Shane Filan has said he has been preparing for his upcoming gig at Wembley Stadium with his children – all of whom have learnt to play an instrument during lockdown.
The 41-year-old singer has three children – Nicole, Patrick and Shane. Patrick, 12, has learnt to play the drums, with Nicole, 15, and Shane, 11, picking up the guitar.
The multi-platinum-selling artist has himself taken up guitar in the past 12 months – learning through weekly Zoom lessons with an instructor.
Westlife – which comprises of Filan plus Markus Feehily, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne – are set to play two gigs at Wembley Stadium this August.
Speaking about preparations, he said: “I started to learn the guitar [in lockdown], which I have never done before. I have been doing Zoom lessons. I am slowly but surely getting there and now I can play.
“My son has started to take up guitar as well, Patrick, and my little boy now plays the drums, Shane. We have become a musical house, having our own concerts. Nicole, my daughter, has a guitar.”
He joked: “I am using my children to practice.”
Filan, who has been married to wife Gillian since 2003, said the gig was possible thanks to the “amazing” vaccine rollout in the UK.
“We are excited about it,” he said. “It is odd to think, stadium concerts people all back together. It comes down to how good the vaccination rollout has been in the UK.
“To be allowed to put this show on, it is because the vaccination rollout is so good, it is so fast. To have that light at the end of the tunnel, things will hopefully get back to normal very quickly in the UK. It is incredible how quickly it has happened. I think you will feel it on the night, looking at the crowd in Wembley stadium and go: ‘Wow.’”
He continued: “It is a pinnacle gig of our career, we have never played it always wanted to. After all this, after everything the world has been through to come back and the first gig be at Wembley stadium. It is a pretty historic weekend in our lives.”
