Westlife couldn’t have given South Africans a better welcome!
Cape Town, South Africa (03 November 2023) — Westlife might be Irish in heritage, but they certainly earned South Africa’s approval for reasons beyond music or being 2000s icons, thanks to stage-wear that read (and ignited) the room in the best way possible.
At their Cape Town show (which local fans have been counting down the days toward since the band’s Wild Dreams tour dates were announced), the lads united in none-other-than Springboks jerseys on stage. They also performed one of their biggest and most heart-tugging songs in them—filling GrandWest with the pride of a nation.
The gesture earned them a wealth of respect from fans, with one concert goer titling the moment they sang their hit ‘You Raise Me Up’ in the jerseys: ‘when winners recognize winners’.
@dr_shol When winners recognize winners 🏆 #westlifeforever #springbok #bokke #drshol #winnerscircle ♬ original sound – Dr Sholena Narain
This effort was even more significant considering the Ireland-South Africa battle match during the Rugby World Cup where, for a good few days, our two nations weren’t exactly best friends.
Westlife will now meet more South Africans in Pretoria for their performance this evening, 3 November.
Meanwhile in other Springboks’ proud news, a fan who caught the attention of 702 at OR Tambo International Airport at the massive homecoming gathering for her Bokke ‘fit had done a lot more than adorn creative pieces to celebrate the Boks. South African Germarié De Villiers trekked all the way from her home in Italy to welcome the Springboks home, using up her savings to get there just for the homecoming event.
And, in more Irish-South African feel goods, budding singer Niamh Beatrix Smith (who united SA and Ireland right after the heat of the clash) has released her first original song and dedicated it to South Africa!