Reports have emerged that Nicky Byrne, who made a name as the fifth lead singer of 00s boyband Westlife, will take to the stage in Stockholm in May to represent Ireland at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.
The Dubliner, whose media career since the successful pop group split has seen him front radio and television shows with the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ, has recently revealed that he was back in the recording studio, producing new music, and tweeting about some very patriotic headphones:
I'll need these in 2016 so took em out to make sure they still fit! Just needed to clear off the old wax😜 #NewAlbum pic.twitter.com/oRUCNsU30g
— Nicky Byrne (@NickyByrne) December 31, 2015
Ireland remains the most successful Eurovision competitor, with seven wins since the country debuted at the event in 1965. But in recent years, after the competition was expanded to welcome nations from Eastern Europe, Ireland has failed to qualify for the final on a number of occasions, including last year’s contest in Vienna.
Now the rumour mill is running rampant with suggestions that RTÉ will scrap the current model the country uses to pick its song – a song gala, with assessments from former winners and noted fans, along with a public vote, that is included an episode of The Late Late Show.
If RTÉ chooses the song without a public vote, it will be the first time since 2007 that the public has had no say in which act will represent us on the Eurovision stage. That year, folk band Dervish finished last in Finland, with the Serbian entry Molitva taking the prize.
Westlife remain one of the most successful Irish bands the country has ever produced, still holding a number of UK chart records. The band shares with The Beatles for the most consecutive number one singles, with seven, and holds the title for the most entries at number one in the singles charts with 14. The band, originally signed by Simon Cowell and then managed by Louis Walsh, would sell more than 50m albums worldwide between 1998 and 2012.
