Shane Filan was back in Manila for a few days. Just last September, he came to Manila to promote “Everything to Me”, his first single and EP as a solo artist. That time, he did two short mall shows which managed to round up huge crowds made up of old and new fans alike.

Now, he’s back in town to promote his new album titled “You and Me”. Shane Filan’s debut album is mostly composed of ballads with a dash of folk and country tunes, a bit of pop-rock and a whole lot of effort and love. He co-wrote all of the songs with a new bunch of different musicians along with a few familiar composers of Westlife songs.

He’s set to hold a full concert on October 1 at the World Trade Center Manila. Tickets now available at ticketworld.com.ph/shanefilan

Coming straight out of his flight from Hong Kong, he immediately proceeded to converse with the Filipino media in a short press conference. He seemed completely at ease as he answered each question.

Here’s a gist of what transpired at the presscon:

What’s the difference of being in Westlife and going solo?
“It’s not easy coming out of a band like Westlife. People might think that it’s easier, but it’s actually harder. You have to convince people that you’re good. You’ve got to work hard, to do a great album and a great show.”
He even joked, “it’s not all that different –just quieter. You look to other side and wonder’ where are the boys?’”

Did you have second thoughts about going solo?
“Yeah, I had second, and third, and fourth thoughts. It’s not that I had no choice, but if I wanted to keep singing, I had to (go solo). I don’t think we expected Westlife to end, but it did. Every good thing comes to an end. “

He continued, “it was a very scary time. I just finished a band. Financially, I was not in a good place. I had a family and I was very worried. I think the best thing I ever did was to start anew with something I was good at, which is singing, so I went for it. It has been great, so far.”

What are your favorite tracks from “You and Me”?
“ ‘All You Need to Know’ is a very personal song to me. ‘Everything to Me’, my first single, is very special to me. It’s like “Swear It Again” for Westlife. Also, I love singing ‘Once’ onstage. It’s a very good song.”

How has your negative experiences affected your music? (Note: Shortly before Westlife’s Farewell Tour in 2012, Shane was declared bankrupt as his invested properties were affected by the economic crisis in Ireland.)
“When I was making the album, I wanted to write about positive songs. Some parts of my life were very sad, so I tried to focus on positive things. When stuff like that happens, you tend to realize the things you do have – your children, your marriage and that’s very important to me. Money is not everything. You need enough to live, but other than that, it caused a lot of worry and stress. I’m glad I’ve had that part of my life. My family is everything to me. Your health is your wealth. It’s a famous saying, but it’s true.”

Who are your musical influences?
“When I was younger, I was a huge fan of Michael Jackson like everybody else. I used to watch him on TV, and I’d tell my mom, ‘that’s what I want to do when I grow up’. It’s something I’ve always dreamt about doing – singing and performing. I feel most comfortable when I’m on stage. As a singer, I love Beyonce, Coldplay. Oh, I love that new John Legend song. It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever heard.”

Do you have plans on collaborating with a Filipino artist?
“I’d love to do it. I just have to find the right person and the right song. I don’t know who the right person is yet, but I’d like to do it on my next album.”

What can we expect from your concert on October?
“It’s really good. It’s a very good show, and I’m very proud of my concert. It was back in February when I performed my first show. I’m used to being onstage with the lads (Westlife) and we have a certain kind of format, so I had to find a new kind of performance. I have to cover all of the stage. I have a lot of fun on stage. I’ve got a five-piece band composed of incredible musicians.”

He went on, “I’m so proud that the reaction has been amazing in the UK where it completely sold out. At times, I’ve done Bee Gees, Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’. My band can play anything, so if I get requests from the audience, I can sing them. It’s a good, fun show – quite upbeat.”

Will you sing Westlife songs during your concert?
“Forty percent of my show is made up of Westlife songs because they’re a huge part of my history. I’m looking forwards to seeing what the atmosphere would be like in the Philippines, in Asia.”

Which places in the Philippines would you like to visit?
Because of his busy schedule, he hasn’t seen much of the country, but on his next visit, he’d like to take a day off to visit different places. If anything stands out, though, Shane says he loves golf. He asked if there is any nearby golf course around town, and said, “That’s the biggest tourist attraction I want to see. In this tour, I want to play golf in every major city I visit. ”

Shane Filan remains humble despite his apparent success. During the press conference, he had repeatedly remarked about how he’s very lucky to be able to continue performing in different parts of the world. Singing, according to him, is his one, great passion. He’s thankful for the astounding reception he continues to get from his Filipino fans throughout the years.

From the last time we saw him, Shane is a lot more confident, too. He promised to give Manila a great show on October, as he had in his sold-out concerts in the UK. When asked to give a sample, he sang the first few lines of the treasured Westlife hit, “Flying Without Wings”. According to him, it’s a song he never gets tired of singing. Indeed, that smooth, stirring quality in his voice is still there whenever he belts out a tune. His solo shows last September had proven that his vocals had not gotten rusty at all, and that short sampler he did strengthened that.
“You and Me” is an easygoing, ear-friendly album. It’s worth noticing that Shane actually co-wrote all of the songs, a formidable effort on his part (given the fact that he wasn’t able to do much of that as a member of Westlife). Of course, it did a great job at highlighting his vocal prowess. The songs are easy to sink into. It focused more on minimalist acoustic tunes as seen in “Once”, “Always Tomorrow” and “Everytime”. There were also the refreshing country elements in “When I Met You”, “Knee Deep in My Heart” and “One of These Days”. It’s worth listening to for a change of pace and mindset. Definitely, it will be very interesting to hear Shane sing them live during his concert.

Don’t miss his first full solo concert in Manila on October 1 at the World Trade Center. Tickets now available at ticketworld.com.ph/shanefilan

More info about Shane Filan You & Me Tour Live in Manila

by Sandra Mae Laureano

* Special Thanks to Midas Promotions