednesday September 28 2011

It seems all was not wonderful in Wonderland prior to the group's split.
With Jodi Albert sailing off into the sunset to face impending motherhood,
the four other members of the group are attempting to pick up the pieces of their failed music careers.
Lead singer Sharon Condon has revealed to the Diary she has no contact with Kian Egan or his wife Jodi since hearing of the group's break-up through the internet.
together Sharon is still smarting after she found out about the band's demise after her mother read it on Facebook.
And the talented artist says it was becoming evident that there was a break occurring in the group when pregnant Jodi stopped spending time in the band's spacious apartment and started spending nights in Kian's London home.
Sharon says she and bandmates Corrina Durran, Leigh Learmont and Kasey Smith are sticking together during these tough times. "I haven't spoken to Kian or Jodi about this so I don't know how they are feeling,
but I suppose they were just as devastated as we were.
I haven't really been speaking to Kian, him and Jodi have their own things going on.
"I know from mine and the girls' perspective that we want to stay positive and use everything we have done to move forward with music.
I'm not really going to see Kian and Jodi now.
So I want to do my own thing and look out for my own life.
"But Kasey, Leigh and Corrina are all really supportive of me, they are lovely girls.
Casey will continue writing but I think Leigh and Karena would be great at TV presenting," she said. Last night Wonderland's official band page was flooded with upset comments from fans after they posted a message confirming they were over for good and would no longer be producing music together as a band.
"As some of you may know already we have parted ways with Mercury Records. We have taken the past few weeks to consider our future as a band. After a lot of thinking and talking we have decided that we will no longer continue as Wonderland. "We feel we have given it all we have and we could not take it any further. We want to say a massive thank you to all our fans for the love and support they have shown us over the three years we have been together.
We really feel we had an amazing time and it will be something we remember for the rest of our lives," they wrote.
mutual But Sharon (25) told the Diary that she was unaware the band had officially made the decision to split, and had to find out through her mother who saw the girls' message on their Facebook page.
"We all knew it was coming but I didn't know the band were officially announcing the split.
My mum rang me and told me that the girls had posted it on their Facebook page. "I had spoken to the girls before and said that I didn't want to continue with Wonderland.
So in the end it was a mutual decision because other members felt the same,
" she said.

1. Beautiful Tonight, 2. Safe (Album Version), 3. Chances, 4. I Will Reach You, 5. Closer, 6. The Reason, 7. Tell Me Its Love, 8. I Get Weak, 9. Before Its Too Late, 10. No Ones Gonna Sleep Tonight, 11. Difference In Me, 12. Too Hard To Say Goodbye





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFyNQ0y7Kh8



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu41anpERQk


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-mUhu_U58c























                

*

Westlife is reportedly planning to take ‘a break’ after more than a decade together.





The Irish man band is set to release a greatest hits album and new single Lighthouse, but has decided to take a year or two out after that, according to The Mirror.


“The boys are pretty knackered,” said a source. “They’ve been constantly working for the past decade and just want time to enjoy what they’ve made for themselves before coming back with a brand-new album.










“They’re not splitting up – it’s a break. The plan is to come back with full force after that.”

 



Westlife returns to Manila for
'Gravity Tour' 2011September 13, 2011, 3:06pm
MANILA, Philippines
-- The long-awaited return of Westlife to the Philippines happens on Sept. 29 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
You ready?
Westlife members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne debuted in 1998 when they opened for Boyzone and the Backstreet Boys in Ireland.
Since then they have received many awards and broke numerous records worldwide.
In the UK alone, they’ve had 14 number one hits.
Westlife is the fourth biggest selling boyband in the world with over 44 million albums sold.
“Gravity Tour” is Westlife’s 11th concert tour to date. Known for their impressive concerts, for this tour, the group collaborated with creative director William Baker, known for his work with Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis and Bjork.
The group has stated this tour to be “bigger and better”, and is expected to perform their biggest hits and more, including “Flying Without Wings”,
“Swear It Again”, “You Raise Me Up”, “World of Our Own”, “Uptown Girl”, “When You’re Looking Like That,” and “Safe.” Although five years have passed since the group’s last appearance in the Philippines, the return of Westlife has been greatly anticipated by their longtime fans.
Westlife’s local fanbase has been active throughout the years, especially the members of Official Westlife Fan Club Philippines and Westlife Philippines who have joined forces to support their favorite group.
Fans from all over the country will also be making their way to Manila so as not to miss their beloved Irish superstars.
 



Ali Bastian, Sarah Jayne Dunn and a heavily pregnant Jodi Albert, the wife of Westlife's Kian Egan. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/3841140/Sexy-Pixies-got-a-Lott-of-Lipsy.html


Wednesday, 21 September 2011
FOURTEEN years ago
Westlife burst onto the boy-band scene. They had crooning harmonies, slick coordinated dance moves, and handsome group shots that ended up as posters on every pre-teenage girl’s bedroom walls.
We, the 12 and 13 year-old girls of the time, crooned along with them in our rooms as we dreamed of what it would be like to know these demi-gods of love and music,
even just to see them in person.
Could they be real people?
Now, a generation later, we are all grown up and those days when no-one understood us but our CD player, are all but forgotten. And yet, as I sat in the crowd at the Hart van Windhoek concert, I was happy to throw off adulthood and join the latest batch of pre-teens in their delirious enthusiasm.
Westlife, in elegant black trench coats, paid tribute to their original fans with a set of early songs.
We, now men and women, clapped and danced and sang along in child-like revelry.
Then they went ultra modern with a set of songs from their latest album. We, the originals, scratched our heads but swayed along with them anyway.
The medley of contemporary songs by other artists such as Black-eyed Peas, Rihanna and Lady Gaga was fun, albeit awkward. For the final set,
they changed into Mickey Mouse shirts and sport jackets. It was a little too 90’s and unrefined for my personal taste but I was already consumed by the atmosphere to really care. Ultimately, it was an exciting trip down memory lane and a wonderful event for Windhoek.
With the success of this concert I hope many more international artists will start including Windhoek on their tour map. 




Westlife
to sing with Vietnamese fans
VietNamNet Bridge – According to the organizing board of Westlife’s Gravity Tour in Vietnam,
Vietnamese fans will have a chance to sing with their idols on the stage. Westlife to perform in Vietnam thi October Westlife will invite four audience members from the Stand F, to sing with them in their only show in Vietnam at the My Dinh National Stadium on October 1.
However, the show producer did not disclose the names of the songs for fans.
Anh Tuan, the show organizer in Vietnam, said that Gravity Tour will have international quality.
The stage will be built nearer with stands to enable singers to better exchange with the audience.
Vietnamese fans are preparing for the show.
“Everyone, try to remember lyrics of all Westlife’s songs in case you are the lucky ones who have the chance to sing with them.” This is the call published on many online forums.
Westlife’s fan club in Hanoi, with hundreds of members, have discussed a plan to welcome their idols.
On Sunday, September 18, over 70 Westlife’s fans in Hanoi wore uniforms and showed their love to the band at many public sites. The fan group in HCM City planed to fly to Hanoi three days before the show to see the Hanoi fan club and to welcome their idols at the Noi Bai airport.



Posted on September 26, 2011
 06:58:55 PM
Westlife: Still going strong
Few boy bands have careers that can last beyond their debut singles.
But Irish all-male vocal group Westlife has defied the odds by remaining in the music business for more than 13 years. Despite the departure of Bryan McFadden in 2004,
the original members -- Nicky Bryne, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Shane Filan -- continued to work together as Westlife.
Since the group’s debut in 1998, Westlife has released 10 multiplatinum albums, had 14 #1 hits in the UK alone, and sold over 44 million albums worldwide.
After eight years, Westlife returns to the Philippines for a special one-night concert this Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
The concert is part of Westlife’s Gravity Tour to promote the group’s latest album of the same title.
The 46-city concert tour kicked off at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales on March 7. Since then,
Westlife has performed in the Arabian Peninsula, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Westlife began the Asian leg of its tour last Wednesday with a jam-packed concert at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium in China. The group then performed in Guangzhou and Beijing before performing tonight (Sept. 27) at the Asia World-Expo in Hong Kong. After that, the group will fly to the Philippines for the concert this Thursday, before heading off to Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia to continue the world tour.
The group will then cap the six-month tour with a concert at the Hwajung Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea on Oct. 9.
For the concert this Thursday, Westlife promises to perform its chart-topping singles, including "When Your Looking Like That" and "Flying Without Wings," as well as their hit versions of "Seasons in The Sun" and "Uptown Girl."
The group will also perform a medley of covers of current hit songs like Rihanna’s "Ony Girl (in the World), Black Eyed Peas’s "The Time (Dirty Bit)," and Lady Gaga’s "Bad Romance." And if the group’s die-hard Filipino fans prevail,
Westlife might perform their favorites like "Swear it Again," "If I Let You Go," "Fool Again" and "My Love."




Westlife's Nicky Byrne.
MANILA, Philippines
Members of Irish boy band Westlife
said Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao will not be able to make it to their concert at the Araneta Coliseum on Thursday. Pacquiao’s ongoing training in preparation for his upcoming bout with Juan Manuel Marquez made it impossible for him to take part in the group's second Manila show.
Nicky Byrne explained, “Unfortunately, it’s not gonna happen. I spoke to his secretary this morning and he can’t get out of his training camp at the moment.
Freddie Roach won’t let him.” Aside from Pacquiao, Westlife members have shown interest in working with international singing sensation Charice Pempengco.
Mark Feehily has praised Pempengco’s singing prowess.
“We’re a big fan of her, and I talking to her on Twitter, she said she’s also a Westlife fan.
She’s got a phenomenal voice, world class,” he said.




Irish pop band
"Westlife's" Nicky Byrne
is so excited to meet Philippine boxing icon http://www.gmanews.tv/story/233770/entertainment/westlifes-nicky-byrne-happy-just-to-shake-pacmans-hand
 


Westlife on being together for thirteen years:
"We just love what
http://www.pep.ph/news/31274/Westlife-on-being-together-for-thirteen-years:-We-just-love-what-we-do.
 


It’s Westlife’s fourth time in Manila
after their concerts here in 2000, 2001, and 2006
MANILA, Philippines - Irish boy band
Westlife revealed what may well be the most important keys to their enduring success: hit songs and unwavering passion for their craft.
"We love what we do, and we’ve always loved to be in a band, and we generally love being on stage,” related Westlife member Shane Filan to Bulletin Entertainment and other members of the media in a press conference on Sept. 29, hours before their
"Gravity Tour" concert, their fourth show in the Philippines.
Other boy bands who are not presently as visible as this quartet can apparently take cues from the group, who, in their more-than-a-decade-spanning career ,has sold over 44 million records worldwide and made history by notching 14 number one singles in the UK chart.
Westlife, composed of Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne (their fifth member Bryan McFadden left the group in 2004), puts a premium on coming up with hit songs consistently, and credits the talented producers and songwriters that they have worked with.
The boys themselves have tried their hands in songwriting, with Mark noting it as a “natural progression” for them. Although Westlife started out with a very pop sound, the members eventually experimented with various genres such as jazz/standard (“Allow Us To Be Frank” in 2003) and covers (e.g. Daughtry’s “What About Now?
” and Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl”). But for their 11th studio album, “Gravity,” the quartet delves into a more guitar-driven, more mature pop sound, as Mark noted.
Each of the members are at least 30 years old now (the conference’s host, MYX VJ Nikki Gil, even teased them, “you don’t look like you’ve aged!”), but apparently,
their fans have stayed with them through the years, something that Westlife highly appreciates. "We come to the Philippines and we get a response like this after many years... maybe we're doing something right," Kian enthused.
Their connection to their Filipino fans is a “magical experience” for Westlife that began 11 years ago in their first show in Manila, noted Feehily.
“We’ve come so far away from home and for everyone to knew our names, our family [and] our pet’s names… we’re glad,” said he. Having been told that a lot of people, particularly in the presscon venue, grew up listening to their music, Nicky kidded,
"That makes us feel old." Nevertheless, he hopes that their accessible music would transcend generations--that even when their fans become parents, they'd get to share Westlife's music with their children.
Asked who they'd like to share the stage with in the future, the boys mentioned their fellow boy bands Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync.They also mentioned internationally-renowned Filipino acts Charice, whom Mark described as "world-class;" as well as boxing champ and Sarangani congressman Manny Pacquiao, whom they’ve invited to do a duet in their concert. However, as Nicky, the self-confessed “big Manny Pacquiao fan,” related, “It’s not gonna happen. He can’t get out of the training. Coach Freddie Roach won’t let him.”



Egan Apologises
For Westlife's 'Dangerous' Show
Irish singer Kian Egan has promised
Westlife fans in Indonesia the band will return to the country after they halted a concert on Wednesday (05Oct11) due to safety fears.
The Flying Without Wings hitmakers are touring the Far East and took to the stage for a gig in Jakarta,
but they were forced to leave the stage for 30 minutes amid fears hysterical crowd members would be crushed or trampled to death. Egan has now apologised to fans for the shortened set and has vowed to revisit the country with his Irish group.
In a post on his Twitter.com page, he writes,
"Westlife will never give up on our Indonesia fans. Sorry the concert was dangerous. We will come back.
Thank you for all your love." 





WORLD EXCUSIVE:
BEHIND THE SCENES OF WESTLIFE'S NEW VIDEO LIGHTHOUSE http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/214264/Westlife-We-track-down-manband-s-new-video-shoot-in-Africa/




Westlife sounding better
 By Jonathan Chua (The Philippine Star)
Updated October 03, 2011 12:00 AM | Zoom MANILA,
Philippines - To be told by a 23-year-old hotel receptionist that she listened to your music throughout her years in grade school must make any singer feel old.
That, we were told, was what happened to Westlife when the boys checked in at the EDSA Shangri-La.
But last Thursday night at the Araneta Coliseum, Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne, all in their 30s now, hardly looked any older — or less prepossessing — than when they last came to the country five years ago.
It has been more than 12 years since the release of Westlife’s first single, Swear It Again, which became the first in an unprecedented string of No. 1 hits.
The boys — there were five of them then — were being managed by the frontman of another Irish boy band. When Bryan McFadden decided to go solo in 2004, it was thought that the end of the group was imminent. But the remaining boys played on. Since the separation, they have made five more albums, visited the top of the music charts a few more times, and weathered a few National Enquirer-type controversies. Coming in November is a second greatest hits album, a rarity for any boy band.
(Indeed, a boy band this old is a contradiction.) Twelve years is a record for any pop act, especially given that the group has not changed its sound and style that much. The British boy band craze of the 1990s had given way to more rough and rocky acts on one hand and to Disney-fabricated teen stars on the other; but Westlife apparently did not get lost in the shuffle.
True, the initial mass hysteria that made the group arguably the most commercially successful British pop act of its time has dissipated somewhat, but the core fan base has remained large enough to sustain tour after tour and CD after CD.
And the Philippines appears to be a lucrative market yet. This is Westlife’s fourth visit to the country.
Looking at the size of the crowd, one would think that it was its first. Was the fourth time just as good the first? It would not be impertinent to say that it was.
In fact, the boys sounded better. Bryan had been the second man of the group, but with him away the vocal burden has had to be more equitably shared among the remaining members. Shane, the lead, carried his bulk of the singing predictably well; Mark was irrepressible.
And the other two? They made a respectable showing — not that anybody would have minded much if they had not. There was, too, the stage patter, always a test of a performer’s charisma. One knows that all is scripted, of course, but one is willing to play along: How charming they seemed when they stopped to address the audience. But a fly had to land on the ointment.
Inviting three members of the crowd to the stage,
the group asked each one to name which song was his or her favorite, ostensibly so that it would sing the song — a kind of “by-request” session. One of guests answered, My Love. It was a song that the group had just sung — and with the crowd, too. Shane had the graciousness to say,
“We sang that for you.” But one of the other boys (which one?) said, “Hello?” When Dionne Warwick scolded latecomers at her concert at the Aliw Theater some years ago, her position was at least defensible.
That derisive “Hello?” was just a case of rudeness. songs — even the best-selling ones — being left out of the program. But what else was one to expect, given that the group’s repertoire had grown and that the show was only a little over an hour long? Westlife, after all, was here primarily to promote its latest album Gravity, from which they sang at least two songs (Safe and Beautiful Tonight).
Still, the loudest cheers noticeably were for the earlier, more familiar and obviously more beloved songs (Seasons in the Sun, My Love). “We had joy, we had fun,/we had seasons in the sun,” the boys sang, lines, appropriately it seems now, from an old song. Youthful (childish?) enthusiasms cool down with age, but last Thursday night a little stoking was all it took to rekindle them. On the first beat, the three front acts, the 30-minute delay, and the dozen or so years that separate the boys’ first single from their forthcoming album and that perhaps also separate the first stirrings of romance in an adolescent heart (now a memory tucked away in a corner) from the drudge and dust of tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeping in its petty pace — all that vanished. That hotel receptionist, had she been there, would have felt like 12 again, defying gravity, flying without wings.





Friday October 07 2011
WESTLIFE singer
Kian Egan is to play a starring role on RTE's new talent show.
The Irish Independent has learned that the 31-year old is to be a vocal coach on 'The Voice Of Ireland' when it comes to TV screens early next year.
Programme sources have said that the star is perfect for the role as not only is he a member of one of the world's biggest pop bands,
but he also has experience of band management.
"Kian realised that the huge amount of experience he has in the music business could be of great use to any aspiring singer trying to get a break,"
a programme insider said.
Until recently the Westlife vocalist was co-managing his wife Jodi Albert's girlband Wonderland but the group split last month after being dropped by their record label.
The Irish Independent has also learned that Belfast born Brian Kennedy is to be another coach on the programme.
Egan and Kennedy will be joined by fellow coaches Sharon Corr and former Blizzards singer Niall Breslin aka Bressie.



the hearts
of millions of girls
around the world
by announcing  they're splitting up.
After 14 years together -
notching up a mighty 14 No 1 hits, seven No 1 albums and 10 sell-out tours -
the Irish four-some have decided to pack up their stools.
And instead, the lads, put together by X Factor judge Louis Walsh, 59, will spend quality time with their partners and children.
In a statement the group - Mark Feehily, 31, Shane Filan, 32, Nicky Byrne, 33, and Kian Egan, 31 - explainted:
"We announce our plan to go our separate ways after a Greatest Hits collection this Christmas and a farewell tour next year.
"The decision is entirely amicable and after spending all of our adult life together so far,
we want to have a well-earned break and look at new ventures. "We see the greatest hits collection and the farewell tour as the perfect way to celebrate our incredible career along with our fans and are really looking forward to getting out on the tour and seeing our fans one last time.





 WESTLIFE ON THEIR LATEST SHOOT IN SOUTH AFRICA
I've supported Westlife since the day they launched,
then named Westside, and featuring Brian McFadden, 31.
Despite their reputaton for being dull due to the load of covers Simon Cowell, 52, would force them to record,
they're actually a great laugh and can properly sing live too.
Their last album was their best yet - including many co-writes by Mark with producer John Shanks,
who re-invited Take That for their comeback - so I'm sad to hear they're throwing in the towel and hope Mark and Shane consider solo albums.
The Loife added: "Over the years Westlife has become so much more to us than just a band -
Westlife are a family.
"We would like to thank our fans who have been with us on this amazing journey and are part of our family too.
THE LADS SHARE A LAUGH
"We never imagined when we started out in 1998 that 14 years later we would still be recording, touring and having hits together - it has been a dream come true for all of us." Their swansong will be the Gary Barlow-penned single Lighthouse, out November 13, which we had exclusive behind-the-scenes access at in South Africa. Westlife's Greatest Hits drops on November 21 and their final tour kicks off in Newcastle on May 14. Lads, please sing Tunnel Of Love for me.





Westlife: A long goodbye for the boyband
that played for the Pope http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/westlife-a-long-goodbye-for-the-boyband-that-played-for-the-pope-2911741.html .. Westlife member Kian Egan No, we’ve not heard anything from Simon at all Kian Egan 6th November 2011 By James Ingham IF you thought Simon Cowell was straight on the blower when Westlife called it a day, you’d be Flying Without Wings!
Despite increasing Simon’s bulging bank balance by millions over the past 14 years The Loife haven’t heard a peep from their former boss.
Kian Egan told me: “No, we’ve not heard anything from Simon at all.
“We aren’t on his label anymore and I’m sure he’s really busy in America, so I’m just guessing he hasn’t had a chance.
” Either that or he just couldn’t be bothered.
It’s a different story for the group’s manager Louis Walsh though. Kian went on: “Louis kept trying to change our minds, saying we were mad to be calling it a day and we were throwing something amazing away.
“He’s probably right to be honest but we all want to try something new.
” And before fans start dreaming of one last singalong with former member Brian McFadden… it ain’t going to happen.
In fact, Kian told me Brian’s lucky to be left on the Greatest Hits collection after they debated stripping all trace of him from Westlife history.
He said: “We were asked if we wanted to re-record his vocals for the Greatest Hits album by the record label.
“We discussed it and we were like ‘no, we don’t want to take him off’.
“We wanted to keep it true to the original singles.
“But even though we want Brian’s vocal on the record, bringing him back would overshadow what we have done as a four-piece. “We’ve been offered big bucks to bring him back before but it’s never going to happen.
” Can’t blame the lads that much:
Brian doesn’t really have the same pulling power as Robbie Williams after all!





WESTLIFE'S
Nicky Byrne was among hundreds of guests who attended a conferring ceremony at one of the country's best known independent colleges yesterday.
Nicky, who is married to former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's daughter Georgina,
was snapped proudly looking on as his younger brother Adam McGarry Byrne graduated with a BA in journalism. Meanwhile, champion of young homeless people Fr Peter McVerry was presented with a prestigious award at the ceremony that saw 1,100 students graduate across a range of disciplines. The tireless advocate for the needs of the disadvantaged and dispossessed was presented with the Griffith College Distinguished Fellowship Award by college president Diarmuid Hegarty.
The award is in recognition of Fr McVerry's dedication to young homeless people in Ireland and the outstanding work he has done over the past 32 years to establish much- needed services, including residential detox facilities, rehabilitation and emergency accommodation.





Westlife split will be final
Westlife insist they will never reunite once their farewell tour is over in 2012,
no matter how much money they are offered.
07 November 2011
Westlife will never reunite once their farewell tour is over.
The Irish boy band
- made up of Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Shane Filan – will split in 2012 after a greatest hits album and string of concerts and are adamant they will never record or perform together again. Kian said:
"We walked away from a multi-million-pound record deal that would have changed our lives forever, secured our future beyond anything. "It's not about the money.
We'd have made far more on a new record than we ever would with a comeback tour." Shane also said they will all support each other if any of them decide to release a solo record.
He said: "The first person to decide to do a solo record, the other three will all be there. "Everyone's thought about going solo — I would love to continue singing for a living.
" For now, the group - who had a total of 13 number one hit singles in the UK, including 'Swear it Again' and 'Flying Without Wings' – are putting all their efforts into the farewell tour. However, original fifth member Brian McFadden will not be joining them. Kian said: "We still text him and stuff, but he's not coming back."



Westlife star Nicky Byrne
insists decision to call it quits after 14 years ISN'T a publicity stunt
Nov 11 2011 Rick Fulton
THE Beatles' record of 17 number one singles looks safe now that Westlife are to split.
And the Irish crooners think that's a good thing.
After notching up 14 number ones in their 14 years together,
the band last month announced that they were calling it a day.
So the unmentionable - for a boy band to surpass The Beatles - won't happen, just yet.
Nicky Byrne, 33, said:
"In a funny way, that's probably right.
To outdo The Beatles is crazy.
"It would have been interesting if we had, and a lot of people would have been hammering us.
"The Beatles really should hold on to that record forever.
"Music is a whole different world from what it was in their day and has even changed since we started.
"We haven't had a number one single since The Rose in 2006 but we can hold our heads up high with 14 number ones.
" They could, however, get closer. Their final single Lighthouse is released digitally on Sunday and is in the shops on Monday. If it goes to number one, the song will take them one better than Cliff Richard, whoalso has 14.
The most UK number ones by a solo artist is Elvis, with 21. The Irish boy band have had an amazing 14 years. Nicky, Kian Egan, 31, Mark Feehily, 31 and Shane Filan, 32, were brought together as Westlife back in 1998.
They have sold more than 44 million records, produced seven number one albums, and been awarded two Brits, an MTV Award, a World Music Award and four Records of The Year.
They also have the accolade of Biggest Arena Act of All Time in the UK, performing a record 25 concerts at Wembley Arena. Of course, being a boy band, they have had their fair share of ridicule, especially when they started nudging closer to The Beatles' record.
But since announcing the split, there has been an outpouring of affection, not only from fans but the entire music industry. Nicky said: "The love we are getting has been incredible.
It feels like when somebody dies and everyone says how great they are after the person has gone.
"We've been joking with people saying, 'We wouldn't have broken up if we'd realised you liked us so much'. We never knew you cared." A greatest hits album is to be released on November 21, with a farewell tour next year.
The band are adamant they will never reform and it really is the end. Manager and X Factor judge Louis Walsh is devastated. But surely, with eight months in each other's company left, they could change their minds?
Nicky said: "This isn't a publicity stunt or a break. It gives freedom to everyone to do what we want, not to have commitment to anybody or the band. "Not everyone at this point would say the same, which is why for me I say never say never.
"Down the road I'm sure I'll see the lads again and remember the memories. And there's always a chance we could do something. "But for now there are no plans to do anything after next year's farewell tour." Have the lads been touched by the good feeling that's followed the announcement?
Nicky, married to Georgina, the daughter of former Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and father of twin sons, said:
"We know the reason for interest is because we aren't going to be around anymore.
We are big enough not to kid ourselves. "Had we let it go another year or two, the love and support might not have been as strong. "A weight has been lifted off our shoulders and we won't be going back on next summer being our final shows.
" So why the split?
Shane and Mark were always the singers in the band.
Did they want the solo careers?
There was also dissent about musical direction.
Often labelled a boring ballad band, their ninth album Where We Are in 2009 to push them further but failed to reach number one. Couldn't they have gone off and done solo albums or whatever else they wanted to do?
As it turns out, the band had been talking for a while about splitting. They hoped quitting Syco, the label run by Simon Cowell, to which he signed them in 1998, would help.
They left at the beginning of this year but nothing changed.
Nicky said: "The cracks had formed and we were trying to patch things up when we left Syco, rather than quitting. We thought we would try and change everything to see if things improved and it wasn't to be.
"It wasn't one thing just a gradual progression.
The amount of pressure to constantly do it at the right level was huge.
"There have been cracks internally for quite a while. Because we were releasing a greatest hits this year and re-negotiating our contract, it felt the right time.
"This was the moment where we manned up and said, 'We've done what we can with Westlife'." Nicky and the rest of the band are still friends.
And they thought letting people know now would mean everyone could say goodbye properly.
Nicky said: "We can go out on a massive, massive high. That's how we all want remember it.
" Westlife began in Sligo when Kian, Mark and Shane, along with three other lads, formed a boyband.
They came to the attention of Louis, who was managing Boyzone, and he tried signing them to Syco.
Cowell demanded the three other boys were sacked and Nicky and Brian McFadden were found during auditions in Dublin.
Louis made Boyzone singer Ronan Keating co-manager of Westlife and their debut single Swear It Again was an instant success. They went on to have a further six number ones,
making them the only act in UK history to have their first seven singles go to the top spot.
Even Brian quitting the band in 2004 failed to stop the juggernaut. No wonder Louis is heartbroken by the split, which Nicky admits the X Factor judge didn't want.
Nicky said: "He thought the idea of the split would go away when we told him.
He finds it hard to talk about it.
"He hopes it'll be a long break but we've had to keep enforcing it to him, it's not. He's devastated." Next year's farewell tour, which includes three dates in Scotland, will also see the end of the stools that Westlife became famous for.
Nicky admitted: "There has to be a bit of a moment with the stools.
It's nice to be known for something."






Georgina Ahern
has revealed there
"won't be a dry eye in the house" when chart-toppers
Westlife take to the stage at Croke Park next summer.
The wife of Dublin star Nicky Byrne has said that seeing the boyband performing their final two gigs at the northside venue in June 2012
will definitely be an occasion to remember.
Tickets for the first Dublin concert in their Farewell tour set a new record after all 80,000 of them sold out in just five minutes last Friday, following their decision to split after 14 years together.
A similar reaction is expected when the second gig goes on sale this Friday as fans from all over the world clamour to see them take to the stage in their home town.
"Croke Park is going to be something else, it will be really exciting for them all and we're all going to be in tears.
I was nearly crying just watching them last weekend," Georgina told the Diary.
"I don't think they expected the reaction they got with the tickets, it took everyone by surprise but it's going to be so amazing." Starstruck
Westlife took to the stage at The O2 in Dublin over the weekend for the Cheerios Childline Concert, alongside stars such as JLS, The Wanted, Cher Lloyd and Jedward, a night Georgina described as "fantastic". "It was very emotional watching them perform.
I can still remember the first time they played that concert in 1997 and we were all so starstruck meeting these big stars," she said. "Back then they were only starting off and now they're finishing their music careers as a band and they're like the daddies of the pop industry now.
" But Georgina has predicted that their June 22 and 23 concerts will be their most memorable to date.
Last night saw the Westwife out in MU gym in Malahide at a charity event for Irish Premature Babies, of which Georgina is the patron.
Their young boys Rocco and Jay (4) were born six weeks prematurely.
Last night saw her host a Spinathon, where she was joined by plenty of volunteers at a three-hour spinning class that covered 650 miles.




KERRY Katona
talks in her OK! column about Westlife.
Kerry Katona says:
Apparently people are asking Westlife if Brian McFadden is going to return for their final tour – as if!
He walked out on them and said he wanted to spend more time with his kids,
but that same day he went into the studio and recorded a solo album!
I bumped into Shane and Kian in Marbella and they’re such genuine, real, loving family guys.
I was so close to them and have so many great memories with them.
They were my family – Nicky is Lilly’s godfather, I would give anything to see them all again.
I want to go and see them on tour so I can take the girls because they were a massive part of their lives and even used to go on stage with them.
I’d love to do a shoot with Westlife – and take Brian’s place!




Pop band Westlife
met hundreds of adoring fans when they signed copies of their greatest hits album.
Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan were visiting HMV stores in Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester, giving fans one last chance to meet the band before they split up next year.
The album, called Greatest Hits, includes the singles Swear It Again, Flying Without Wings, Unbreakable and Fool Again. Westlife announced last month that they are to go their separate ways after next year's farewell tour.
The Irish group, who have been performing for 14 years, have chalked up 26 top 10 hits including 14 number ones.
In Glasgow, fans queued overnight for their chance to catch a glimpse of the boy band, and the first 400 through the door were lucky enough to see the singers up-close.
Feehily said: "It's been a bit manic - it's a signing so everyone's kind of wheeled in and wheeled out but we try and speak to each person as much as we can, look them in the eye and say hello and thank you.
It would be nicer to spend a bit more time with each person individually, but we have a lot of people to get through.
" Filan added: "We're enjoying being in Scotland. We've got such an amazing amount of fans in Scotland and we're looking forward to the tour next year - it's going to be unbelievable.
Thank you very much to all our fans." The group - for many years managed by Louis Walsh - survived the departure of one of its founding members, Bryan McFadden, and continued seamlessly as a four-piece.
They formed in 1998 and in that time notched up 11 top five albums - seven of which have gone to number one - and they have sold 44 million records around the world.
Byrne said his favourite album over the years was Where We Are because it is "pretty cool", while Filan opted for the band's first album Westlife.
 





Westlife - Greatest Hits
(Album Review) Thursday, 24 November 2011
Written by Heather McDaid
Time and time again we see boybands fleetingly entertain the masses, disappear from view and – if they’re lucky – milk a comeback a few years down the line.
So, imagine the sadness the music world faced when the lead success in longevity as a boyband announced their plans to disband in 2012.
We are, of course, referring to the Irish wonders,
Westlife.
As a lover of rock and metal, people meet this sadness in my case with certain disbelief.
Westlife were one of my favourite bands as a little girl and, regardless of how far my musical tastes have varied over the years,
they still hold that soft spot for nostalgia’s sake.
Their final ‘Greatest Hits’ release is just a really nice,
simple 18 track trip down memory lane. Opening this final soiree with the opening track of their self-titled debut in 1999, the fans are guided through a musical tour of the band’s acclaimed catalogue, from ‘Swear It Again’ all the way through to their new numbers including ‘Lighthouse’. Featuring covers that proved to become prominent hits for the band, they have wisely included ‘Mandy’ (Barry Manilow) and ‘Uptown Girl’ (Billy Joel) in this compilation. Rightfully, the band rejected the option put forth by their label to re-record Brian McFadden’s vocals on earlier tracks and have kept their song list true to their studio releases; this decision is also a testament to the band’s integrity not to remove him from his key part in their history. While tracks such as ‘When You’re Looking Like That’ and other enormous numbers didn’t quite make the cut, the named being a personal favourite, the band have concisely documented one of the most lucrative and seamless careers in boyband history for fan’s to revel in.
Although their new tracks are good and will both please and satisfy fans of the band, it does somewhat defeat the purpose of a ‘greatest hits’ release.
We spend a good while singing along to a string of classics, resisting the urge to dance and, if you’re sitting on a stool, standing up for the key change; then at the end we’re met with fresh music. Having said that, give the album a few listens and the sense of unfamiliarity will soon dwindle, ‘Beautiful World’ being a key one to look out for.
All stool quips aside, this is a nice send off to the band that have seamlessly shown boybands how it should be done; going from their sleek dance routines to stepping up the suave factor with a rat-pack inspired release.
The band refused to change with the trends, sticking to what they knew and loved and, in turn, became a staple of mainstream music in the UK. While it is sad to say goodbye to Westlife, it is nice to see they ended things naturally instead of in a blazing break up like we’ve come to see and expect repeatedly from others.
If you’re a fan of Westlife and want something to relive their fantastic career by, you’ll relish this release, I swear... and I swear it all over again.






Pop mogul Simon Cowell
has revealed that he and legendary Irish boyband Westlife
almost came to blows during rows over work.
With a staggering 14 Number One singles,
Westlife's relationship with Simon Cowell and manager Louis Walsh must've been faultless right?
Wrong! In fact, the group nearly came to full-on fist fights during blazing rows with the man who originally signed them.
Speaking on tonight's ITV television special commemorating Westlife's career, Simon Cowell has gone on record saying things weren’t always as flawless as people thought:
"We had face-offs.
God we had fights.
Me versus five, practically turning into a punch-up over disagreements." Although remaining tight-lipped over what the arguments were about, Simon Cowell praised the group for their enthusiasm and professionalism throughout their early years.
"I don't think I've met anyone who worked as hard as these guys. They were like little puppies in those days.
It was all about the fans.
In those days the band was so happy and so enthusiastic and just wanted to sing.
Always with them it was about the fans.
They were always conscious that no matter how tired they were people had paid to see them and they wanted to put on a show."

Album track listing:

1) What About Now
2) How To Break A Heart
3) Leaving
4) Shadows
5) Talk Me Down
6) Where We Are
7) The Difference
8) As Love Is My Witness
9) Another World
10) No More Heroes
11) Sound Of A Broken Heart
12) Reach Out
13) I'll See You Again













http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsdJPDvoOQc&list=PLBD0EF3A17427D613

dit zijn de unreleased songs van westlife

westlife- maybe tomorrow
westlife- nothing is impossible
westlife- forever
westlife- bad girls
westlife- butterfly kisses
westlife- close your eyes
westlife- crying girl
westlife- daytime friends and nighttime lovers
westlife- don't calm the storm
westlife- everybody knows
westlife- i promise you that
westlife- if i had words
westlife- i'll be there
westlife- i'm missing loving you
westlife- everlasting love
westlife- let's make tonight special
westlife- lost in you
westlife- miss you when i'm dreaming
westlife- never knew i was losing you
westlife- nothings gonna change my love for you
westlife- on the wings of love
westlife- reason for living
westlife- until the end of time
westlife- what becomes of the broken hearted
westlife- where we belong
westlife ft donna summer- no more tears
westlife- tunnel of love
westlife- that's what it's all about
westlife- don't get me wrong
westlife- you don't know







beautiful in white - shane (westlife)

They already announced their plans to take a break, now Westlife have confirmed that they are actually splitting up for good. Statement from the band reads: "After 14 years, 26 top ten hits including 14 number one singles, 11 top 5 albums, 7 of which hit the top spot and have collectively sold over 44 million copies around the world, 10 sell out tours and countless memories that we will forever cherish, we today announce our plan to go our separate ways after a greatest hits collection this Christmas and a farewell tour next year. The decision is entirely amicable and after spending all of our adult life together so far, we want to have a well-earned break and look at new ventures. We see the greatest hits collection and the farewell tour as the perfect way to celebrate our incredible career along with our fans. We are really looking forward to getting out on the tour and seeing our fans one last time. Over the years Westlife has become so much more to us than just a band. Westlife are a family. We would like to thank our fans who have been with us on this amazing journey and are part of our family too. We never imagined when we started out in 1998 that 14 years later we would still be recording, touring and having hits together. It has been a dream come true for all of us. Kian, Mark, Nicky and Shane" The boys Greatest Hits album is released on 21 November, and fans will be able to say goodbye in person on their May 2012 tour

mack the knife




westlife live at panama amsterdam




flying without wings








westlife live in belfast 2008 you raise me up





hey whatever live 2008





what makes a man live 2008







home live
wellington 09-05-08
















westlife live T4







       westlife live - you raise me up






         westlife - live westlife
         2008 live








EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY









ADDICTED TO LOVE LIVE

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