Kian: I’m bored of cheese…
JUST in time for Mother’s Day, Westlife man Kian Egan has returned to music with his debut solo album, Home. But before we all groan at the sound of the cash-in alarm bells, the Sligo star insists that we shouldn’t be so cynical.
“It’s safe, yes, but what’s safer is to pick a load of songs that are extremely well-known and make covers,” he says. “I picked pretty obscure songs.”
The man has a point — from 3 Doors Down’s Here Without You to Bryan Adams’ I’m Ready, it’s not exactly a cut-and-paste pop record.
“It would be safer to do a gimmick album,” Kian points out. “For a member of Westlife to bring out Celtic Songs For Your Mother on Mother’s Day would have worked more than this.”
Ignoring the possible dig at his ex-bandmate Brian McFadden, whose dodgy solo career includes the album Irish Son and The Irish Connection, Kian’s debut is a promising sign of where he wants his career to go — away from the momentous shadow of Westlife.
Organic
He created the album in a way that Westlife never could have — with an organic, live band in the background — and it even features his Girl Thing star wife Jodi Albert duetting with him on Run To You. Is this a sign of a Sonny and Cher type career, we wonder?
“Not at all,” he says. “When it was first suggested to me, I was like, ‘Duet with Jodi? Let’s get the cheeseboard out’. But when I heard her sing it around the house, before she even thought about getting involved, she sounded really good on it. But we won’t be doing a whole album.
“It’s one thing having a slice of cheese, but that’s a block of cheese. It’s a bit too cheesy.”
Despite the interest in him now, Kian admits there was no clamber for him to pursue a solo career after Westlife split.
The multi-million-selling singer admits the offers only came in once he won I’m A Celebrity late last year.
“Nobody was interested before,” he says. “I never tried and there were no offers. I was happily sitting back in the role on the Voice of Ireland and a bit of TV presenting.
Record
“Being a non-lead singer of Westlife, you assume that everyone sees you as that.”
However, Kian’s jungle win in December gave him a level of fame wider than that in Westlife — and caused a bidding war between record companies.
“I came out of the jungle and there were record companies offering me a solo deal — it was overwhelming,” he said.
Discounting early leaver McFadden momentarily, Kian is the second member of Westlife to release a solo album, after Westlife frontman Shane Filan released You And Me in November.
Now that the album is out, he’s thinking of touring. But don’t expect his tunes to be aired in theatres and opera houses — he’s going for the rockier venue of festivals and outdoor extravaganza.
“I don’t know if I want to do a proper tour. I’d like to see what festivals are happening, a bit more gritty — I want to get my guitar and make some noise.”
Home is out now
Source: thestar.ie