WESTLIFE have nabbed a power ballad from Leona Lewis for their new album.
Label boss Simon Cowell, 50, loved the song Shadows – penned by Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean and OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, 31 – so much he whipped away the tune for the boyband.
Excited AJ told me: “Ryan and I wrote the song for the new Backstreet album, but it didn’t make it.
“When Simon heard it he loved it, and initially wanted it to go on the Leona record. Then he decided as it was more of a boyband song it’d suit Westlife better.”
Backstreet are back themselves with album This Is Us and a UK tour in November, kicking off in Newcastle on the 3rd.
Westlife drop their new long-player on November 30 and first single What About Now on Monday.
AJ, 31, said: “I’m a Simon Cowell fan. At one point he was saying he was such a big fan of us that he spoke to the American Idol producers about doing a show with all the hits of Backstreet Boys.”
Backstreet are confident their new opus, which features tunes by Lady GaGa collaborator RedOne, puts them back on the map.
Brian Littrell, 34, said: “Some people wanna put you in a box of what was, and not really grow with you. All we want to do is make great music that we are happy with.
“When you stick a brand name like BSB on a song, sometimes you put a limit on it because people think it’s going to be boyband crap.”
Backstreet have also been keeping an eye on 35-year-old Robbie Williams’ comeback Bodies. Brian revealed: “We are big fans of Robbie. It’s a great song.”
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Thx to It's All About Mr. Richardson
Sat 24 Oct - 6:27