Post by ♣esmie14♣ on Sept 9, 2006 8:47:34 GMT 8
By JOJO PANALIGAN
Westlife’s Mark Feehily did not restrict the local press from asking questions regarding his sexual orientation and proudly answered one during the press conference held early this week in lieu of their recent concert at Araneta Coliseum.
"How has coming out changed my life? Dramatically and for the better. I’ve had it bottled up all these years and getting the support I did from everybody, who made it clear through words and actions that it was no big deal, made coming out so easy for me," he says.
As proof that the guys were not homophobic at all, they even joked about it indirectly. When asked which diva they’d like to work with after duets with Mariah Carey and Diana Ross in previous hit singles, Shane Filan replies in dead pan expression, "Michael Jackson," that sent people in stitches.
"Oh, I didn’t hear you say ‘diva.’ Well then, Michael Jackson, the ‘divo.’ Will that do?" Shane says. "Shirley Bassey."
Mark Feehilly is the latest member from an internationally known boy band to admit publicly that he is gay. First was Stephen Gately of Boyzone who came out just before he launched his solo album years ago. Next is Lance Bassey of NSync who not only announced he is one but also named a celebrity boyfriend.
Mark’s revelation did not affect the popularity of Westlife at all. Their latest album "Face To Face" under Sony BMG Music Entertainment still produces hit singles including "You Raised Me Up" which Nicky Byrne clarifies is not an original by Josh Groban or Secret Garden.
"That song has been remade so many times by Irish artists that it’s as much our original as it is Josh’s or Secret Garden’s," says he. "Maybe it became popular in Manilabecause ofJosh Groban’s version but in Ireland, it’s almosttraditional tune."
Speaking of which, Westlife says they don’t see the need to wear their identity further up their sleeves by using Irish musical instruments in their songs.
"The Corrs already does that and it works for them," says Shane. "As for Westlife, we’d rather stick to pop sound of big ballads that we’ve always been into since (first single) ‘Swear It Again.’"
Do they feel awkward when some people still refer to them as a boy band?
"No, so long as they call us the bestlooking boy band," says Shane, smiling. "Seriously, our only thing against that label is that it connotes temporariness and in-it-just-forfun. Being part of Westlife is beyond that since we are into this seven days in a week for the last seven years. It’s definitely more than a hobby."
Make that in the past six years. Before doing "Face To Face," the boys took a year-long vacation that was spent on doing normal things as "waking up, eating Irish breakfast leisurely, heading to the beach and then just chilling out while chatting with family and friends."
"We sorely needed to feel normal," ends Nikki. "We needed to miss what we were doing so that we imbue our latest album and tour the energy of someone who is just experiencing these for the first time."
Westlife has sold at least 35 million albums worldwide. Among their hit songs are "Fool Again," "Swear It Again," "Evergreen," "When You’re Looking Like That," "My Love," "Flying Without Wings," "If I Let You Go," "Queen Of My Heart," and "World Of Our Own ."
Credit/Source: www.mb.com.ph
Westlife’s Mark Feehily did not restrict the local press from asking questions regarding his sexual orientation and proudly answered one during the press conference held early this week in lieu of their recent concert at Araneta Coliseum.
"How has coming out changed my life? Dramatically and for the better. I’ve had it bottled up all these years and getting the support I did from everybody, who made it clear through words and actions that it was no big deal, made coming out so easy for me," he says.
As proof that the guys were not homophobic at all, they even joked about it indirectly. When asked which diva they’d like to work with after duets with Mariah Carey and Diana Ross in previous hit singles, Shane Filan replies in dead pan expression, "Michael Jackson," that sent people in stitches.
"Oh, I didn’t hear you say ‘diva.’ Well then, Michael Jackson, the ‘divo.’ Will that do?" Shane says. "Shirley Bassey."
Mark Feehilly is the latest member from an internationally known boy band to admit publicly that he is gay. First was Stephen Gately of Boyzone who came out just before he launched his solo album years ago. Next is Lance Bassey of NSync who not only announced he is one but also named a celebrity boyfriend.
Mark’s revelation did not affect the popularity of Westlife at all. Their latest album "Face To Face" under Sony BMG Music Entertainment still produces hit singles including "You Raised Me Up" which Nicky Byrne clarifies is not an original by Josh Groban or Secret Garden.
"That song has been remade so many times by Irish artists that it’s as much our original as it is Josh’s or Secret Garden’s," says he. "Maybe it became popular in Manilabecause ofJosh Groban’s version but in Ireland, it’s almosttraditional tune."
Speaking of which, Westlife says they don’t see the need to wear their identity further up their sleeves by using Irish musical instruments in their songs.
"The Corrs already does that and it works for them," says Shane. "As for Westlife, we’d rather stick to pop sound of big ballads that we’ve always been into since (first single) ‘Swear It Again.’"
Do they feel awkward when some people still refer to them as a boy band?
"No, so long as they call us the bestlooking boy band," says Shane, smiling. "Seriously, our only thing against that label is that it connotes temporariness and in-it-just-forfun. Being part of Westlife is beyond that since we are into this seven days in a week for the last seven years. It’s definitely more than a hobby."
Make that in the past six years. Before doing "Face To Face," the boys took a year-long vacation that was spent on doing normal things as "waking up, eating Irish breakfast leisurely, heading to the beach and then just chilling out while chatting with family and friends."
"We sorely needed to feel normal," ends Nikki. "We needed to miss what we were doing so that we imbue our latest album and tour the energy of someone who is just experiencing these for the first time."
Westlife has sold at least 35 million albums worldwide. Among their hit songs are "Fool Again," "Swear It Again," "Evergreen," "When You’re Looking Like That," "My Love," "Flying Without Wings," "If I Let You Go," "Queen Of My Heart," and "World Of Our Own ."
Credit/Source: www.mb.com.ph