Westlife's Shane Filan: Breaking up with the boy band

When former Westlife member Shane Filan sat on the plush sofas of Hard Rock Café in Mumbai, he found himself surrounded by rock merchandise hanging from the walls and a gaggle of giddy-headed 16-year-olds hurtling towards him.

Filan, dressed in tight jeans and a leather jacket, was more than happy to indulge his young fan base. We overhear one of the gushing fans, “I asked him to take a funny ‘selfie’ and he held up his middle finger in the frame.” We asked, and hence she tried, but she couldn’t recall more than two songs from Westlife’s14-year career. Eventually, she admitted that she needed to ‘Google it’.

With fans like these, Filan needs no enemies. But he’s is not complaining. Mumbai is his first stop on a two-week world tour to promote his EP and introduce himself to fans, minus the band. “Song writing was something I never got to do earlier with Westlife. They would give us the songs and we would simply perform them. Now, I’m writing and even dressing the way I want — this is more me,” he says.

Filan’s first job was that of a waiter at his parent’s diner in Ireland. This followed with a successful music career with Westlife and bankruptcy a year ago. He blamed it on bad investments. The new album symbolises a coming of age for Filan. His single Everything to Me talks about dealing with this financial turmoil in an upbeat tempo. “I wanted to share this with my loyal Indian fan base though Westlife missed out on their India tour,” he says.

The songs on the new album are strangely familiar. “I had to discover my sound and it is a bit different, but Westlife fans seem to like it. The fact that I have 14-year-old fans is a pleasant surprise,” he admits.

How many singers are able to make the transition? While Nick Carter fluttered teenage hearts, his solo career didn’t take off. He later started his own record label.

Mark Feehily, another member of Westlife, is also working on an album but Filan says they won’t be competing, even though they aren’t on the same side any more.

When Westlife began to wiggle their way into music channels in 1998, this writer was a fan. The Irish lads, with their chocolate boy looks, dark clothes and brooding lyrics, touched my nine-year-old heart. Of course, the Backstreet Boys dominated the scene, Boyzone followed at a quick second and ‘N Sync was carving their niche. Essentially, they all followed the same formula — cute boys, pop tunes and teenage angst.

For anyone who grew up in the nineties, musical tastes would have eventually evolved beyond this America-influenced formula act. The tried and tested modus operandi still works but the players are younger, blonder clones of their predecessors. The new kids on the block include One Direction, The Wanted and Big Time Rush.

Ironically, while their teenage fans grew up, the bands stagnated. So, is every boy band destined to die? Filan explains, “We were together for 14 years and it felt like the grandads of pop music.”

Will the grandad will be able to make a noise without the support of his old boys?