Read Angela's exclusive interview with pop legend Ronan Keating re. men's mental health & the cancer charity he created in his mother's name
12/10/2024
Ronan Keating – Magic ‘Last Christmas’ Inspo, Concert4Cancer, Moments for Mind & Music for Mental Health!
Triple C co-founder, celebrity cover journalist Angela Sara West @angela_sara_west, chats exclusively with music legend Ronan Keating about his rollercoaster life, being a Loose Man, helping men’s mental health, and his commitment to charity, having founded the Marie Keating Foundation cancer charity in memory of his late mum. He's defined over two decades of pop music, performed for Prince Charles, sung for the Pope, grilled Stormzy and collaborated with Kylie, among other accolades aplenty... “I’ve been lucky,” multi-platinum-selling musician Ronan Keating tells me. “I’ve sung with some amazing people, from Elton John, LeAnn Rimes and Pavarotti, to Cat Stevens, Lulu and Burt Bacharach… The collaborations I’ve had over the years have been amazing!” The superstar singer is also inspired by bestselling group The Bee Gees. “For me, Barry Gibb is the greatest songwriter of all time…” While the first single Ronan bought was ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham! “I LOVE that song! I love Wham! I love George Michael, and the reason I’m a singer today is because of George… he’s been my greatest influence.” “I was lucky to spend quality time with him and Kenny and to call George a friend. I’m a black belt in grief and loss. I miss my family and close friends that have passed every single day…”
From Boyzone to Big Silver Screen Solo Break
The singer-songwriter shot to stardom at sweet 16, belting out hit-after-hit as the youngest member of Boyzone, one of the most successful boybands in history, who hit the UK No.1 spot an impressive six times, sold a staggering 25 million records and toured the world. Having gained global recognition when his chart-topping single When You Say Nothing at All featured in the box office hit film ‘Notting Hill’’, since going solo, the Irish singing sensation has gone from strength-to-strength, crafting an epic solo vocation, selling over 22 million records worldwide. The highlight of his celebrated career? “My longevity,” the broadcaster and former Boyzone bandmember reveals. To still be here 30 years later is a great honour. I think that’s the greatest goal, to have longevity in this business, and still be getting away with it… So, I’m happy about that!” A Man of Many Hits… and Hats! And it’s not just his singing career that’s brought the Dublin-born star success… Ronan’s diversified, dabbling in acting and other areas, too. “I think you have to,” he says. “It’s important for your profile to stay out there. You have to do lots of things now - go on cookery shows and all sorts - to let people know that your album is out!” Having carved a career spanning almost three decades, this multi-talented musician has also made his mark as a mentor, actor and high-profile presenter. Alongside spells as a judge down under on The X Factor and The Voice Australia alongside Natalie Imbruglia, the award-winning star’s stints have seen highly acclaimed stage performances in London’s West End hit musical ‘Once’ since going solo, too. “It’s been almost 25 brilliant, mad years,” he tells me. “I feel really blessed to still be here and still doing it.” A Passionate Philanthropic Performer From climbing Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, to swimming the Irish Sea, this big-hearted singer’s achieved amazing things in the name of charity. And there’s one particular cause that’s very close to this philanthropic performer’s heart… “I set up the Marie Keating Foundation, offering cancer awareness, prevention and support, with my family nearly 25 years ago, after our mum passed away from cancer,” he explains. “We’ve worked on that tirelessly... We had a tough couple of years for charities to fundraise, because of COVID.” Ronan’s mother Marie sadly died from breast cancer in 1998, and the Keating family promised a legacy of providing vital information, advice and support on the signs and symptoms of cancer and helping to prevent cancer or detect it at its earliest stages. The Marie Keating Foundation was established in Marie’s memory, with the Foundation's mission to make cancer less frightening by enlightening and its aim to live in a world free from the fear of cancer. “My family and I were devastated when my mum died of cancer, and we wanted to do something positive to help people understand more about cancer, so that fewer families have to go through what we did.” The music legend launched the first mobile unit in the UK to target the general public with cancer prevention information, highlighting how to reduce your cancer risk. He also supports the Cancer Awareness Roadshows, which have toured around the UK since 2006, raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer and offering face-to-face support. As the Foundation’s Patron, the prolific philanthropist is proud to have pulled off the TV benefit gig ‘Concert4Cancer’ a few years ago, featuring Gary Barlow, Brian Kennedy, The Coronas and Kodaline. “We raised half a million,” Ronan reveals. “It was phenomenal!” Emeralds & Ivy Charity Ball Ronan and his wife Storm hold an annual star-studded Emeralds & Ivy Ball in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation and in partnership with Cancer Research UK. “We’re excited to work with Cancer Research UK and be part of something that is making a difference for thousands of people every year,” Ronan reveals. This year, the glamorous event takes place on Sat 14th December at The Raffles Hotel. “We’ve hosted it for nearly 20 years now and have raised around £12 million, which goes to our mobile units travelling around the country, giving a free service to people. Following lockdown, they were straight back out on the road, which was fantastic because of the ensuing huge spike in cancer patients, as people weren’t able to go to hospitals and be checked and diagnosed. So, it’s really important and we deal with this. We’re out there trying to help people.”
Mental Health - A Loose Man on The One Show Sofa
Ronan also sadly lost his big brother Ciaran, who was tragically killed in a car crash in 2023. “Gone too soon and taken from us in the most horrific way… There is no easy way in grief, just a coming to terms with your situation,” Ronan explains. “Call your sibling, your parent, your child, your loved one. Don’t put it off, don’t think they will be there tomorrow. Because they may not. My heart hurts today. For everyone who’s lost a loved one too soon, I feel your pain…” With his huge focus on male mental health, making his mark on the airwaves with his former breakfast show at Magic FM, Ronan’s had impressive hosting success on TV, too, where his much-loved co-hosting stints on BBC One’s ‘The One Show’ sofa have seen him chatting openly about the formerly ‘taboo’ topic with countless other celebs. He’s also been a ‘Loose Man’ for the day, alongside Marvin Humes, Iain Stirling and Roman Kemp, as popular ITV lunchtime show ‘Loose Women’ rebranded for the first time in its 21-year history, welcoming its first all-male panel to mark International Men’s Day 2020. The ‘Loose Men’ changed the conversation, inspiring fellow males to talk about their feelings and not keep things bottled up. Alongside sharing their own personal experiences, the Loose Men were joined by Hollywood legend Matthew McConaughey as part of the programme’s ‘Stand by Your Men’ award-winning mental health campaign ‘Lighten The Load’. Helping Men’s Mental Health Last year, Ronan teamed up with Vernon Kay, Ore Odube and Harry Redknapp to support Loose Men's Half-Time Team Talk campaign, aiming to tackle the taboo around male mental health by opening up to each other to lighten the load. With recent stats showing that two in five men regularly feel worried or low, with one in 10 experiencing suicidal thoughts when feeling this way, the campaign encourages men to start uniting over their troubles and blow the whistle on the shame and stigma that surrounds male mental health by checking in and connecting with each other whilst their fave football teams have their vital pep talks. “Men find it hard to talk, and suffer with depression greatly... It's good to talk, and there is help out there to give men the tools they need to deal with things they are struggling with," Ronan advises. The campaign shines a light on the importance of men asking for help if they are struggling, to tackle the issues they often shy away from talking about. "It was great to go on the show with the other lads and start the conversation to, hopefully, get men talking about mental health issues," Ronan reveals. "I see Dan, my therapist, whenever I'm feeling fragile and need help with my mental health, whether I'm overstressed from working too hard, or it's a certain date which reminds me of something sad that’s happened, such as someone who's passed away...” StrongMen & Taking a Moment for Mind… Ronan is an ambassador for a fair few charities, including StrongMen. “I feel very passionate about working with the StrongMen charity, which assists men dealing with bereavement and deals with mental health.” Alongside stars including Tom Jones, Sharon Osbourne, Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley and Helena Bonham Carter, Ronan has also taken many ‘A Moment for Mind’, the @takeamoment4mind campaign instigated by renowned photographer Ray Burmiston in aid of Mind mental health charity at www.mind.org.uk which has seen Ronan’s ‘Mind’ image illuminate London’s Piccadilly Lights.
Ronan’s Record-Breaking Magic
Ronan recently hung up his headphones at his much-loved Magic FM morning breakfast radio show which he co-hosted with Harriet Scott for seven years, although he’s still very much involved with the popular station. How did it feel to achieve the highest-ever ratings in Magic’s history? “Amazing!! It was such a fun show… We loved doing it and speaking with our listeners and hearing what people think. I never imagined I’d do radio like this, especially breakfast radio… I lived the other lifestyle - going to bed at 4-5am, not getting up at that time! I loved it, it was great fun.” A few of his fave guests? “We had Stormzy on, which was quite unique for Magic. Mark Wahlberg was pretty cool, Kylie Minogue’s wonderful… we got a real mixed bag, it was great!” Ronan and Magic FM also hooked up with Disney+ with the multi-award-winning artist filling us in on his family’s favourite Disney films. Celebrity Juicing! Ronan’s also let his hair down on Keith Lemon’s ‘Celebrity Juice’. “It’s SO much fun to be on. At a time like lockdown, where everything was so sanitised, literally, we needed a show like that…” When I suggest to Ronan he puts himself forward for James Cordon’s ‘Car Karaoke’, he replies, “That would be GREAT fun… A riot! James and I sang together a few years ago at one of my charity events. He’s a great singer.” A Rollercoaster Twenty Twenty Ronan’s album ‘Twenty Twenty’, released in the rollercoaster year of 2020, featured a magnificent mix of old and new tracks, commemorating 20 years since his first, and hugely successful, eponymous debut solo album ‘Ronan’. He describes Twenty Twenty as “a greatest hits of brand-new music”. “There are three songs I readdressed; ‘When You Say Nothing At All’, ‘Life Is a Rollercoaster’ and ‘Lovin’ Each Day’. Those songs are kind of career records that stand the test of time and are still with me today. And I’m here today because of those songs. So, I just thought I’d kind of give them a new, 2020 flavour.” In Tune with Other Talents Reworking a few old favourites, Ronan called in a few famous friends to add their creative juices. “Robbie Williams, Shania Twain, Emeli Sandé, Nina Nesbitt... some of my favourite artists are on there… I got to sing with them and I’m very proud of that. Having Alison Krauss sing on ‘When You Say Nothing At All’, and Ed Sheeran play guitar over it, it’s just phenomenal… a great honour.” Ronan & Robbie’s Big Goodbye for Stephen Ronan and Robbie, of course, go back a long way, and duetted on a touching ‘Twenty Twenty’ tribute track to Ronan’s late Boyzone bandmate Stephen Gately, who tragically passed away 15 years ago. “It was lovely to work with Rob. I love his work, he works very hard, he’s a great artist and great fun!” says Ronan. “Rob reached out to me on the 10-year anniversary of Stephen’s death to say he’d forgotten he’d written this song, ‘Big Goodbye’, about Stephen’s passing. It was a very moving, emotional rollercoaster, the whole thing, to be honest, but a great honour to have this on the album and to sing it with Robbie.” Ronan on the Road… Ronan was supposed to celebrating his milestone work anniversary with a ‘Twenty Twenty’ world tour. “It should have kicked off in June 2020, but it was postponed. A big part of the celebration was to tour it live. We all needed to get back out there and tour live, for our heads and our hearts. We just wanted to get back on the road again. That’s why I do what I do – perform.” How did it feel when he did finally get back on the stage, doing what he loves after lockdown? “It was just great to be back on stage with my band again. After the lockdown years, I think everyone felt a huge sigh of relief that we could all get back together again to do something we truly love.” Songs From Home He honours Ireland's musical history with his latest album, ‘Songs From Home’, for which he hand-picked 12 tracks from his beloved homeland, drawing from the wealth of Ireland’s talent. “I was lucky to be able to release two albums during the pandemic; ‘Twenty Twenty’ and ‘Songs From Home’,” he tells me. Toasting his love for Irish music, as well as its continued significance in his life, the latter intimate album boasts brilliant reworks, as well as an original single from the celebrated Irish star. Ronan has circled back to his roots with the album, which authentically captures and represents his life in music. Celebrating traditional poetry and folklore alongside contemporary pieces, ‘Songs From Home’ forms the ultimate soundtrack to Ronan’s personal story. The international Irish artist masterfully weaves unheard tales of his youth with Ireland’s considerable musical heritage. A Bestselling Record-Breaking Artist The secret to Ronan’s phenomenal success in such a tough industry? “I’m not afraid to work,” he explains. “In this game, you have to graft constantly, so I’ve worked tirelessly… all the time. And I enjoy it. I’m not complaining… I love what I do!” Ronan’s many talents have expanded exponentially across abundant platforms. “There are lots more talented people out there than me,” he modestly admits. “But I think there are a lot of different elements that allow somebody to get to where I’ve got to after nearly 25 years.” Bucket List Collabs Having collaborated with some greats in the past, Pavarotti and Elton John also among them, whom would Ronan most love to duet with? “Garth Brooks is someone I’d love to work with, and it would be awesome to work with Bono and U2...” he divulges to me.
A Lockdown Baby!
Having moved from Barnes in SW London a few years ago, ‘home’ nowadays for Ronan is in the rolling hills of the idyllic English countryside, where he and his model/TV producer wife Storm have built their dream sustainable home just outside the capital city. Now a doting dad to five children (Ronan has three children with first wife, Yvonne), his and Storm’s second child, baby Coco, came along just four days into the first lockdown. “It was nice to be able to concentrate on being there at home. I’ve never spent that much time in one place in my life; I left home at 16, so to be there for every nappy change, bathtime, bedtime, every waking morning… it was gorgeous, really lovely… very special.” How did he look after his mental health during the first drawn-out lockdown? “Being around the ones you love makes life okay, much easier… My wife and children communicating and going through our daily lives together… we came through it.” Music for Mental Health Did the family man find himself being particularly creative? “I did write a lot, but to be honest, I was so busy I didn’t stop… doing my radio show from home, promoting my new album through Zoom interviews and Instagram… I think that was good for the head, too.” And music, of course, can help massively with mental health. “Very much...” agrees the aimable musician. “It’s an outlet… a great way of dealing with your emotions, speaking out about how you’re feeling… really important for mental health.” Top of the Shops! Right on key, Ronan’s a fan of playing a part in local life, “Storm and I believe in supporting the community. I think it’s important to know the people you’re living around, and to be proud of, and feel part of, the community… It's especially important at times like lockdown to keep in contact with people nextdoor, people close to you, and make sure everyone’s doing okay.” He hits all the right notes on the high street, too. “Wherever we live, we ALWAYS shop locally… local grocery stores, butcher’s…” Tee Off for Mental Health Before Barnes, Ronan resided in Esher, where life in Surrey – my home county - proved another huge hit for the singer. “It’s fabulous… a beautiful leafy suburb, gorgeous countryside, great restaurants, golf courses, lovely people… a great place to live!” Keen golfer Ronan also rates a good game of golf for mental health therapy and, boasting more courses than you can swing a golf club at, Surrey serves as a golfer’s paradise for fans of the sport, including singing sensation Ronan. “I LOVE playing golf, and I LOVE Wentworth, which is one of my favourite courses. There are so many fantastic courses in the county…. Sunningdale, private golf courses… it’s a pleasure to play them. They’re some of the best in the UK, if not Europe.” The former Boyzone singer enjoys a good green round with ex-bandmate Keith Duffy and reveals taking clubs on the road is par for the course. “Keith and I get out there every now and then, and ALWAYS bring our golf bags on tour!” He also has a golf buddy in Brian McFadden, formerly of Westlife fame - the band Ronan co-managed – and who has now formed a supergroup with Keith. Ronan and Brian have also played with a golfing legend. “We played with Gary Player at Wentworth for charity,” he discloses. So, what does Ronan miss most about his boyband days? “The lads… the camaraderie on the road, the friendship, you know... I do miss the boys...” Top of Ronan’s Charts Before buying an abode in Barnes, the broadcaster had already found the area a source of inspiration for his music. “There was a studio in Barnes called The Olympic (now the cinema), and I wrote and recorded a lot of albums there. So, I spent a lot of time around Barnes even before I lived there, working and recording and writing, and we just loved the area, the community, and even though you're so close to town (London), you’ve got that village feel.”
Richmond Rocks & Putney’s Caffeine Fix!
With a penchant for Putney, too, Ronan and Storm are partners in popular coffee pitstop, Ground Coffee Society. “We’re involved in the GCS coffee shop at 79 Lower Richmond Road, so we head there every now and again,” Ronan reveals. “I like that village feel, and being on the river is gorgeous, especially in the summertime, and the pubs are right on the river… It’s really lovely… we love that lifestyle.” Top riverside spot Richmond also rocks for Ronan. “Pre-kids, we went running in Richmond Park a lot. Now, we regularly take the kids for walks along the river, which is a lovely thing to do. It’s a great lifestyle, a great way of life there…” He may be partial to Putney and Richmond, but Barnes is where the Heart is, and is still Ronan’s No.1. “Storm and I love Barnes. It’s a gorgeous neighbourhood, with great restaurants, cinema, pubs… The Red Lion, The Brown Dog… so many.” With famous faces a-go-go in the area, “I bump into Simon Le Bon, renowned chefs and rugby players there,” he shares. “We love Barnes, we really do!” Up next for Ronan Keating? “I’m still working with Magic FM,” he reveals. “I feel very lucky to be in people’s homes across the UK on TV and radio, and have recently been a judge on Germany’s ‘The Voice’. Although now, being back on stage, is the thing that makes things so special.” “Treasure your loved ones, treasure your kids, go that extra mile and reach out to those people who really need it. We need to just spread the love as best we can. Health and happiness for everybody!” Find out more about The Marie Keating Foundation: www.mariekeating.ie The StrongMen charity: www.strongmen.org.uk Follow Ronan on Insta @rokeating © Angela Sara West 2024 @angela_sara_west
