The Rise And Fall (And Rise Again) Of Westlife

Twenty years after the release of their debut album, the Irish four-piece will bring their stools and signature power ballads to the Coca-Cola Arena

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The world was a very different place in 1999. Real estate mogul Donald Trump was dating a Slovenian model called Melania Knauss, Chandler and Monica had just become more than Friends, the Burj Khalifa didn’t exist yet, and a fresh-faced Irish boy band were riding high in the charts with their eponymous debut album: Westlife.

Initially a five-piece, Westlife was made up of lead singer Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, who belted out the solos, Bryan McFadden (the blond one), Nicky Byrne (the other blond one), and Kian Egan, (also blond). Signed by pop svengali Simon Cowell, and managed by Louis Walsh – together with another of Ireland’s famous sons, Ronan Keating – the band’s first record spawned no less than five number one singles. One of their biggest hits, Flying Without Wings, spent 13 weeks in the charts, was cited by then Irish Prime Minister (and Nicky’s future father-in-law) Bertie Ahern as his favourite Westlife song, and went on to provide the soundtrack to countless newlyweds’ first dance.