How Westlife Became Westlife

Before Westlife became a band each member had had some expierence in the "singing world" but this is how they ended up together.


Shane did his first proper stage show when he was 12 years of age, the show was Grease at the Hawkswell Theatre in Sligo. The 3 Sligo lads started to know each other by performing this which Shane acted the role Danny, Kian as Kenickie and Mark as Vince Fortaine, all 3 lads were studying at Summerhill Colleg e at that time. Boyzone's success really made Shane wants to be in a pop group. His very first idea was with his friend Michael Garret and they thought of starting a four-piece and calling it SC4, after their school, Summerhill College. Then Shane asked Kian if he was interested and he just laughed at that time since Kian was really into heavy rock band then.

Later Shane, Kian and Mark joined 3 other members - Michael Garrett, Derek Lacey and Graham Keighron - from the same school and started off a group called IOYOU and realease their debut single "Together Girl Forever" which was co-written by Shane and Mark.

Shane's mom Mae got in touch with the manager of Boyzone Louis Walsh, he came to hear their group in some Backstreet Boys songs. But Louis just thought of signing Shane, Kian and Mark to form a pop group he taught a group of six was too many, Shane had to tell Derek he was no longing in the band , this was a really tough time for Shane as a result of this he fell out with Derek and they have never been the same since.Louis asked Simon Cowell to come to hear the band, he liked them but he was not foud of Shane. Louis felt that Graham wasnt suited for the group, he tod him this and instead asked him to be their tour manager.
Louis held auditions for a fifth member in Dublin and this is how Brian and Nicky joined the group.They were very fond of both singers so as a result they had a vote and Michael was voted out, the best five which as you know was Shane Nicky Kian Mark and Brian were now the members of IOYOU.

Simon came to hear them again and after 30seconds of their first song Simon decided to sign them and also gave them a five-album record deal with Sony BMG. Simon made the group change their name to Westside this suited them though as they lived in the west "side" of Ireland.

With Ronan Keating as their co-manager, they started to perform in public as the opening act of the By-Request Tour of Boyzone and they won the Best New Tour Act Award in the Smash Hits Roadshow Tour.
Soon they changed their name into Westlife, since they found that an American Group has already chosen the name -Westside. This was just the beginnig of Westlife. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHc7j6NokjQ