Westlife have firmly denied that they were “dropped” by their record label, revealing their biggest tour is yet to come.
In a statement this week, Shane Filan, Markus Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne confirmed they had parted ways with label EMI Records by “mutual consent”.
It came after reports earlier in the day claimed the singers had been “dropped” from the label.
Rubbishing the rumours, a spokesman for the Irish hitmakers said “that is not true” and hinted at a major new “global” partnership to be announced in the coming days.
The spokesman told the Irish Mirror: “Their comeback has been a major success. The boys are in big demand and will soon announce details of a global partnership with a leading entertainment company and are set for a spectacular end of the year TV special.”
The group was flying without wings before the pandemic hit, having made a meteoric comeback in 2018 after a hiatus before reaching No1 with their first album in nine years, 2019’s Spectrum.
But they have teased that the best is yet to come with a “very exciting chapter” ahead including TV specials, a brand new album and plans for their American debut – including their first-ever New York show.
Meanwhile, there are new Irish dates on the horizon, with special guests already lined up.
The spokesman added: “There is also the possibility about a new documentary focusing on their astonishing contribution to music.
“Westlife are planning a global tour including their first ever American shows and a very special date special lined up for New York city when the pandemic passes.
“The next 18 months are shaping up to be very exciting for the band.
“It isn’t just the big international dates that Westlife will be announcing.
“They’ve got exciting plans for major shows in Ireland too and they can’t wait to announce the details. There might even be some very special guests joining them on the tour.”
In a social media post, the band added: “This change now allows us to embark on a very exciting new chapter.
“The next 18 months is shaping up to be our biggest year, including a groundbreaking global partnership which we will be announcing imminently.
“We can also reveal we have started work on our brand new album due for release later this year.
“Lastly, and the most exciting part of all, is that we get to see all of you again and it’s been a long time coming, as we embark on our biggest ever world tour.
“This will take us across five continents including a sold-out Wembley Stadium and for the first time, we will be bringing our live shows to America.”
