Truly support
independent journalism
Our mission is to provide unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds the powerful to account and exposes the truth.
Whether it's $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us in offering journalism without agenda.
“If you had told me 30 years ago, when I first started in this business, that I would still be in a boyband when I was almost 50, I would have said 'Nooo',” admits Irish singer Keith Duffy, 49.
“But I'm really looking forward to getting back on the road. We love what we do and the fact that we still have audiences to play for and people still want to see us. We're very grateful.”
Duffy, who rose to fame in Irish band Boyzone in the 1990s, has been performing alongside fellow Irish star Brian McFadden of Westlife in recent years.
They first reunited in 2016 for a one-off tour, performing hits from both Irish groups. It was there that the “supergroup” Boyzlife was born.
The duo released their debut album, titled Strings Attached, in 2020, and followed it up in 2022 with their sophomore effort Old School.
Their sweet voice and Irish charm continue to draw in fans, many of whom have supported them since the early days of their careers.
“Most of our fans have been following us for 25 or 30 years,” Duffy said in a video call.
“If we have new fans it is because they are his children or his grandchildren.”
The singers have continued to adapt as the music industry has evolved over their careers, but admit they have found it challenging to transition from physical records to streaming and downloads.
“The music business has completely changed now and young people are very savvy with online stuff,” Duffy adds.
“But the most valuable marketing tool to date is radio. For those guys who put us on, old farts… it's very difficult to get them to listen to us on the radio.
“So we have to rely on the nostalgia of our music.”
And there may be no better time for them to reach out to listeners yearning for the past, as there has been a surge in reunions in recent years. From Girls Aloud and Sugababes to Blink-182 and Blur, everyone has been “getting the band back together” in the hope of recapturing the charm of the 90s and 2000s.
Duffy and McFadden are hoping to create their own nostalgic moments on their upcoming UK tour, which will see them celebrate the Boyzone and Westlife hits that made them big. The 14-date tour will kick off in January in Poole, Dorset, before moving on to cities including Birmingham, London, Glasgow and York through March.
Along the way, they will perform at theatres and venues that have a special connection to them, as they were where Boyzone played when they first toured in 1994.
“The special thing about performing in these theatres is that you can see the looks on everyone’s faces,” Duffy reveals.
“After 30 years in the business, we know most of our fans, we’ve seen them all before, so it’s a much more intimate and enjoyable show that we put on.”
For each tour they have added a musical medley section, having previously mixed in tracks from various boy bands including the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and Take That. This time around, McFadden, 44, says they are looking forward to tackling a girl group medley that includes everyone from the Spice Girls to The Supremes.
Ahead of the tour and while performing at festivals throughout the summer, including Rewind and The Weekend, the singers have been trying to get back in shape – or at least considering it.
We know most of our fans, we've met them all before, so it's a much more intimate and personal show that we put on.
Keith Duffy
“We talk about it,” McFadden says with a laugh. “We’re not going to drink for six weeks and get in shape,” and then the tour is already underway and we’re like, “Oh, what happened to that?”
However, Duffy doesn't allow himself to be pigeonholed. “I go to the gym all the time and I get in shape when the tours come around,” he says.
“Seven years ago, I was sitting in the gym at eight in the morning waiting for him to show up. Seven years later, I’m still waiting for him to show up.”
As they continue to adapt to how the technological revolution has changed the industry, they are glad that it has made life around touring much less stressful. Gone are the days when singers had to travel across the country to do photo shoots and interviews, as they can now mostly be done remotely.
“I think the only difference between now and then is that we've freed up a lot more time and can just enjoy the tour,” McFadden says.
“It doesn’t feel like work like it used to.”
In addition to preparing for the tour, the pair continued writing and promised that there will be new Boyzlife music later this year.
And if they don't have enough to keep them busy, the couple have followed in the footsteps of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who took over ownership of Wrexham football club in 2021, by purchasing Chorley FC.
The team currently play in the National League North, but the singers have their sights set on getting the club promoted next season. The Lancashire-based city also appealed to them as it reminded them of the area they grew up in within Dublin, while Duffy currently resides in Manchester and McFadden is based in Rochdale.
“What I’ve noticed is how quickly you get emotionally involved in something like this. It’s driving me crazy,” McFadden admits.
“I'll be sitting there watching the games, and they'll be down 1-0 and I'll feel like I'm going to die completely.
“And you get so emotionally connected and involved with a club so quickly, I couldn’t believe it.
“Last year I didn't even know who Chorley (FC) were at this time, and now I almost cry every time someone scores against them.
“I can't believe we willingly got ourselves into this to create this kind of stress. But I hope that if we get promoted next year, it will be worth it because the joys will always outweigh the disadvantages.”
Tickets are available for Boyzlife's upcoming 2025 tour and festival appearances.
