Brian McFadden’s Soul Jam

Brian Nicholas McFadden, born on April 12, 1980, in Dublin, Ireland, developed an early interest in singing, dancing, and football. He attended the Billie Barry Stage School and secured roles in television, including the Irish comedy “Finbar’s Class.” In early 1998, McFadden formed an R&B group named Cartel before auditioning for Louis Walsh for a new boy band. He joined Westlife in June 1998, alongside Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, and Shane Filan, changing the spelling of his first name to Bryan. Under Simon Cowell’s management, Westlife achieved significant success, releasing four Irish No. 1 studio albums and a No. 1 greatest hits album, with hit singles like “Swear It Again” and “Uptown Girl.” In March 2004, McFadden departed from Westlife to focus on his family and pursue solo projects, reverting his name to Brian. He co-wrote “If My World Stopped Turning” for the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest before launching his solo career.

Following his departure from Westlife, Brian McFadden signed with Sony BMG. In September 2004, he released his debut solo single, “Real to Me,” which became a No. 1 hit in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, and Norway. His debut solo album, “Irish Son,” released in November 2004, reached the top 10 on the Irish Albums Chart. He continued to achieve success with “Almost Here,” a duet with Delta Goodrem, which became his second No. 1 solo single in Ireland and his first in Australia, earning platinum accreditation there. McFadden also wrote songs for other artists, including Il Divo and Girls Aloud, and co-wrote the theme song “Together We Are One” for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. In 2007, after parting ways with Sony BMG due to creative differences, he established his own label, BMF Records. His single “Like Only a Woman Can” became his third Irish No. 1 solo hit, leading to a contract with Universal Music Australia in 2008 and the release of his second solo album, “Set in Stone.” In 2010, his single “Just Say So,” featuring Kevin Rudolf, debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart and went platinum. His third album, “Wall of Soundz,” was also released in 2010. McFadden has collaborated with Ronan Keating and formed the duo Boyzlife with Keith Duffy of Boyzone, releasing “Strings Attached” (2020) and “Old School” (2022).