Interview: Ex-Westlife singer Kian Egan visits Swansea

Former Westlife singer Kian Egan was in Swansea yesterday. MARK REES caught up with him ahead of his visit to The Wave and Swansea Sound.

It wasn’t that long ago that Kian Egan was cave diving for food in the Australian outback on his way to claiming the coveted I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! crown.

But yesterday the reigning King of the Jungle was back to his more familiar popstar self when he visited to the city to promote his first solo album on Swansea Sound and The Wave.

“I’ve been to Swansea before with Westlife, but it’s always flying visits. I’m in and out like a yo –yo!” joked the former Westlife singer of his time in South Wales.

“Hopefully I can stop and do a show next time.”

Kian’s whistle-stop tour of the UK, which started in Glasgow on Monday and heads to Essex today, sees him promoting debut album Home, which is released, appropriately enough, on March 17 – St Patricks Day.

But despite being a proud Irishman, Kian insists the date was just a happy coincidence.

“I love being Irish, but it was actually aimed at Mother’s Day, which happens to be a fortnight later” he explains, adding that while he thinks the album will appeal to Westlife fans, he hopes others will give it a chance as he gets to express his rockier side.

“I’ve not strayed too far from my roots. It’s still a pop album, not a rock album, with big powerful songs.

“But it’s not so polished; there’s a rockier, raw sound to it,” which Kian attributes to his personal taste in music.

“I like listening to pop music like Bruno Mars, but I listen to a lot of rock like Briand Adams, Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon and Pearl Jam as well.”

And looking to future, the million dollar question: is there any chance of Westlife getting back together any time soon?

“Not at the moment, everyone’s doing their own thing. People forget, but it’s still only been two years since we broke up!”

Kian Egan “Home”, on sale Monday, March 17

Source: www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk