23rd December, 2024
23rd October, 2013He has been with Westlife for almost 13 years, despite the gold discs with Westlife, he’s starting all over again. This time as a solo artist.
Shane Filan one of the founders of Irish boy band Westlife was in Mumbai’s Hard Rock Cafe to release his EP, followed by his album titled You and Me this month. He met up with about 20 odd fans who had joined a contest on Twitter. He posed for pictures with them and also signed autographs. Shane also performed four tracks and literally left them asking for more. The fans just couldn’t get enough of the charming lad, who even though now married still had the boy band heartthrob appeal. The special showcase gave an insight into what they can expect from his upcoming project.
After all the fans had left, Shane met the media for exclusive interviews. Seated at the Hard Rock Café Lower Parel, the 33 year old exclaims “It’s great to be back”. Shane, who visited India with the band in 2003 for the MTV IMMIES, was in his element and looked the same as he was in his Westlife days. Dressed in black pants and T shirt, with a dark brown jacket, his welcoming smile put you at ease and was all that was needed to start a conversation. His stubble probably from the long haul flight was intact. Shane was on holiday and stubble or not, he was the macho man we all know from Westlife, a band who sold 50 million albums, had 14 no. 1 singles and been a multi – platinum pop band for over a decade. He revealed that his new album is a personal testimony of his family and more importantly his wife. After a three day promo event, the singer left for promo tours to the Far East. He has promised to be back in January 2014 after the album is released. We look forward to his visit again.
Verus Ferreira caught up with Shane at the music launch to know about his new studio album, his work with Westlife and what led to the breakup of one of Ireland’s top pop export which was discovered by Boyzone’s Ronan Keating.
So how does it feel to be back in the studio once again?
Life has taken a turn I guess and going solo was never on my mind at all, it was something I did not want to undertake. But then I have a family and I needed to provide for them. So I thought why not start all again. Almost all of the songs are on my wife Gillian. The songs are very emotional, very positive; it’s trying to tell people not to worry. We all have ups and downs, but you have to be positive and move on.
Have you written all the lyrics to the songs on the album?
Yes I co – wrote a couple of Westlife songs, and I have now penned all the songs on the EP and also on the album.
How long did the album take to record?
The album took about 8 to 9 months to make. I worked with songwriters in the UK and London and I also went to Nashville in the US to collaborate with the best people around. So if you listen to the album you would find a bit of country - pop in my music, which I think is my most natural songs, the music that I love the most, I love great music, great melodies and great lyrics. Country songs are usually positive songs, and so I got a chance to write about my wife, my kids and I got a chance to do that for about 8 months.
Did you have any say in the making of the album?
Now I am with a new record label, I am with Universal Music, while earlier the band was with Sony BMG. Yeah compared to those years, I can say that when I was with the boy band we still had to listen to the label heads and take a lot more advice. We were brand new to the industry and we didn’t have a clue to what we were doing. We are lucky we took the advice and made good songs and had a good manager Louis Walsh who is still my manager. We had a lot of people who gave us advice and we took it and that is one of the reasons we were so successful. But now I don’t think it is any different. I am starting out once again and I can‘t say that I know everything there is to know. I still listen to my record label, my manager. I want people to tell me, I want them to tell me where I should go, which countries I should be visiting, the type of music that would suit this place or that place. I then just go there, work hard and sing my songs. You always keep learning and I think my new journey is where I still have to learn more about the industry. I can’t say I know everything.
On the verge of a solo career, are you worried about the response you will get to the album?
I don’t know really, it’s a very different time and music. It’s very hard to compare, but then it was the boy band back in the late 90s, it was the boy band mania and now it’s me alone. I don’t think I will have that kind of reaction but I basically want people to like my music and I hope to break into their territory and make it big if I can. I know it’s going to take time and my songs will take time to get to fans and so maybe in another 10 – 12 months I would know and then I would see how far it has taken me. Many love Westlife and I think this is an extension to the music that we made; only this time it’s done by one person. And as far as Asia is concerned, it’s the best place for music.
Do you feel the songs of Westlife and your songs from the new album have a connect with fans?
I think a lot of the songs are about my life... my wife and my life. It’s how I met her, and how I have spent the last couple of hears with her. Its talking about me, it also goes into other things in my life financially and when I was down and stuff like that. When I was really scared and you know she was there for me. It’s just how amazing she is and I really am very much in love with my wife. She’s an incredible woman and I like to write about here. I think when I was in Westlife I never thought about that, I was just singing songs that were written by other people, and I think today I am singing songs that mean a lot to me. It’s more special, I know every single line in the song, I know where I was, where it came from, why I wrote it and how it all happened. It’s like a story and I like it because it’s kind of new to me. And being here today, performing for these fans, I was surprised to hear them sing my songs back to me; I have never experienced that before.
Who’s the inspiration for the songs on the album?
Nearly every song is on my wife Gillian, I write about how amazing she has been to me over the years, or the positive outlook I have on life, which you might not see if when you’re going through the bad stuff. I have kept it universal, so that everyone can relate to it. I wrote about 40 songs and well I chose about 1.
Can you tell us something about your days with Westlife?
There is just too much to say, but we all worked as one unit, there were misgivings, but we came through it. I cannot forget the days of Westlife and can’t forget the good days we spent together.
What are your fondest memories of Westlife?
The fondest memories with the band are our meeting with Pope John Paul while on a short tour of the Vatican. It was sometime back. We were on a tour of Rome sometime during Christmas and we got a chance to meet the Pope. It is special for me, as I had my mum with me and she was lucky to meet and speak with the Pope. She is a very religious person. My mum got to shake his hand and got a picture with the Pope. So that I think it is one of the rare experiences I have had with the band.
But what led to the split last year?
I knew it was coming since the last two or three years. I knew there would be a day when we would all go our own ways, but no one knew when. We knew it would end the day when we really were not enjoying ourselves being in it. We have done 12 albums in 14 years and we have done everything we possibly wanted to achieve and there was really nothing left to do. We had to do it and we had to move on with our own lives and live individually. It was sad but we had to do it. It took about two years to come to this decision after numerous conversations between ourselves and then finally decided on it last year and had our last farewell concert that had almost 85,000 people. Besides me, no one from the band has thought of a solo career as yet.I am the only one who has made a move musically again. I have no idea what the others plan to do in the future.I am in touch with all the members and still meet when possible. The important thing is that we are still friends.
I know this is going to be a difficult question to answer, but which are your favorite Westlife songs?
There are a lots. But I’ll go for Flying without wings; You raise me up, My Love, Mandy. Actually Mandy is about the drink Brandy but it was change d to Mandy. If you listen to lyrics to can sing it with a glass of brandy. (Laughs)
What do you think of the current boy band of today?
They are great and I think they are the best in the world I think. One Direction has had incredible success all over the world. It great for music, its great for promoters and it’s great to know that if you have great songs it can get massive.
What do you have to say about the new breed of singers like Bruno Mars, Michael Buble?
Bruno Mars and all the other singers are amazing, but comparing artists like Bruno Mars or Michael Buble to me is completely different. I have all their albums and I listen to all their music too. My music is more country – folk - pop and my voice is completely different as well. They’re already big stars and in time I think people will know my name. I’m only starting out and in time people will know my name and my songs and hopefully in two year’s time I would be a big star. I think you just have to be focused.
When you think of Asia, what is the first thing you think about?
When I think of Asia, I think of a lot of things actually... ……it’s a good question. I think of a long flight (laughs) I think of all different cultures and honestly when I think of Asia, I think of Westlife. We have only been here (India) once, but Asia has been a huge part of Westlife’s career, we are probably bigger in Asia than in the UK.
Who are your all time favorite music artists?
I am a big fan of Bryan Adams, I like Justin Timberlake, Michael Buble, bands well I’m not much into bands actually, I like singers individually you know, I like Beyonce, Rihanna, U2 and Coldplay.
Have you heard of Indian music?
I have not heard any Indian music, but everyone seems to talk about this lady… (We prompt him) Priyanka Chopra. So I hope I can get a chance to meet her or maybe sing a song with her.
Do you have any idea about Indian movies?
I have no idea of Indian movies, I knew there were Hindi movies, but I did know there were songs in them until I came here. I know all movies are driven by music and I hope I get into a Bollywood movie. That would be pretty cool and I can sing one of my songs in it and maybe a duet or something.
What is your message to your Indian fans?
Thank you very much for your support. I am quite surprised at the response I have got so far and I do hope to come to India again. So you will see a lot more of me maybe in early January 2014. Bye, see you thank you.
The debut single Everything to Me is available on Universal Music at Rs. 150/- It consists of four tracks.
Interviewed by Verus Ferreira
