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Nov 02, 2024

‘I looked at every single fan video from Slane Castle to Madison Square Garden’ – ‘Benidorm Harry Styles’ to perform in Dublin | Irish Independent

The Benidorm Harry Styles – Sean Patrick McNicholas – on stage. The tribute star spoke of his Irish roots. ‘Benidorm Harry Styles’ Sean Mac performing on stage Missed out on Harry Styles’s Love on

The Benidorm Harry Styles – Sean Patrick McNicholas – on stage. The tribute star spoke of his Irish roots.

‘Benidorm Harry Styles’ Sean Mac performing on stage

Missed out on Harry Styles’s Love on Tour? Worry not. A Harry Styles tribute act is coming to Dublin for the first time.

Sean Patrick McNicholas (33), who goes by Sean Mac, is also known as ‘Benidorm Harry Styles’ and will rock the Button Factory on Wednesday, November 27.

During Sean Mac’s three-hour show, for which tickets are selling fast, the Hartlepool tribute act does his best to embody the Treat People with Kindness superstar.

McNicholas, who went viral in 2022 for impersonating Harry Styles’s signature moves and fashion with a flourish on TikTok, said that he was “over the moon” at the prospect of having his biggest show to date in Ireland.

“I absolutely can’t wait. I’m just so happy about it. It’s so exciting,” he said.

“It’s become very successful all over social media. People are just flying all over England to come to see the show in Benidorm. It started from nothing.

“I had a TikTok account that I ­never used and then I thought I’ll name it the ‘Harry Styles Show’ and started uploading videos of myself performing. It just went viral from there and I now have nearly 17,000 followers on TikTok.

“Before I knew it I went on ITV’s Lorraine show, spoke to TV presenter Christine Lampard, which only helps things grow. The Tropical Bar in Benidorm is still packed because of it. I’ve even been mentioned on the radio, so it’s really taken off.”

‘Benidorm Harry Styles’ Sean Mac performing on stage

The performer has amassed a loyal fanbase over the years who will ­travel across Europe to see him perform.

“I see comments on my social media of people saying they’ve come to see my shows from a different country. I met someone who drove for over two hours just to see my show. It’s overwhelming but I’m very grateful,” Sean Mac said.

Despite having a passing resemblance to the One Direction star and being able to mimic his dress sense, Sean Mac said these features alone would not be enough to sustain the act.

“I didn’t realise how much time I was actually putting into this. I was so meticulous and looked at every single fan video I could get my hands on from his tour from Slane Castle to Madison Square Garden,” he said. “I really studied his mannerisms and my girlfriend would help. I really worked at it.

“When I started I couldn’t sing that well because I was really focusing on the mannerisms. So now that I’ve mastered the dance moves I’ve been able to improve my voice and sound more like him.”

As a kid, I did a bit of Irish dancing as well as hip-hop

McNicholas emphasised that while he was the one performing, he would be dedicating the show to long-time ‘Harries’ so that they felt “real nostalgia for Love on Tour”.

Asked about the death of former One Direction member Liam Payne, McNicholas admitted to being “at a loss for words” after learning the news. “Couldn’t believe it, I still can’t ­believe it, to be honest. I found out just before I went on stage, so I decided to ­dedicate Story of my Life to Liam during my latest show and am planning on adding more One Direction songs to my Dublin setlist.”

Irish fans might be pleased to know that the Harry Styles impersonator has more than a few ties with their home country.

“As a kid, I did a bit of Irish dancing as well as hip-hop when I was seven years old. I was even mentioned in the paper with my Irish dancing outfit, but they mentioned Jamie Bell as though I was copying Billy Elliott.

“I’ve got a lot of Irish ancestry in my family. I mean my name is Sean Patrick McNicholas. A few of my grandparents are Irish so I could even be eligible for an Irish passport. Irish people are my favourite people in the world. They’ve just got the best craic.”

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