Shane Filan

Shane Filan

Shane Filan is a singer from Sligo, Ireland, best known as a member of Westlife and for his solo work. He is associated with pop and ballad music, and he also performs as a male vocalist in a pop rock and easy listening context.

Early career

Filan grows up in Sligo in the northwest of Ireland. Before joining Westlife, he is part of the band I.O.U. In 1997 he attends an audition for a new Irish boyband and is spotted by Louis Walsh, who asks him to join Westlife.

Westlife

Westlife forms with Filan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden. Filan and Feehily serve as the main lead singers. The group’s first album, Westlife, is released in 1999. With Westlife, Filan has 14 UK number one singles, six UK number one albums, and worldwide sales of 40 million records. Westlife later announces a split and continues until the end of its Farewell Tour in 2012.

Solo work

After Westlife, Filan pursues a solo career and signs a recording contract with Universal Music Entertainment. He finishes a solo album and records video material in Los Angeles for its first single. His first solo single is Everything to Me, which appears with an EP including Everytime, Today’s Not Yesterday and Once. He later releases About You as the second single from You and Me, and the album You and Me is released in 2013.

Live performance

Filan performs Everything to Me live at the 2013 Rose of Tralee festival, which is his first live solo television performance.