Egan: Sometimes I wish I had a 9-5 job - life would be easier

By AOIFE BANNON

POP star turned music guru Kian Egan is the first to admit he’s a very lucky boy.
His success in Westlife has left him financially secure, he is firmly established as a coach on RTE1’s talent show The Voice and he’s got job offers coming out of his ears.

But the 34-year-old told how his biggest problem now is how often his work takes him away from wife Jodi and their son Koa, three.

The loved-up couple are expecting their second baby this year and Kian revealed that he is using the opportunity to take some precious time off to concentrate on his little family.

He said: “Outside of The Voice, I’ve been offered loads of things that are big long things so I’ve said no because the baby is coming.

“I think we’ll take the time to be parents. We’re fortunate enough that we’re able to do it.

“I think next year I’ll step back a little from everything. After the live shows, that’ll be my time to relax.”

And while they could easily hire nannies to help out at home, Kian told how he and Jodi are determined not to go down that road with their children.

He said: “I don’t want to be running off leaving her heavily pregnant with a three-year-old or leaving her with two kids.

“We had the nanny thing, we didn’t enjoy it. Nannies aren’t for us. It’s our kids, we’re hands-on parents. We don’t want that to change.

“It’s difficult to make these decisions. Coming out of Westlife, I never saw myself working full-stream. I always thought I’d do a few bits and pieces, we’d have kids and a family.

“I never thought I’d go gung-ho and try this solo career.

“I’ve always said no to more than I’ve said yes to. It’s hard to say no to it but then saying yes, I don’t want to commit to anything unless I’m 100 per cent behind it.”

Kian added: “It’s a frustrating industry in a way. Sometimes I wish I had a nine-to-five job because life would be easier.

“If I’m away working, I’m away. I’m gone for four days, or whatever it is, and then Jodi is left on her own. It’s not easy. It’s not easy for either of us.”

As a former I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! King of the Jungle, Kian is in demand for telly gigs and appearances.

And after bringing out his first album, Home, last year, he told how he has been offered the chance to do another record.

But he insists that he’ll only commit if he can do it properly and spend time writing and recording — which, he admits, will be a challenge with a second baby on the way.

Kian said of Home: “It was a nice experience. I’m talking to the record label. But with the baby coming up, I don’t want to do it like the last one. The first one was rushed. I’d been in the jungle and they wanted it for Mother’s Day.

“If we’re doing the second one, I want to do it my way. I want to spend six months to a year making it. I want to write, record, write, record. Then there’s talk of a tour — but, of course, that means going on the road again... ”

Kian also told how his son Koa is excited about the prospect of welcoming a little brother or sister.

He said: “He’s excited but he’s so young, it leaves his mind. He’s convinced it’s going to be a brother because he doesn’t understand ‘sister’ yet. But then he’ll forget all about it and he’ll be jumping on Jodi. We have to remind him.”

And Kian admitted that he and Jodi would like to have a large brood. He said: “Two isn’t that busy. Five is busy!”

Tomorrow sees Kian return to his red chair on The Voice of Ireland. The revamped panel sees Una Foden and Rachel Stevens join him and Bressie as the four coaches on the hunt for talent.

He said: “I’ve been here since the start, four years. For me it’s great to be in Ireland and working at home and being involved in music.It’s just an enjoyable show and I love doing it. It’s a serious show but for me it’s good fun.”

Kian and Bressie have been together since the beginning with Sharon Corr, Jamelia, Brian Kennedy and Dolores O’Riordan joining them for stints on various series.

But while Bressie has two wins under his belt, Kian has yet to find a winner for the show.

He said: “Me and Bressie are like the two chairs in the corner that no one wants to get rid of.

“The thing with me and Bressie is there’s a lot of love there but there’s also a lot of cattiness between the two of us.

“He never shuts up about the win scenario. I’m kind of sick of it. I’m bored of it.”

Now, with the addition of former S Club 7 star Rachel and The Saturdays’ Una, Kian reckons the new pop-heavy line-up will change the face of this year’s series.

However, he admits that it’s impossible to predict the winner before the live shows kick off later in the new year.

He said: “It’s a different bunch again this year. It’s funny how it’s changed as the years have gone on.

“The first year was all about the man with the guitar and it’s changed each year. It was different again this year, we’re seeing different types of people.

“Because three out of four of us are from pop acts, we’re probably picking the poppier singers, naturally. But there’s a few rockers in there. A few quirkier singers.”

And Kian was quick to big up his own act. He said: “I have probably the best rocker in the competition.

“We have two or three stand-out singers each. But it’s so hard to call it at this stage. We all have good teams. There’s a couple of people we all have our eye on that we’re thinking, ‘That could be the winner.’ But I don’t think we’ve ever picked the winner this early. Where you come from is a big part of it.”

Kian added: “We all look at our teams at this stage but by the time you get to the live shows, it completely shifts.

“Sometimes the best singers go out really early. It’s quite an odd show in that way.”

THE Voice of Ireland returns on Sunday at 6.30pm on RTE1.

Source: The Irish Sun