After more than a decade on the scene, Westlife finally called it a day back in 2012. But even after a shift in the pop music kaleidoscope which pushed all-cheese boybands to the edge of irrelevance, hometown fans at the final Dublin date of Westlife’s farewell tour weren’t quite ready to let go of their fave Irish superstars just yet. One viral clip from the band’s final gig is circling the internet all over again, capturing one of the most magical and bittersweet moments we’ve seen here at The Music Man.
“You Raise Me Up” has become almost notorious since Westlife’s 2005 cover topped the charts. Songwriters Rolf Løvland and Brendan Graham may have penned the track for the band Secret Garden, but Westlife cemented its heart-searing melodies in music history. Even after disbanding, Westlife’s members would reprise their greatest hit on solo stages around the world.
So, when Westlife performed the song together, for what should have been the very last time, the moment was bound to be an emotional rollercoaster. However, not even Westlife, who were wrapping up fourteen years on the main stage, could have prepared themselves for the moment about to unfold.
After his very first line, singer Shane Filan seems honestly taken aback by the 82,000 voices of the audience rising like angels from the gloom. His voice falters at times, but he pulls his voice together just in time to wow the crowd with a sensitive and powerful verse.
But as the first chorus sweeps in, Westlife fans completely take over the show. Louder than the band itself, they chant the lyrics like a gospel choir, a sound so immense that Shane quiets to give the crowd a line all of its own, to which Nicky Byrne takes his earplugs out to soak in the ethereal moment. Ballads can usually break the hype at a live gig, but this track proved the complete opposite.
With flashlights speckling the audience and thousands of voices lacing together one ultra-nostalgic ballad, this vid feels like a vigil for the life and memory of Westlife. The band — in 2012 consisting of Shane, Nicky, Kian Egan, and Mark Feehily — look around awestruck during the soft instrumental break. But when their voices join for another flawless chorus, their deep, almost operatic harmonies lay bare the raw, musical heart of the band, all four members throwing their souls into this unforgettable performance and raising over 10 million YouTube views in the process. As the song fades out, the crowd’s screams are simply deafening.
Westlife had announced their split in October 2011, and played this final, sold-out concert in Croke Park, Dublin the following June. But with all four Westlife members releasing their own solo material in the years since, the band shocked fans all over again when they announced their reformation in 2018. They’ve since added another two studio albums to their original ten-album repertoire: 2019’s “Spectrum” and 2021’s “Wild Dreams.”
Westlife’s unforgettable legacy lives on, capturing hearts with their iconic performances. Their electrifying final concert proved that their music resonates beyond borders and time. Relive the magic of their last farewell with the circulating viral clip. To discover more about Westlife’s journey and lasting impact on pop music, explore the useful links provided below.