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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Eliza Ketcher

Westlife on Simon Cowell, boyband mania, and the golden era of music

Simon Cowell Westlife The Independent Memory

Westlife sit down with The Independent for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, as we unpack the history of one of the greatest boybands of all time.

As the band celebrate the release of their new album, 25: The Ultimate Collection, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan reflect on 25 years of Westlife – from breakups and comebacks to iconic music videos, world records and life at the height of boyband mania.

We dive into the stories behind their rise to fame, the chaos of the early Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh years, and why they believe they were working during “the greatest era of the music industry”.

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