Westlife’s Filan promotes new album with Sept. concert in PHL

WESTLIFE’S lead singer Shane Filan is coming back to Manila for a one-night concert featuring the Irish boy band’s greatest hits and some of his new singles on Sept. 15 at the Kia Theatre in Quezon City.

Mr. Filan first broke into the industry as the lead singer of Westlife in the late 1990s. His involvement with the band created hits including “Swear It Again,” “Uptown Girl,” “If I Let You Go,” “World of Our Own,” “You Raise Me Up,” and “My Love,” among others.

Westlife — which disbanded in 2012 — has sold 55 million records worldwide and accumulated 14 No. 1 singles in the UK Charts. It is considered the top group of the 21st century in their native United Kingdom when it comes to album sales.

After Westlife disbanded, Mr. Filan went on to pursue a solo career and has so far produced three albums: You and Me (2013), Right Here (2015) and

Love Always (2017). His September concert at the Kia Theater is part of his promotional tour for his latest album which features the singer’s takes on his favorite love ballads, such as the Bangles’ “Eternal Flame,” Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love,” and Bryan Adams’ “Heaven,” alongside original songs such as “Crazy Over You,” “Eyes Don’t Lie,” and “Completely.”

Mr. Filan previously came to Manila in 2013 to promote his debut album.

The new album’s lead single is a cover of Jamie Scott’s 2015 song, “Unbreakable.”

“This new album is full of songs people already know — 75% of them are famous songs and there’s new original songs as well. There’s a good mix of different styles of ballads. The famous songs, I wanted to do my version of them,” he said in a 2017 interview with The Shropshire Star.

The album reached No. 3 in Scotland and No. 5 in Ireland and the UK album charts. This is Mr. Filan’s highest charting solo album to date.

“This is the first time I have put live tracks on the album. I go on tour so much now that I thought it would be nice to include something that people haven’t had before. There will also be two new songs which I wrote before Christmas and I am so proud of them. ‘Back To You’ is the new single and a song I am very close to. The track is about being on the road the whole time and being separated from those you love. You do it because it’s part of the job but you realize how much you miss the family,” said Mr. Filan in a press release.

Tickets for Mr. Filan’s concert on Sept. 15 at the Kia Theater in Quezon City go on sale on July 6, via TicketNet.com.ph (or call 911-5555).

Tickets range in price from P2,100 to P4,200. —