WAY OUT WEST

Four guys. Eight Albums. The reigning kings of popville are clinging on, despite it being bloody weird at the top.

Words Elle Kwan


Recording is a lot easier, chirps Kian Egan, when you don’t have to write the songs. Welcome to planet Westlife, a hyper-real little world, where skies are always blue, days are always balmy. Where vocals are whipped smooth and creamy, always served with an extra large dollop of emotion. A land where already good looks become spectacular, aided by a click of the mouse. And, a land where lines are fed, digested, and regurgitated, ready whenever the occasion arises.

Like today, a interview to promote Westlife’s new album and accompanying tour package, Face To Face – chunnelling into the Asia-World Arena September 9. Blonde Kian, the prettiest of the pretty boy quartet, often says the least in interviews, but today it is just him and his pet pooch – a Maltese terrier – on the phone from Ireland. He bats back answers like the practiced professional he is. “A lot of people when they think of Westlife in concert, they kind of expect a lot of ballads and stuff like that,” he says with a hushed Irish accent. “And we do do ballads but the way we structure the show, it flows very fast.” So fast, he says, that it feels like the show is over in minutes – though hopefully not for fans forking out $680 for the best seats. Aside from speedy ballads, the medley section is different (ooh, a medley), and the whole show is more energetic (the boys promise to climb down from their stools at least once or twice).

Face To Face is the eighth album in as many years. Louis, manager-of-Boyzone Walsh, pieced them together in 1998, one might suspect, as second-in-reserves waiting for the Boyz to become men and depart pop’s kingdom. Following those well-worn tracks down the tried and tested road – those ballads and endless press – and, being younger, more handsome and less trouble than Boyzone, Westlife found success almost instantly. Over the years, the only deviation from the formula has been – for the Westies a radical departure – performing Ratpack classics in black tuxedos. Fifth original member Brian McFadden’s leaving the band caused few ripples. “We feel stronger on stage without him,” Kian insists, and anyway his girlfriend, TV actress Jodi Albert, is a friend of Brian’s girlfriend, singer Delta Goodrem, so it’s still happy families.

There are rules to adhere to on Planet Westlife: girlfriends are allowed in, as long as they will become wives. Kian, speaking from the coastal cottage he shares with Jodi, isn’t shy to say marriage is planned in the next few years. Any negatives must become positives. “We’re four guys standing on stage singing songs about love and everybody is going to criticise that until the cows come home,” he says, counteracting journalist fave ‘boybands-are-dead’ jibes. “We are not bothered by it; it doesn’t affect us,” he says, resolute. Every word and every move must be in the spirit of the superbrand that is Westlife. “It’s more important for us to record the best songs we can get our hands on than it is to record the songs we write ourselves,” he says. The rules are tough, hard work and require dedication but they get results: glittering awards, number one records, cosy cottages, and an impenetrable circle.

Kian likes the cottage because other members of Westlife live close by, and the surf is good. He also lights up talking about music – his first passion – and counts Metallica and Jack Johnson as being top of his playlist. Quiet evenings are spent strumming guitar or tinkering piano keys creating tunes that can be “a bit morbid, actually.” Sometimes the lads suggest to management adding their own compositions to CDs. Surprisingly, sometimes they win, and the song gets included. The only trouble with that, says Kian, is the end result. “Eight months later, after the album is released, when you are listening back you think, ‘That’s such a shit song’.” Why then, in such a tightly controlled environment, would anyone agree to use the song at all? He laughs and says: “They let it on for politics – just to shut us up.” That one sentence hints he might be aware that life is strange on Planet Westlife but it has got him a lot of what he always wanted. And for that, he’ll put up and shut up.

Westlife play the AsiaWorld-Arena, September 9, at 8pm. Tickets $680, $480, $280 from HK Ticketing: 31 288 288