Westlife’s Mark: “The band has a mediator to stop us arguing”
Pop star Mark Feehily reveals Westlife’s novel measure to prevent infighting, and shares his most embarrassing moment with Mariah Carey
It’s been a big year for Mark Feehily after he welcomed his first child, Layla, with fiancé Cailean O’Neill in October, born via surrogate. Full of elation with his new arrival, he says, “The most important role in the world is to be a dad… I know that having her was the absolute right decision for me to make.”
Outside of his personal life, Mark, 39, has also reunited with his Westlife bandmates to release a new album, Spectrum, following on from the band’s most recent tour, which celebrated their 20-year anniversary last year. While the boys have an unbreakable bond, Mark admits he and bandmates Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan still argue.
A-LIST FRIENDS
He says, “We get along well as a group these days – we actually have a mediator when we make big decisions, which stops us from getting into arguments. But it’s more debates than fights nowadays. But once we come off stage and have a game of pool and a pint, all that stuff goes out the window.”
The band – who were managed by Louis Walsh and originally signed to Simon Cowell’s record label – enjoyed phenomenal success in the noughties, selling over 55million records globally and breaking a Guinness World Record by achieving seven consecutive number-one singles in the UK.
Reminiscing about his journey to fame, Mark recalls the A-list pals he made along the way. He’s been friends with Mariah Carey since he supported her on tour in 2017, and says that one of the most embarrassing moments he can remember happened after the boys hung out with her in 2000 after recording a cover of Phil Collins’ Against All Odds with the songstress.
UNFORGETTABLE
“We once had a crazy night out with Mariah after her concert at Wembley. We were in her dressing room, drinking Champagne and eating Chinese takeaway, and then we ended up at a house party with her afterwards. She had us all in stitches.
“I managed to cork a bottle of wine when
I was chilling with Mariah, and it had bits of cork floating in it, but she was still very gracious and drank it anyway. It was embarrassing, but she went for it. Mariah is such a fun person, and she is very real. It was often just the five of us and her sitting around and having dinner and drinks – she had us all cracking up with laughter.”
Mark also had an unforgettable experience with Duran Duran icon
Simon Le Bon. He says, “The craziest A-list experience I ever had was at an after party in my room after we performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Norway. The bar shut down, so everyone came back to mine. I looked around and I realised that Simon Le Bon and Damien Rice were jamming on my bed with a guitar. It was surreal.”
By Rosie Gizauskas
● Westlife’s new album, Spectrum, is out on 15 November