Something very special happened when Foster & Allen invited Martin Finn, a young man with severe non-verbal autism, to sing on their cover of “Flying Without Wings.” When the hitmaking Irish folk duo asked Finn to sing on the Westlife cover, he truly soared and delivered a touching vocal that anchored the song. Tony Allen began with a yearning vocal set to Mick Foster’s accordion melody. Finn then got to shine with the next verse, and his youthful energy was the perfect counterpoint to Allen’s nostalgic lines.
The remarkable Finn is unable to speak in conversation, but can read lyrics and sing them beautifully. When Finn and Allen began to harmonize together just before the two-minute mark, it’s truly a stirring moment. In addition to the heartfelt vocal performances, the cover stood out for its inspired traditional Irish musical arrangement, which took the pop hit to a new place. The Music Man loves to share special collaborations like this, and Finn sure delivered the goods with his feature on this one!
Foster & Allen uploaded their “Flying Without Wings” cover to YouTube on January 17, 2025. Fans gave plenty of love below the video, adding comments such as “Can’t stop listening to this. So amazing. Beautiful song by young Martin and Foster & Allen. Martin’s mum and dad look so proud. Well done” and “Omg that would bring tears to a stone, absolutely beautiful.”
In addition to their original music, many fan favorites from Foster & Allen are their unique interpretations of classic tunes. The boys showed off their ability to step into country music with their popular cover of Hank Thompson’s “Who Left the Door to Heaven Open.” The cover is their most popular live performance on YouTube and features a grooving full band arrangement with a charming lead vocal from Allen.
Irish boy band Westlife released “Flying Without Wings” on October 18, 1999, as the third single from their first studio album. English songwriters Wayne Hector and Steve Mac penned the tune, and Hector later stated that the pair agreed that the song “is about our wives. This is about the things that make our lives complete.” Foster & Allen featured their cover of “Flying Without Wings” on their 2025 album 50 at 50. The album marks the duo’s 50th anniversary and features a selection of their most popular recordings.