IN A celebrity’s world, social media is a double-edged sword. While it allows direct connection with fans, it can also be an invasion of privacy.

For Shane Filan, it provides vital feedback. Since he went solo after Westlife split, he’s been using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to tease and update fans on forthcoming releases, and reveal snippets of lyrics and artwork.

“Social media is incredibly useful for reaction from fans to gigs or a record,” he says. “It brings me into direct contact with fans; after a gig I’ll get reaction straight away, they tell me what they think of the song choices, the band, even what I’m wearing. It helps me know what they want from me, and I work on that.

“It was daunting going it alone after so long in a band. You don’t know where life’s going to take you. I just want to write and sing great songs – you’re always waiting for that killer song that will really make an impact.”

Born in Sligo, the youngest of seven children, Shane was inspired by Michael Jackson to sing and as a teenager he joined Irish boy band Westlife in 1998. When the group disbanded in 2012 – after 14 Number 1 singles, 12 albums and numerous stadium tours – Shane went to Nashville to record his debut solo album, You and Me.

Now he’s on tour, mixing up Westlife hits with his self-penned solo material. “It’s still a bit weird without the lads, we were together 14 years and we’re like brothers,” says Shane, 35. “But I’m with five great musicians on stage and it’s allowed me to come out of my shell and have fun with the crowd, which I couldn’t do with Westlife in a vast arena. I like intimate venues, I’m closer to the audience and there’s a connection.”

After 14 years of crooning ballads, Shane is relishing the freedom of writing his own songs. His style is described as “pop, soul, country and folk”.

“I wasn’t even sure I could write songs, but I’ve had fun experimenting,” he says. “I’m working on the second album now. It’s more soulful, but there’ll always be a bit of folk. It’s the Irish in me!”

The day we speak sees the release of Shane’s autobiography, My Side of Life, which includes an honest account of the property deals crisis that led to his bankruptcy two years ago. “It was exhausting but therapeutic to get all that out, and it was nostalgic going over all the Westlife stuff. It’s a This is Your Life moment – you think ‘wow, we did all that’,” he says. “When we started out we were teenage lads but we were grafters. You have to be in this business.”

In 2008 Shane joined Louis Walsh, who remains his manager, as a mentor on the X Factor and one of the bands they picked for the live shows was JLS, who became one of the UK’s top pop bands.

“X Factor is great but the real work comes afterwards,” says Shane.

Shane Filan is at St George’s Hall on Sunday, October 26. For tickets call (01274) 432000.