Female audience choked up in tears when hugging Westlife on stage after 25 years of waiting

Last night (June 5), Westlife had their first performance as part of The Hits Tour at My Dinh Indoor Athletics Palace ( Hanoi ). In this comeback, Westlife only had 3 members Kian, Nicky, Shane performing. Member Mark did not appear due to health reasons. In return, the show had the appearance of guest 911 - a band that often performed in Vietnam in recent years.

Although it rained around 6pm that same day, the ticket checking for the show went smoothly. The My Dinh Indoor Athletics Stadium was almost full, except for some seats in the VIP area. The estimated number of spectators was around 7,000, most of whom were fans from the 8X and 9X generations...

Westlife on stage at "The Hits Tour" at My Dinh Indoor Athletics Palace (Hanoi). (Photo: MK)

At exactly 8:07 p.m., the show opened with the appearance of 911. This is a famous group of three members at the same time as Westlife, formed in 1995, conquering the MTV Most Wanted charts in the late 1990s and early 2000s. On stage, 911 showed their enthusiasm in performing each performance. At the age of nearly 50, the members still actively sing and dance, sometimes performing a short rap to connect with the young audience.

911's performance consisted of 10 songs, ending with the hit I do - a collaboration between the band and singer Duc Phuc released on Valentine's Day last year, which has now reached 66 million views on YouTube.

Audiences were excited by the performances of the band Westlife. (Photo: MK)

After 911, Westlife appeared to the warm welcome of the audience. They performed a series of "hits" associated with the band's name such as: Swear It Again; Fool Again; I Lay My Love On You; Beautiful in White; Uptown Girl; My Love... Besides, the band also covered many classic songs, associated with the youthful memories of many audiences such as: Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You (George Benson); We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions (Queen); You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban)...

At the show, Westlife shared that they came to Vietnam after a successful performance in Shenzhen (China). Returning to Vietnam, the group was happy to receive a warm welcome from the audience. Westlife also recalled the performance of the Gravity tour at My Dinh Stadium in October 2011, where they had many beautiful and memorable memories.

During their return to Hanoi, the Irish band took many actions to "win over" their fans. During the exchange, an audience member had the opportunity to go on stage while carrying a banner that read "I've been waiting 25 years to hug Westlife". She shared that her name is Hoa, and she has loved Westlife since 1999, after hearing their hit If I Let You Go . Being hugged and encouraged by the members, and singing the song Safe together, Hoa was choked with tears. The exchange caused a stir at the My Dinh Indoor Athletics Palace.

Female audience members were moved to sing with Westlife on stage. (Photo: VTV)

Westlife also said a series of Vietnamese phrases: "Hello Vietnam"; "I love Vietnam"; "Raise your hand"; "Put your hand down...". Many times, the members also changed the lyrics, adding the phrases Vietnam and Hanoi into the song. At the end of the show, the band brought the Vietnamese flag onto the stage, along with the Irish flag, which was warmly cheered by the audience.

Tran Minh Phuong (34 years old, Hanoi) said that she had been waiting for this concert for a long time: "Westlife is my favorite band, especially member Shane. The concert brought me many emotions, reminding me of the beautiful memories of my youth". Meanwhile, Pham Manh Hung (40 years old, Thai Nguyen ) shared that he and his wife traveled 80km to meet their former idols. "I am quite satisfied with the sound quality of the program. The members still maintain their appearance and singing voice even though they are in their 50s" - he commented.

Westlife The Hits Tour 2024 is co-organized by the Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Events - Hanoi Opera House. This is an international music event aiming to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the capital as well as the strategy for developing the cultural industry. Tonight (June 5), the band will have their second and final show in Vietnam, before continuing their world tour.

Westlife is an Irish pop group formed in 1998. The group originally had 5 members: Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden. After 14 years of activity, the group disbanded in 2012 and then reunited in 2018. Westlife's return heated up the My Dinh area (Hanoi) after the appearance of the group Blackpink in July 2023, attracting more than 60,000 fans to attend.

Source: https://danviet.vn/khan-gia-nu-nghen-ngao-roi-nuoc-mat-khi-duoc-om-westlife-tren-san-khau-sau-25-nam-cho-doi-2024060506020223.htm