Boyzlife says don't put music releases on hold during coronavirus pandemic

Boyzlife have called on their fellow musicians to release new music during the coronavirus pandemic.

The duo - made up of Boyzone's Keith Duffy and Westlife's Brian McFadden - have released a version of the former band's 1999 hit You Needed Me.

The song features the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and will raise funds for the charity Age UK, who is supporting the elderly through the health crisis.

Keith told the Daily Star newspaper's Wired column: "It's become very apparent that the people suffering the most at this time are the elderly and if you're in a position where you can help or make a difference in some way, you should.

"A lot of our fans would be ­considered elderly now and the lyrics of the song You Needed Me lend themselves to helping and supporting other people."

The 45-year-old singer admitted he thinks artists should put out their new tunes and not delay them during these unsettling times.

He said: "It's not like the old days where people have to go to a shop to get the ­album. Dua Lipa has brought her album forward and I really ­admire her for that."

He added: "There are a lot of things we love being put on hold, and music doesn't have to be. I think it's good they can have music, they can have something they love, something new, something to ­enjoy, some stimulation."

Brian, 39, accepts that some musicians have to follow their record label's guidance on releases, but he insisted they can still release songs "for love" and not money.

He said: "That will be ­coming from the major record ­labels who are thinking about the financial side of things. But we don't do it for the ­money, we do it for the love, we are lucky that at our age, we still get to do it."

For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.