Entertainment
Westlife star Shane Filan thanks Ed Sheeran for ‘opening doors’ after chart-topping comeback
Westlife returned in 2019 after a seven-year break (Picture: Matt Holyoak)
Westlife’s Shane Filan has credited Ed Sheeran for making their comeback such a success, and admitted that having him involved with their number one album has ‘opened doors’ for the group.
The Flying Without Wings hitmakers returned to music in 2019 following a seven-year break, and released the single Hello My Love, co-written by Sheeran and Steve Mac.
Sheeran also wrote several other songs on the Irish group’s comeback album Spectrum, which reached number one in the UK and Ireland – not too shabby for an older group that had been away for almost 10 years.
Off the back of this, Westlife were able to perform to packed-out audiences of nostalgic fans at London’s Wembley and Croke Park in Dublin.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk about their grand comeback, Shane said: ‘That success maybe gave us the confidence for this album to start again and give them more music.
‘It definitely made us realise our fanbase are still there and maybe even more, we sold more tickets at the last gig than we ever did on tour. Our album was number one, it was a big confidence boost for us after seven years of being away.’
Grateful that they’re able to still resonate with music lovers after more than two decades, Shane said: ‘Bands come and go and you do wonder if you’re relevant anymore.
‘Having Ed Sheeran involved on the first album back… it made us realise well if he’s a fan and he likes our music, then there’s no reason why we can’t be encouraged and sit in the charts beside him and he was the most successful current artist in the world at the time, so even that gave us a boost.
Ed can give himself a pat on the back (Picture: Getty Images)
‘It brought us back to life again musically and we found our sound again.
‘We’ve got lots to thank Ed Sheeran for that reason. It’s opened up lots of doors now on this album.’
Westlife, also consisting of Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily, are back again with their latest album, Wild Dreams, which features live recordings of their biggest hits and was partly inspired by the death of Shane’s parents who died last year.
More: Ed Sheeran
Looking forward to the next chapter of Westlife post-pandemic, Shane said: ‘It’s going to be so exhilarating to be back on-stage again and just to be with the fans and I’m sure they’re excited too.’
Westlife’s new single, Starlight, is out now, while their album Wild Dreams is out on November 26.
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