VIP Magazine Interview - December 2006

WESTLIFE: They're back on top for Xmas!

"There's life in the old dogs yet!"
As they approach another series of sold out concerts and a new record deal WESTLIFE show no signs of slowing down or breaking up, but continue to enjoy good fortune, both at work and in their private lives!

Westlife are smiling, but then again they always are! Putting the best face forward is part of their brief. They give politeness and, it must be said, professionalism and punctuality a good name. This united band of brothers play the game very well, and this is one of the reasons why they are so successful.

Today, Westlife are on top of the world. Nicky Byrne, 28, is literally jumping for joy over the news that he and his wife Georgina are expecting their first child next June. Mark Feehily, 26, who this time last yr told the world he was gay, is now, he tells us, in love with his boyfriend of nearly 2 yrs, Kevin McDaid. Shane Filan 27, is blown away by fatherhood - he says "it has given me something to work and live for" and as for Kian Egan, 26, well ... he's fallen in love with the ocean! Jodi Albert, Kian’s girlfriend is at her wits end he says cos holidays these days are always surfing-orientated; Kian said he has even forced her into a wetsuit! He insists he is not trying to make them into the 'Justin and Cameron of Ireland'

In addition, Westlife‘s career is going to strength to strength. Not only have they just released a new album of epic long songs, and will reign for eight nights in The Point next April, but they have just signed a brand new five yr album deal with SongBMG that will see them working well into the next decade. We’re not rid of them yet – Westlife are going to run and run!
Who would of thought when they started out eight yrs ago as Louis Walsh’s post Boyzone follow up, that they would today be one of the biggest boybands of all time, with 35 million records sold?
VIP hooked up, in what is almost an annual event, with Shane, Nicky, Kian and Mark to find out what they have been up to for the last 12 months …. And of course to talk about their new record, The Love Album, and the forthcoming Love Tour 2007.

Another album of covers, boys?
Mark: We know, it’s not that original really!
Shane: To be perfectly honest, when we started out making this album, we were looking for another record like last year’s Face To Face, a record of mostly original songs, but the songs were just not there. There were probably three songs out of 40 songs that were up to our standard, so we thought, “What do we do? Do we a take a year off? Or do we do another themed album of covers?”

Who came up with the idea for, The Love Album?
Kian: It was Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell who said “Why don’t we do a tribute to love songs? You sing love songs all the time anyway!” so we thought, “Yeah, good idea”
Nicky: We decided not to do 12 completely obvious love songs. There are songs on there that I would not even have thought of. Have YOU Ever Been in Love, sung famously by Celine Dion is my favourite.
Mark: Total Eclipse of The Heart, by Bonnie Tyler is my favourite. It’s soulful and raspy and as a singer, I relished the challenge of doing something a lil different.

Kian, the guys all agree that you are the business brain, the wheeler-dealer of the band. With that in mind would if Westlife could write their own songs and make even more money in the process?
Kian: I think if Westlife wrote our own songs we wouldn’t make more money, because we are not really songwriters.
Shane: We have all written songs in the past, but we want to sing brilliant songs, and those songs we can’t write.

Maybe you could learn and this new deal with Song BMG will buy you time to develop anyway? On Take That‘s new record, all four guys have song –writing credits.
Shane: Maybe for Take That, making a comeback, it was about them writing their own material, but we’re not U2 – we are just good singers. Mark is probably the most talented songwriter in this band but he writes all this mad R n B. Songs that would not suit me!
Mark: Shane, not all my songs are R n B! Me writing songs for Westlife would be weird anyway. I don’t even know if I’d be able to do it. If one of us stood up to the record company and said “We want to try and write the next album,” they’d be like “Oh, here we go!”

With this new five album record deal just signed, early retirement is obviously off the cards?

Kian: It is! There is life in the old dogs yet! There is a very lucrative deal for us and it is worth our while to do. I’m delighted.

And there are more congratulations ahead, Nicky?
Nicky: (Smiling broadly) There are! Georgina and I are having a baby! We are ecstatic

How is the mother to be doing?
Great she is looking absolutely fantastic. We are walking around with smiles form ear to ear.

Georgina is not due until June, it was early to announce the news?
Yeah it was, but each to their own. They always say that 12 weeks is the safety date and weeks, but we just so excited we wanted to shout it form the rooftops! We actually wanted to tell everybody weeks ago. Also I’m away for the month and I won’t realistically be home until Christmas.

What type of dad would you like to think you’ll be?
I don’t know. I think I’m still in shock that there is going to be a little child that was created by Georgina and I. And that will probably look like one of us or both of us, running around (smiling broadly again)

Who will be doing the night feeds and the changing nappies?
Shane has been lucky because Gillian has mostly done the night feeds with Nicole, so I was saying to Georgina, "When I’m up at 4.30am for GMTV will you?” and Georgina said “No way, we will both be up together.” But I can’t wait!

How does the Taoiseach feel about being a granddad?
Bettie is over the moon about the thought of being a granddad. Again the reality hasn’t hit home yet.

What about Cecilia Ahern as Godmother?
We haven’t asked anyone yet but myself and Gina always said that our first baby, Cecilia would be godmother and my brother Adam would be godfather, Cecilia is always so generous, I always call her my rich little sister. She just spoils everyone, even our dog Keano.

Shane, have you given Nicky any tips on what to expect?
Georgina and Nicky have nothing to worry about. And anyway I can say nothing to prepare them. For the last few years, especially since Nicole was born, Nicky has been really broody, Both he and Georgina are great with Nicole, and will be first class parents.

Any sign of number two for you?
Not yet! When Nicole is around three, I think well start trying again, If we were at home all the time, we would consider having another one straight away but its hard when you travel all the time.

How has fatherhood changed your life?
Nicole gives meaning to my life. I have a lot more to live and work for now. Westlife is amazingly important but it’s not what life is about. Life is about having a healthy happy family, which thankfully I do with Gillian and Nicole.

Mark, when VIP spoke to you 12 months ago you had just came out - how has your year been?
It’s been fantastic. It’s been a very liberating time, It’s been the first time in 26 years when I have been able to fully be myself.

Have you changed?
I probably have, I’ve become a happier person.
Shane: He’s one million percent happier. He’s really been his own man and living the life he wants.

You have been with your boyfriend Kevin McDaid for two years now, sounds serious?
Yeah it’s definitely a serious relationship, It’s full on love and it’s great...It’s the icing on the cake for me to be in a relationship, to be happy and to have somebody there to go home too. I have always longed for it and now I have it (Smiling)

Kevin used to be in a boyband called V, what’s he up to at the minute?
He’s into photography at the moment. He’s been photographing a lot of artist, he has also photographed Westlife he even shot the live cover for our DVD.

He must have some nice photos of you?
Yeah he has.

With the advent of new laws on gay can marry, would you consider marriage?
It’s not really something we have talked about but I would not rule it out.

With Shane now a daddy and Nicky soon to be - are you getting broody?
Kids are fantastic but I’m definitely not thinking about it at the minute, but yet again I wouldn’t rule it out.

What do you and Kevin enjoy doing together?
We love great food and great films, and hanging out with our mates. At the moment we are decorating our London apartment which I love doing.

Kian, what do you and Jodi get up to in your free time?
Jodi likes the outdoor life just like me, We like going away camping spontaneously. Getting up throwing the tent in the back of the car and heading for France.

What is it about the outdoors you both love so much?
It’s the complete opposite to everything in my life and its better than sitting in front of the TV. I get up every morning at 7am, and if the surf is good, I grab my board.

Have you got Jodi into a wetsuit yet?
I have got Jodi into a wetsuit quite a few times, She’s not mad on the surfing though, she prefers to watch me and walk the dog on the beach. But she’ll surf in Ireland before she surfs abroad. She’s frightened of the sharks

Are you trying to be the Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz of Ireland?
(Laughing) No we are not trying to be Justin and Cameron of Ireland. I don’t even think they can surf. I have never even seen them with a surfboard beside them.

What is Jodi up to work wise at the moment?
She’s got a music thing starting soon but it’s too early to talk about it, She just had a show called Respectable out in the UK and she’s working on a new play and another TV show.

So Shane, when are you going to leave and go solo?
Never! Why would I want to leave Westlife? It would be stupid for me to leave I love this band. It’s like going on the road with a football team, I don’t know if I would enjoy it on my own.

Mark?

I don’t like the idea of being solo either. It would be lonely. My dream would be too right other songs for other people.

As a band you always very well groomed. You sing ballads and lots of soppy love songs. Outside the band do you find yourself trying to do masculine things?
Shane: No I don’t feel the need to go and play rugby and grow stubble...
Nicky: We have never been painted with that squeaky clean image, but we are a bit more laddish than we probably let on...

You are live at the point Theatre with the Love Tour for eight nights in April - What are your fans like this days?
Shane: They are older. There’s a lot more older women coming the last couple of years. We have a fanbase with longevity, they are settled down and they have jobs.

What more is there left to achieve?
Nicky: We haven’t cracked America yet at all. America is something we will never give up on.
Kian: To be honest America -I don’t think its going to happen. Perhaps in a few years and the playlist has shifted we will have more luck.
Mark: America is a fabulous place to holiday and somewhere in the world we can go and not get recognised maybe we should keep it that way.

Finally boys what re you plans for Christmas?
Mark: Eat, drink and be merry - the usual.
Nicky: Christmas dinner will be most likely at our house this year Bertie, Miriam and Cecilia and the perspectives, will come over. I think Miriam is on dinner cooking duty.
Shane: It will be Nicole’s second Christmas and we are very excited about it. My best friend Keith is getting married two days after Christmas, and I’m the best man, so it will be one big hooley!
Kian: After the celebrations have died down, I think I’ll head off on a surf trip with Jodi and surf by day and rest by night.

You have a great life.
Kian: Some people might say so

Credit/Source: VIP Magazine / Joanne / Rachel