Kian Egan will be popping across the Mersey this summer
IT has been a non-stop few months for Irish charmer Kian Egan since being crowned ‘king of the jungle’.
Twelve months ago the Westlife singer hadn’t envisaged recording his own album and heading out on the road as a solo artist.
But after winning the latest series of ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, opportunities have been coming thick and fast.
The 33-year-old has mixed presenting stints on Daybreak and This Morning with being a judge on The Voice in Ireland, and after the launch of his top 10 debut solo album Home he is now preparing to swap the Atlantic Ocean for the River Mersey with a visit to Liverpool in June.
“Without a doubt winning I’m A Celebrity changed my life,” he said.
“I wouldn’t have an album and wouldn’t be doing these shows without it so for me, personally, it was a fantastic experience.
“Coming from Westlife and as successful as that was, I didn’t expect to be playing arenas as a solo artist, so this is both exciting and nerve-wracking.”
Kian will join 90s boyband favourites The Backstreet Boys and Blue at Pop Across the Mersey on June 27 at the Echo Arena, followed by a gig at Delamere Forest with Boyzone on July 6.
“I played in Liverpool quite a few times when I was with the Westlife boys and spent a lot of time there when my wife Jodi was in Hollyoaks, so it’s pretty familiar territory,” he said.
“It’s going to feel strange going back there on my own in one sense but exciting in another and because I’m doing it with the Backstreet Boys and Blue I know I’m playing to an audience that obviously likes boybands, and I take some comfort in that for sure.”
And while the set list hasn’t yet been finalised, fans can expect a mixture of the old and new.
“I come from a band that was successful for 14 years and I’m certainly not going to forget that, I want to celebrate it, so it will be a mix of my new album, some Westlife songs and maybe some others.
“I haven’t put on a show like this before so it’s a whole new experience, but I remember Louis Walsh saying to me it’s all about the songs. The fancy screen and the flashing lights are okay but at the end of the day it’s all about the songs, people want to hear good songs. And I fully intend to make sure that’s what the audience get from me.”
Kian, his wife Jodi Albert – who has also been back in the limelight on ITV2 show The Big Reunion – and two-year-old son Koa divide their time between the hustle and bustle of London and the quiet coast of County Sligo in Ireland.
“I lead a double life,” he said.
“We’ve got a lovely house in London but over here in Ireland it’s the complete opposite lifestyle. I’m sat here on my bed looking out at the ocean and it’s so quiet. It’s nice to balance our lives out.
“I feel like I’m the luckiest guy in the world right now. I’ve had 14 years of major success and now I’m getting a second burst of success and that’s incredible. I’m just so happy and thankful.”
Tickets are now on sale for Pop Across The Mersey. For more details visit aeglive.co.uk
Source: warringtonguardian.co.uk