In Blue, he was the little one with
the big voice. Now, he’s a solo star with a big future. Lee
Ryan talks (and talks, and talks) to teentoday.co.uk’s Rachel
Read about solo success, global domination and condoms. Yes,
condoms. Oooo... and flightless birds too!
Having seen you live a couple of
times (with Blue) and been very impressed, are we going to be
seeing more of Lee Ryan live soon? Touring or anything?
Live is where I really love to be - I’m doing a concert the
14th of February down at Shepherd's Bush Empire. I’ve always
enjoyed being live – if you come to see me live, I normally
just close my eyes and sing! I mean, I love to see people’s
faces too and I think the best thing about me is my voice. I
get really passionate about music and I always have been. No
matter what anyone thinks about me, it’s always been the fact
that people say, ‘Well, he can sing’. I mean, I am a singer at
the end of the day and that’s what I do. I hate miming, I
never mime and I play a bit of guitar in my sets it’s gonna be
just a really good concert.
I think with your album, you’ve been
quite different to most male artists currently on the market
and your solo stuff is quite difficult to categorise. How
would you describe it?
Well, I’m a Gemini (Rach frantically worries he has mis-heard
the question as he repeats this several times!) so I don’t
just like to do one sort of thing. I love all types of music
and I made the album purposely like that. It wasn’t because I
didn’t know what to do, I wanted to make an album that had a
country element, a real guitar-based element, then a real soul
element too. I wanted a classic Marvin Gaye tune a Tracey
Chapman sort of song, ‘When I Think Of You’ has got a real
George Benson/4 Tops feel.
That was really what I was brought up with - The Eagles,
Micheal McDonald, Elton John, Michael Bolton... when I wanted
to write this song I specifically wanted a song like this… (Lee
starts singing one of their songs, awesome!) so I wrote
this… (Lee starts singing his own song, even more awesome!)
and that’s the reason why I wrote it, because I wanted
something really powerful, a big strong ballad. Then I wanted
a Marvin Gaye /Michael McDonald one and a track that sounded
like David Gray as well (Lee starts singing David Gray
song, again awesome!) - there were loads of different
elements that I wanted for the album because then it’s got
something for everyone and it means I wont get bored doing one
sort of style.
Even though you’ve been solo for
quite a while, have you got used to performing without Blue?
Do you enjoy it more now?
Well... I enjoy being by myself – I’ve got a lot more freedom,
which is cool. I haven’t mimed anything, not one thing and
I’ve been a lot more focused than I’ve ever been with my
career. Not that the boys ever held me back but being by
yourself, you sort of wake up a bit! But you know what, I had
fun in Blue, I had such a giggle, we did the whole rock n’
roll smashing up hotel rooms, getting pissed out of our faces
half an hour before we were meant to be on stage and stuff...
and I’m glad that I did it but now I’m gonna have a career.
It’s not just gonna be one album, I’ve got a lot of albums to
make and hopefully it’s gonna be for the next 10/15 years (bloody
hell!) but... I can’t wait to have a family to be honest
with you (awwwwwwww...) but I mean I love my music,
that’s really what I want to be known for, I don’t wanna be
known just for being famous.
Reading the official biography on
your website, I saw you’ve done some film directing – can you
tell me a little more about that because I think it’s a side
to you that most people don’t know about.
I’m directing my first movie in June. Just before Blue split
up, I went to America to do an actual concert... hang on,
concert, what am I talking about?! I’m watching something on
TV that’s a concert, sorry! I went out to do a director’s
course to learn how to direct. I wrote a script when I was 15,
which I’ll be directing in June. I’m also doing 3 short movies
this year through my production company - we’re doing a whole
DVD of these short movies - and I’ve got a part in ‘Ice Age 2’
which is gonna be cool.
 |
What are you playing in that?
A flightless bird!
Nice!
It’s good cos it’s gonna be in Hollywood so I’m happy about
that. And then I’ve just been offered another film, a
drama/thriller, so I’m looking forward to doing that as well.
Is there any rivalry
between you and Simon Webbe now he’s got a successful solo
career too?
Not at all! I’m very supportive of Simon and he is of me.
Every time I go in a radio station he’s saying, ‘Oh do you
want me to plug your album Lee?!’ and I do the same for him!
His album’s doing absolutely amazing in England at the
moment... hopefully we can all have successful careers. To be
honest with you, I was thinking about this today, can you
think of one group that has ever broken up where every single
member has had a single out?
The Spice Girls!
(Silence) Well... not a boy band!
No, not quite…!
Well not one boy band has, so I’m kinda happy about that fact.
People say there’s not enough room for all of us in the market
but I don’t think that’s true. I feel that there’s enough room
for all of us; the world is a big place, it’s not just about
England. Blue had amazing success in Europe and Asia and I’m
doing really well in Italy at the moment, and I’ve only done 3
markets... so I’ve got a long way to go yet and the world a
big place. I’m gonna be looking to make it in the rest of the
world as well.
I know you joined Blue when you very
young and you were renowned for your party lifestyle and the
controversial things you said and did – have you calmed down a
bit now?
No not calmed down! Just grown a bit wiser to the industry.
Well, I suppose I have calmed down a little bit but you do as
you grow up. I was 18/19 at the time – show me anyone in the
country aged 18/19 who was sitting at home just playing on the
computer and wasn’t out on the piss or falling out of
nightclubs! It doesn’t really bother me, the way I see it I’ve
done the press a favour by giving them something to write
about! I don’t really give a **** what they think 'cos most of
them chat shit anyway!
I also write for the style section of
this website so I have to ask… what’s going on with the tie
and open v-neck combo in the new video? Not a look I’ve seen
before!
Well... it’s called fashion, babe! Dolce & Gabanna styled me…
I mean, they’re top stylists, probably one of the best
stylists in the fashion industry. I think, it’s a new thing
they’re doing on the catwalk...
Oh, setting the trend then, Lee?!
Yeah, keeping up appearances as they say!
You’ve been in the industry a while
now so what would you say has been the highlight of your
career?
Ermm…. (thinks long and hard) Being with the boys was an
amazing experience... But I wouldn’t ever say there’s just one
highlight. Every day is a highlight. The industry brings many
different experiences, it’s up and down all the time, but
that’s just life, innit?
Final question… I turned on the TV
the other night and was shocked to see a Blue song being used
to advertise condoms! Did you know about this?!
Ermmmm… probably!!! I mean, it’s good to wear
condoms! You know, condoms are good... but sex is good too...
so it goes hand-in-hand!
And on that note… Lee and myself bid
our farewells (after he tries to persuade me to buy tickets
for his concert!). Verdict: lovely guy, lovely voice and
deserving of all his success.
Lee Ryan’s new single ‘When I Think Of You’ is out January
30th.
His top ten album, ‘Lee Ryan’ is out now.
Lee plays Shepherd’s Bush Empire on February 14th, tickets on
sale now.
Visit Lee's official site at:
www.officialleeryan.co.uk
Back to more music interviews >>
Back to the
music homepage >> |
