All Over Again Karaoke Ronan Keating

Ronan chats exclusively with Surrey Rocks celebrity journalist Angela Sara West about his glittering career, working with Ed Sheeran, helping men's mental health, his commitment to charity, golfing and horse racing in Surrey, all this while performing alongside Bryan Adams and James Blunt at Cornbury Festival this July.

He's defined over two decades of pop music, performed for Prince Charles, sung for the Pope, grilled Stormzy and collaborated with Kylie, among other accolades aplenty… "I've been lucky," multi-platinum-selling musician Ronan Keating tells me on his way home from his early morning Magic radio show.

"I've sung with some amazing people, from Elton John, LeAnn Rimes and Pavarotti, to Cat Stevens, Lulu and Burt Bacharach… The collaborations I've had over the years have been amazing!" the broadcaster and former Boyzone bandmember explains.

INSPIRED BY THE GREATS

The first single Ronan bought was Last Christmas by Wham! "I LOVE that song! I love Wham! I love George Michael, and the reason I'm a singer today is because of George… he's been my greatest influence." The superstar singer's also inspired by another bestselling group. "The Bee Gees. For me, Barry Gibb is the greatest songwriter of all time…"

The singer-songwriter shot to stardom at sweet 16, belting out hit-after-hit as the youngest member of Boyzone, one of the most successful boybands in history, who hit the UK No.1 spot an impressive six times, sold a staggering 25 million records and toured the world. Having gained global recognition when his chart-topping single When You Say Nothing at All featured in the hit film Notting Hill, since going solo, the Irish singing sensation has gone from strength-to-strength, crafting an epic solo vocation, selling over 22 million records worldwide.

The highlight of his celebrated career? "My longevity. To still be here nearly 30 years later is a great honour," he reveals. "I think that's the greatest goal, to have longevity in this business, and still be getting away with it… So, I'm happy about that!"

A MAN OF MANY HITS… AND HATS
And it's not just his singing career that's brought the Dublin-born star success… Ronan's diversified, dabbling in acting and other areas, too. "I think you have to," he says. "It's important for your profile to stay out there. You have to do lots of things now – go on cookery shows and all sorts – to let people know that your album is out!"

Having carved a career spanning almost three decades, this multi-talented musician has also made his mark as a mentor, actor and high-profile presenter. Alongside spells as a judge down under on The X Factor and The Voice Australia alongside Natalie Imbruglia, the award-winning star's stints have seen highly-acclaimed stage performances in London's West End hit musical Once since going it alone, too. "It's been 22 brilliant, mad years," Ronan tells me. "I feel really blessed to still be here and still doing it."

A BESTSELLING, RECORD-BREAKING ARTIST
The secret to his success in such a tough industry? "I'm not afraid to work," he explains. "In this game, you have to graft constantly, so I've worked tirelessly… all the time. And I enjoy it. I'm not complaining… I love what I do!"

Ronan's many talents have expanded exponentially across abundant platforms. "There are lots of more talented people out there than me," he modestly admits. "But I think there are a lot of different elements that allow somebody to get to where I've got to after 20 years."
Bringing breakfast show entertainment to the nation with his weekday morning radio show on much-loved Magic FM with co-host Harriet Scott, how did it feel to achieve the highest-ever ratings in Magic's history?

"Amazing!! It's such a fun show… We love what we do and speaking with our listeners and hearing what people think. I never imagined I'd do radio like this, especially breakfast radio… I lived the other lifestyle – going to bed at 4-5am, not getting up at that time! I love it, it's great fun."
A few of his fave guests?

"We had Stormzy on, which was quite unique for Magic. Mark Wahlberg was pretty cool, Kylie Minogue's wonderful… we get a real mixed bag, it's great!"

Ronan's now working his magic at weekends, too, having hooked up with Disney+ for a Saturday afternoon show on the station, filling us in on his family's favourite Disney films.

A LOOSE MAN ON THE ONE SHOW SOFA

Alongside making his mark on the airwaves, he's had impressive hosting success on TV, too, where his much-loved co-hosting stints on BBC One's 'The One Show' sofa see him chatting with countless other celebs.

Ronan's also been a 'Loose Man' for the day, alongside Marvin Humes, Iain Stirling and Roman Kemp, as popular ITV lunchtime show 'Loose Women' rebranded for one day and one day only for the first time in its 21-year history. Welcoming its first all-male panel to mark International Men's Day 2020, the 'Loose Men' changed the conversation, inspiring fellow males to talk about their feelings and not keep things bottled up.

Alongside sharing their own personal experiences, the Loose Men were joined by Hollywood legend Matthew McConaughey as part of the programme's 'Stand by Your Men' award-winning mental health campaign 'Lighten The Load'.

HELPING MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH

With a focus on male mental health, the campaign shines a light on the importance of men asking for help if they are struggling, to tackle the issues they often shy away from talking about.

"It was great to go on the show with the other lads and start the conversation to, hopefully, get men talking about mental health issues," says Ronan. "I see Dan, my therapist, whenever I'm feeling fragile and need help with my mental health, whether I'm overstressed from working too hard, or it's a certain date which reminds me of something sad that's happened, such as someone who's passed away…"

"Men find it hard to talk, and suffer with depression greatly… It's good to talk, and there is help out there to give men the tools they need to deal with things they are struggling with."

Ronan is an ambassador for a fair few charities. "I feel very passionate about working with the Strong Men charity, which assists men dealing with bereavement and deals with mental health," he says.

CELEBRITY JUICING

Ronan's also let his hair down on Keith Lemon's Celebrity Juice. "It's SO much fun to be on. At a time like this, where everything is so sanitised, literally, we need a show like that…"

I suggest he puts himself forward for James Cordon's Car Karaoke. "That would be GREAT fun… a riot! James and I sang together a few years ago at one of my charity events. He's a great singer."

A ROLLERCOASTER TWENTY TWENTY

Ronan's album Twenty Twenty, released in the rollercoaster year of 2020, features a magnificent mix of old and new tracks, commemorating 20 years since his first phenomenally-successful eponymous debut solo album Ronan.

He describes Twenty Twenty as "a greatest hits of brand-new music". "There are three songs I readdressed; When You Say Nothing At All, Life Is a Rollercoaster and Lovin' Each Day. Those songs are kind of career records that stand the test of time and are still with me today. And I'm here today because of those songs. So, I just thought I'd kind of give them a new, 2020 flavour."

IN TUNE WITH OTHER TALENTS

Reworking a few old favourites, Ronan called in a few famous friends to add their creative juices. "Robbie Williams, Shania Twain, Emeli Sandé, Nina Nesbitt… some of my favourite artists are on there… I got to sing with them and I'm very proud of that.

Having Alison Krauss sing on When You Say Nothing At All, and Ed Sheeran play guitar over it, it's just phenomenal… a great honour."

RONAN & ROBBIE'S BIG GOODBYE FOR STEPHEN

Ronan and Robbie, of course, go back a long way, and duetted on a touching Twenty Twenty tribute track to Ronan's late Boyzone bandmate Stephen Gately. "It was lovely to work with Rob. I love his work, he works very hard, he's a great artist and great fun," says Ronan.

"Rob reached out to me on the 10-year anniversary of Stephen Gately's death to say he'd forgotten he'd written this song, The Big Goodbye, about Stephen's passing. It was a very moving, emotional rollercoaster, the whole thing, to be honest, but a great honour to have this on the album and to sing it with Robbie."

RONAN ON THE ROAD

Ronan was supposed to celebrating his milestone work anniversary with a 'Twenty Twenty' world tour. "It should have kicked off in June 2020, but it was postponed. A big part of the celebration is to tour it live. We all need to get back out there and tour live, for our heads and our hearts, we just wanna get back on the road again. That's why I do what I do – perform."

Just last week, Ronan at last took to the stage again, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. How does it feel to be finally doing what he loves again? "It's just great to be back on stage with my band again. After the last couple of years, I think everyone feels a huge sigh of relief that we can all get back together again to do something we truly love."

His rescheduled 'Twenty Twenty' tour kicks off in a couple of months, and he'll be back here in Surrey in September, where he'll perform at Lingfield Park Resort. "That will be a new one for me!" he reveals. "I've got theatre dates all across the UK during June and July, and then some outdoor shows through the rest of the summer. The race day shows are always great fun, especially if you can pick a couple of winners!"

FESTIVAL TIME

The summer festivals are finally back in full force too. "I'm heading to Oxfordshire for Cornbury Festival this summer… finally!" he tells me of the fantastic music fest taking place between 8^th–10^th July at The Great Tew Park.

"I was due to perform there in 2020 but, understandably, everything had to be moved. It's a great line-up, with Bryan Adams, James Blunt and then me on the Sunday."

BUCKET LIST COLLABS

Having collaborated with some greats in the past, Pavarotti and Elton John also among them, whom would Ronan most love to duet with?

"Garth Brooks is someone I'd love to work with, and it would be awesome to work with Bono and U2…" he tells me.

SONGS FROM HOME

He honours Ireland's musical history with his latest album Songs From Home , for which he hand-picked 12 tracks from his beloved homeland, drawing from the wealth of Ireland's talent. "I was lucky to be able to release two albums during the pandemic; Twenty Twenty and Songs From Home," he explains.

Toasting his love for Irish music, as well as its continued significance in his life, the latter intimate album boasts brilliant reworks, as well as an original single from the celebrated Irish star.

Ronan has circled back to his roots with the album which authentically captures and represents his life in music. Celebrating traditional poetry and folklore alongside contemporary pieces, Songs From Home forms the ultimate soundtrack to Ronan's personal story. The international Irish artist masterfully weaves unheard tales of his youth with Ireland's considerable musical heritage.

A LOCKDOWN BABY
Having recently moved from Barnes in SW London, 'home' nowadays for Ronan is in the rolling hills of the idyllic English countryside, where he and his model/TV producer wife Storm have built their dream sustainable home just outside the capital city.

Now a doting dad to five children (Ronan has three children with first wife, Yvonne), his and Storm's second child, baby Coco, came along just four days into the first lockdown. "It was nice to be able to concentrate on being there at home. I've never spent that much time in one place in my life; I left home at 16, so to be there for every nappy change, bathtime, bedtime, every waking morning… it was gorgeous, really lovely… very special."

How did he look after his mental health during the first drawn-out lockdown? "Being around the ones you love makes life okay, much easier… My wife and children communicating and going through our daily lives together… we came through it."

Did the family man find himself being particularly creative? "I did write a lot, but to be honest, I was so busy I didn't stop… doing my radio show from home, promoting my new album through Zoom interviews and Instagram… I think that was good for the head, too."

And music, of course, can help massively with mental health. "Very much…" agrees the aimable musician. "It's an outlet… a great way of dealing with your emotions, speaking out about how you're feeling… really important for mental health."

TOP OF THE SHOPS
Right on key, Ronan's a fan of playing a part in local life, "Storm and I believe in supporting the community. I think it's important to know the people you're living around, and to be proud of, and feel part of, the community… It's especially important at times like this to keep in contact with people nextdoor, people close to you, and make sure everyone's doing okay."

He hits all the right notes on the high street, too. "Wherever we live, we ALWAYS shop locally… local grocery stores, butcher's…"

TEEING OFF IN SURREY…
Before Barnes, Ronan resided in Esher, where life in Surrey proved another huge hit for the singer. "It's fabulous… a beautiful leafy suburb, gorgeous countryside, great restaurants, golf courses, lovely people… a great place to live!"

With more courses than you can swing a club at, Surrey serves as a golfer's paradise for fans of the sport, including singing sensation Ronan. "I LOVE playing golf, and I LOVE Wentworth, which is one of my favourite courses. There are so many fantastic courses in the county…. Sunningdale, private golf courses… it's a pleasure to play them. They're some of the best in the UK, if not Europe."
The former Boyzone singer enjoys a good green round with ex-bandmate Keith Duffy, and reveals taking clubs on the road is par for the course. "Keith and I get out there every now and then, and ALWAYS bring our golf bags on tour!" He also has a golf buddy in Brian McFadden, formerly of Westlife fame – the band Ronan co-managed – and who has now formed a supergroup with Keith. Ronan and Brian have also played with a golfing legend. "We played with Gary Player at Wentworth for charity."
So, what does Ronan miss most about his boyband days? "The lads… the camaraderie on the road, the friendship, you know… I do miss the boys…"

TOP OF RONAN'S CHARTS
Before buying an abode in Barnes, the broadcaster had already found the area a source of inspiration for his music. "There was a studio in Barnes called The Olympic (now the cinema), and I wrote and recorded a lot of albums there. So, I spent a lot of time around Barnes even before I lived there, working and recording and writing, and we just loved the area, the community, and even though you're so close to town (London), you've got that village feel."

RICHMOND ROCKS & PUTNEY'S CAFFEINE FIX!
With a penchant for Putney, too, Ronan and Storm are partners in popular coffee pitstop, Ground Coffee Society. "We're involved in the GCS coffee shop at 79 Lower Richmond Road, so we head there every now and again," Ronan reveals. "I like that village feel, and being on the river is gorgeous, especially in the summertime, and the pubs are right on the river… It's really lovely… we love that lifestyle."
His preferred restaurant also has a top riverside spot there. "Riva's our favourite, and we'll be back there soon for lunch or dinner, we love it so much!"

Richmond also rocks for Ronan. "Pre-kids, we went running in Richmond Park a lot. Now, we regularly take the kids for walks along the river, which is a lovely thing to do. It's a great lifestyle, a great way of life there…"

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS…
He may be partial to Putney and Richmond, but Barnes is still Ronan's No.1. "Storm and I love Barnes. It's a gorgeous neighbourhood, with great restaurants, cinema, pubs… The Red Lion, The Brown Dog… so many."
With famous faces a-go-go in the area, "I bump into Simon Le Bon, renowned chefs and rugby players there," he says. "We love Barnes, we really do!"

A PASSIONATE PHILANTHROPIC PERFORMER
From climbing Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, to swimming the Irish Sea, this big-hearted singer's achieved amazing things in the name of charity. And there's one particular cause that's very close to this philanthropic performer's heart… "I set up the Marie Keating Foundation with my family 23 years ago, after our mum passed away from cancer," he explains. "We've worked on that tirelessly… It's been a tough couple of years for charities to fundraise, because of COVID."

Ronan launched the first mobile unit in the UK to target the general public with cancer prevention information, highlighting how to reduce your cancer risk. He also supports the Cancer Awareness Roadshows, which tour around the UK.

As the Foundation's Patron, the prolific philanthropist's proud to have pulled off the TV benefit gig 'Concert4Cancer' a couple of summers ago, featuring Gary Barlow, Brian Kennedy, The Coronas and Kodaline. "We raised half a million… it was phenomenal!"

TAKING A MOMENT FOR MIND
Alongside stars including Tom Jones, Sharon Osbourne, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley and Helena Bonham Carter, Ronan has also taken 'A Moment for Mind', the @takeamoment4mind campaign instigated by renowned Richmond-based photographer, Ray Burmiston.

AND CANCER RESEARCH
Donning their glad rags, Ronan and Storm hold an annual star-studded Emeralds & Ivy Ball in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation and in partnership with Cancer Research UK.

"We've hosted it for nearly 15 years now and have raised around £12m, which goes to our mobile units travelling around the country, giving a free service to people. They're back out on the road, which is fantastic because we feel there's going to be a huge spike now in cancer patients, as people haven't been able to go to hospitals and be checked and diagnosed. So, it's really important and we can deal with this… and we're out there trying to help people."

NEXT ON RONAN'S RUNNING ORDER

Up next for Ronan Keating?

"I'm still loving being live on Magic's Breakfast Show every weekday morning with Harriet Scott, and you'll still be able to see me each week on the sofa co-hosting the BBC's 'One Show'," he reveals. "I feel very lucky to be in people's homes across the UK each day on TV and radio, but finally being back on stage is the thing that's making this year so special!"

Following such challenging times for us all, Ronan has a very special message for readers of Surrey Rocks…

"Treasure your loved ones, treasure your kids, go that extra mile and reach out to those people who really need it. It's been a grim couple of years and we need to just spread the love as best we can. Health and happiness for everybody!"

FACTBOX

For information about Cornbury Festival, visit:www.cornburyfestival.com

Songs From Home is out now on Decca Records.

Listen live to Ronan on Magic at 105.4 FM, online at https://planetradio.co.uk/magic/ or on demand via the Magic Radio app.
The Marie Keating Foundation: www.mariekeating.ie

For further information, visit Ronan's website: www.ronankeating.com

Words by: celeb journalist Angela Sara West

© Angela Sara West 2022   Insta: @angela_sara_west

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Source: https://rocksmag.com/london/ronan-keating/

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