Ronan Keating – Time of My Life

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Ronan Keating, but he’s not keeping quiet for much longer. He’s been busy working on his brand new album, Time of my Life, and a lot has changed since his Boyzone days, with 40 millions album sales under the Irish band’s belt.

Now the 38-year-old is pushing on with his new endeavours, with the encouraging support of his kids and talented wife. The album has a different sound to what his audience may used to hearing – his appearance in London’s West End stage musical, Once, got Ronan hands-on with an acoustic guitar, and listeners will be able to hear it in his new music.

The songs are of celebration, emotion, love and loss and honesty, and all are written with live performance in mind. This bold chapter comes from his new record label, Decca, as he becomes completely content in the music he’s created and wears his tunes on his sleeve. He’s preparing now for his huge tour, and Plymouth is lucky enough to be his first stop…

How long did it take you to put together your Time of my Life?

It’s the longest I’ve ever taken to make a record. I spent the whole of 2015 writing it which was a very organic process and I wore my heart on my sleeve.

I put a lot of time into this album, a whole year when normally it normally takes three or four months.

You’ve performed in about 50 countries over the years – is there one you’d particularly like to go back to with your new album?

I’m going everywhere on this tour! We start in South Africa, then to Scandinavia, then Europe and the UK and Ireland, then Berlin, New Zealand and Asia. I can’t wait to go to Ireland!

Your wife features on a couple of tracks which is really special, but has she ever done anything like it before?

My wife features in two of my songs – she co-wrote one of them and then did back-up vocals in another which is brilliant. My wife did singing when she was younger but this just happened by accident. I was in the kitchen writing and she was singing, having a bit of fun, and I said ‘Why don’t we do something with this and get it out there and get you on the album?’

It sounds like she’s a really talented lady! Has she changed the way you work and your outlook on your career?

She means a lot to me. She gave me the power to do something like I am now and gave me strength and confidence.

Time of my Life sounds really different to what your fans might be used to hearing – what inspired you?

It was my time on the show, Once, that inspired me. Playing guitar and singing and acting all night for shows in the West End created the sound of this album, and it’s very organic with a storytelling feel.

This is the proudest I’ve ever been about an album!

You seem to be really excited by the whole process of putting the album together, so do you think it’s something you’ll be doing again in the future?

I’m quite excited about the next album to come. It’s taken me a long time to get here, but I’m very proud of it.

You manage new artists and work on The Voice, Australia, is there any particular qualities you look for in new performers?

Yes I just did The Voice, Australia, and got back three days ago but I really enjoyed it out there. There are lots of things I look for and I try to find it in people, and if I can’t find it I create it.

So you’re acting, working on TV, managing artists and developing new music – it doesn’t sound like you get much free time! What do you get up to when you get some down-time?

I don’t get much down time. Sometimes it’s great to be busy but I’m sure in a few months I’ll be ready for a holiday! Next year I want to take my guitar and travel a bit.

Plymouth is the first stop for the UK leg of your tour, how are you feeling about it?

I’m looking forward to the show. There will be something for everybody with a mix of old and new songs.

Catch Ronan at Plymouth Pavilions on 9th September
– www.plymouthpavilions.com

Or at the Princess Theatre in Torquay on 30th September

www.ronankeating.com
Time of my Life available on Google Play, iTunes & Amazon