ronan-keating.com
July 2010
Judges have that X Factor
MARRIAGE crises, career doldrums and new doors opening. Confidential runs its eye over the four X Factor judges.
Natalie Imbruglia
NATALIE Imbruglia has gone from global hitmaker to face of Revlon and back again, releasing an album last year which flopped badly.
She's back home from London and now wants to share her honesty.
"I've had my ups and downs," she told us.
"I have loved it [judging] - everybody warned me about Kyle because everybody seems scared of him. But I asked Dannii [Minogue, a co-judge on Australia's Got Talent] and she said he was fabulous. I trust her opinion."
Kyle Sandilands
KYLE Sandilands has spoken for the first time about his marriage break-up - and revealed his X Factor mates were a great support during the split.
Sandilands split from Tamara Jaber earlier this month and yesterday admitted it was tough.
"Like any friends you support each other and they [the judges] have been very good to me," he said.
Sandilands also gave an insight on life on the set of the show, revealing it was a family affair for Irishman Ronan Keating.
"Ronan has had his wife Yvonne and kids on set everyday and that has been wonderful. Except the for the kids, I probably could do without them," he smiled.
"But Ronan is such a genuine guy and great father and he handles them well."
The 2DayFM jock was an hour late for the Confidential interview at Star City - but explained why.
"I was in the shower gargling and doing mouth-spouts on to the wall when I realised I should have been here," he said.
Ronan Keating
RONAN Keating arrived in Australia in June with his 12-year marriage to wife Yvonne in tatters amid revelations that he had had an affair with a dancer.
But Australia has given them peace and time to reconcile, and Keating told us yesterday that the space away from home and the constant headlines they created had given them room to see if love could truly overcome.
"We've been left to our own devices but we are now a happy family," he said. "It's all good, thank God."
The former Boyzone star also revealed he had badly injured his back while Down Under. "I've been working out in the gym and done some serious damage," he said with a true grimace.
"I don't know how I've done it, I've never had a back injury in my life before.
"I consider myself pretty fit - I've climbed mountains and all sorts of things, but this has got me. It makes me feel mortal and doesn't feel nice, and I have to get some specialist advice."
Guy Sebastian
GUY Sebastian was in a more peaceful place but then moved east three months ago - all the way to Los Angeles - only to score the judging job.
"It was only four days after I rented a place in LA," he said.
But after being the judged on Australian Idol he can't wait to mentor X Factor contestants.
"It's not just sitting there criticising," he said. "I watched Idol last year and contestants were given too much rein - they needed somebody to guide them and I can do that."
From: News.com.au
(Click on the link to see a photo)
30 july 2010
From the official twitter page:
Finished all the Promo and initial filming For X factor OZ. Has been fantastic. Next step judges homes. X
30 july2010
From the official site:
Merchandise Offer
If you haven't already checked out the range of Ronan merchandise and clothing available over in the official Ronan Store - what are you waiting for? For a limited time only we're offering you all 20% off the clothing merch - so head over there now to treat yourself, a family member or friend!
29 july 2010
From the official twitter page:
On Set filming X factor Credit Shots. Amazing Pyro technics. Oh I feel like cheryl Cole. Ha ha
28 July 28th
From the official twitter page:
Thank You all so much for all your messages. Hope Your all well. Raining so heavy here in Sydney.
Hello Everyone Sorry been keeping a low profile. But I am back. Been in OZ doing X factor. Going to be an amazing Show. Speak soon. X
27 July 2010
From the official site:
News from The X-Factor Camp!
Boyzone's usually rather camera shy manager Mark Plunkett has made a very public appearance this weekend, appearing as a fellow judge with Ronan for the boot camp of the Australian XFactor. Word from the boot camp is that all went well and Ronan has whittled it down to six acts. Watch this space for more news!
25 july 2010
From the official site:
X-Factor Australia Advert!
Check out the new advert for The X-Factor Australia which features Ronan!
(Click on the link to see the advert)
22 july 2010
Riverside crowds bask in sunshine
Parts about Ronan:
The festival, now in its 28th year, opened on Wednesday night last week with a headline performance by Will Young and climaxed with a show by Ronan Keating.
Fans of Keating travelled from miles away to see the Boyzone star with some starting to queue to get in hours before he was due on stage.
A GROUP of women arrived at 2am on Sunday to make sure they would be in the front row to see Ronan Keating.
They were told by the festival organisers that they could spend time wandering round the town and still be guaranteed to be let in first. But the women refused, preferring to wait in the stifling heat.
They came from as far as Scotland and many of them have been meeting up at the concerts for the 17 years. They said they were better treated at Henley than anywhere else with festival staff giving them posters and security men providing water.
From: Henley Standard
(Click on the link to read the whole article)
19 july 2010
Ronan Keating: Henley Festival
One pleasure of being a music critic is the chance to review artists I wouldn’t have thought of going to see, and Henley is particularly good for that. Two years ago, I was bowled over by The Proclaimers to the extent that I bought their ‘Best of…’ album the next day, and soon hoovered up their entire back catalogue. Would Irish golden boy Ronan Keating work the same magic?
Very nearly. I didn’t head down to HMV the next morning, but the Boyzone star didn’t put a foot wrong as he belted out hit after hit to a crowd of adoring fans who swayed, clapped and sang along on the famous riverside lawn in a state of almost delirious ecstasy. Some, apparently, had been queuing since 4am to ensure a close view of their idol, and at one point he clambered down to give them the attention they deserved after their wait. Meanwhile, several boats had drawn alongside the banks to listen to the music — and there were clearly Ronan fans on board, as they, too, were singing enthusiastically along.
After about 20 minutes, tired of battling with the throng in front of the stage, my husband and I decided to retreat to the nearby Lavazza café, where we were able to listen to the music in a less frenetic atmosphere. And that will be my abiding memory of this year’s festival — sitting by the river, drinking coffee, watching the boats and the lights flickering on the water, listening to Ronan Keating and tapping my feet along to the music. That sort of ambience is the real essence of Henley – and you can’t buy that on a CD.
From: Oxford times
(Click on the link to see a Ronan photo)
16 July 2010
From Pop Idol to rock show, festival delivers
POP superstar Ronan Keating will be in Henley on Sunday to make a headlining appearance at this year’s Henley Festival.
The Boyzone singer will perform a selection of his best-loved songs when he takes to the floating stage on the final night on Sunday.
The show will round off five days of performances by stars including fellow pop star Will Young, Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel and acclaimed violinist Nigel Kennedy. There will also be The Music of Queen, a rock spectacular with performers from West End hit musical We Will Rock You and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Keating, 33, the only artist to have had 30 consecutive top 10 British singles, said: “I am absolutely delighted to be performing at the Henley Festival this summer. It’s great to be involved with an event that is such a celebration of music and art and I’m looking forward to being part of it.”
Gill Mitchell, chief executive officer of the Henley Festival, said: “We are extremely excited that Ronan Keating will be joining the exceptional line-up of musicians at the 2010 festival.
“Ronan is a well-loved and talented performer who will add something exceptional to the atmosphere this year.”
The festival opened on Wednesday, with Will Young, winner of the first Pop Idol, who performed a selection of his hits.
From: Henley Standard
(This is only the Ronan part of the article.
To read the whole article, click on the link.)
12 july 2010
From the official site:
Ronan returns to the U.K!
Ronan jetted back to the UK for two amazing gigs this weekend. Friday night saw him at Haigh and Hall Country Park for the finale of the Wigan Life Tuned In concert season which had seen The Saturdays, Katherine Jenkins and McFly perform.
"Crowds turned up in their thousands to watch Irish crooner Ronan Keating wrap up the festivities. In what was possibly the biggest crowd-puller of the week, the Boyzone singer pulled out all stops to impress."
Then on Sunday Ronan was in Henley to perform in front of a suited and booted audience to mark the end of the Henley Festival 2010 where the likes of Will Young, Bryn Terfel and Nigel Kennedy had also performed.
Now Ronan is back in Australia to continue with his X Factor judging and we have a sneaky peak of the first official photo of Ronan with his fellow judges.
(Click on the link to see the photo)
12 july 2010
Rockin’ Ronan
THE final night of the huge Tuned In concert proved to be a fitting end to the spectacular five-day event.
Crowds turned up in their thousands to watch Irish crooner Ronan Keating wrap up the festivities.
In what was possibly the biggest crowd-puller of the week, the Boyzone singer pulled out all stops to impress.
He flew in from Australia following his stint in the Aussie version of the X Factor and he put all his past troubles behind him to perform classic hits Love What You Do, Time After Time, and Last Thing on My Mind.
Fans bellowed to the chorus of If Tomorrow Never Comes at Ronan’s request and females went weak at the knees and screamed for his attention as he came down from the stage to shake hands with people.
But the Irish lad was humble over his recent heartache and told the audience: “Thanks for the support you have given me over the last month and the last 12 months. I have had dark days, so thank you very much. I really appreciate it.”
And he dedicated a song to bandmate Stephen Gately, who died more than a year ago.
Although the audience consisted mainly of women swooning over the Irish legend, a few men were dotted in the crowds, seen rocking it to a few tunes.
But a big surprise on the night was Orrell-born singer, Simon Jones, who promises to be the next big thing.
He warmed up the crowds ready for Ronan, with a good mix of cover versions and his own-penned tunes, helped along by his guitar.
The 26-year-old proved he has what it takes to make it big, telling the crowd: “I’m from Wigan, so it is great to be playing here. It’s really special.”
He played to a mellow crowd, singing The Script’s Man Who Can’t Be Moved, a tune which rocked the festival three days ago when N’Dubz covered the song.
He almost had the audience revved up to sing along to Jame’s Morrison’s duet Broken Strings, but due to a technical glitch, he had to abandon that and play his final song – Leave This Town, which was just as good, if not better.
Speaking after the concert, Simon said: “It was nerveracking, but I really enjoyed it. It was amazing. I think Ronan is a great artist. I had a chat with him and he was really nice.”
Despite the slight downpour which threatened to dampen spirits, the Tuned In festival ended on a high.
Pete Gascoigne, executive director of libraries, heritage and arts at Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, said: “I am very sad it is the final night. It has gone brilliantly. We have had such warm crowds. Everybody seems to have gone away with a big smile on their face.
“It might be the last night of the Tuned In Festival, but we still have the Jazz Festival and eight days of fantastic music.”
From: Wigan Today
(Click on the link to see a new Ronan photo)
11 july 2010
Ronan prepares to bring X Factor hopefuls home to his Dublin pad
Ronan Keating will be bringing his Australian X Factor acts to Dublin, the Herald can reveal.
Keating (33), who is currently in Australia filming the initial stages of the hit reality show, will be jetting back to the capital in a matter of weeks in order to mentor his acts one on one.
Although he had always planned on making his way back to Dublin following an initial stint Down Under -- he won't be arriving alone.
As the show's format requires, a small number of acts who survived all the stages of boot camp make it to the judges' houses -- and Keating will bring his back here.
Each of the four judges will be bringing their acts overseas. Kyle Sandilands will be bringing his to Los Angeles while Natalie Imbruglia and Guy Sebastian have yet to announce their set destinations.
And the Boyzone singer may be home for good much sooner than expected -- as the show is being fast-tracked to air before the end of the year. Production bosses will be rushing over the coming weeks to get filming wrapped up before the end of the summer, unlike its UK equivalent.
"What takes six months to film for the UK will be done in six or seven weeks for Australia, so it's going to be very hectic," a set insider said.
It is still unknown where Keating will stay for on his brief return to the capital before returning to Australia later this year to once again fulfil his judging duties.
Since being kicked out of the Malahide mansion he shared with estranged wife Yvonne (36), he has splashed out on a plush bachelor pad just up the road from his family home.
And the news of his return has added fuel to rumours that he hopes to reconcile with his wife after becoming embroiled in a cheating scandal with backing dancer Francine Cornell (26).
The pair were spotted together for the first time since they announced their split nearly two months ago as they enjoyed a family day out at Sydney's Taronga Zoo.
From: Herald
8 july 2010
Ronan Keating: I Love Showing Off My Hot Body
Ronan Keating can’t stop wearing T-shirts, even though it is winter in Australia, because he loves showing off his “hot body”.
The Boyzone singer is currently living in Sydney while he films his judging role on the Australian version of hit UK talent show The X Factor. The usually-warm country has been experiencing a cold snap in recent weeks, but Ronan has refused to don a coat or jacket, despite the plunging temperatures.
During an interview with his fellow judge Kyle Sandilands on his radio programme The Kyle and Jackie O show, Ronan initially claimed he was wearing skimpy clothing because he is Irish and doesn’t feel the cold, but then admitted he is just desperate to show off his muscular physique.
“This isn’t cold – it gets much colder where I’m from,” he said. “Actually, you’re right. The only reason I wear skin-tight T-shirts is to show off my hot body. For that reason and that reason only!”
Ronan also spoke about his band Boyzone, which was left devastated last year when one of its members Stephen Gately died. Ronan revealed the group would be collaborating with a “legendary” artist for a new record they hope to release at the end of the year.
He refused to reveal the identity of the musician, but said it would shock fans.
“Boyzone is still at it,” he said. “We will possibly have a new record out at the end of the year. It’s a concept record with another artist. I can't tell you what who it is because it's a secret, but it’s a legendary artist.”
From: Musicrooms
8 july 2010
Speedy take on X Factor
THE Australian production of The X Factor will be fast-tracked to get the show to air before the end of the year.
Judges Ronan Keating, Kyle Sandilands, Natalie Imbruglia and Guy Sebastian will take the contestants - divided into under-25s, over 25s and group acts - overseas to mentor some and cull others.
It's understood Keating will take his group to his hometown of Dublin, while Sandilands will convene to Los Angeles. Imbruglia and Sebastian have yet to name their destinations.
"What takes six months to film for the UK will be done in six or seven weeks for Australia, so it's going to be very hectic," a production source said.
From: Herald Sun
07 july 2010
Ronan Keating’s 11-year-old son wants to be Justin Bieber.
The Boyzone singer has three children with his wife Yvonne, Jack, 11, Marie, nine, and four-year-old Ali. The family is currently living in Australia while Ronan films his role as a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor.
The children love going on tour with their father, but Ronan says only one of them harbours a desire to be a singer. Unfortunately, young Jack aspires to be more like 16-year-old Canadian pop star Justin than his dad, even taking to the stage during a break in recent X Factor auditions to perform Justin’s hit Baby for the crowd.
“Jack wants to be a singer,” Ronan said during an interview on Australian radio programme The Kyle and Jackie O Show. “He got up on stage at the auditions the other day to sing Justin Bieber. He loved it.”
Ronan enjoys being a father, but admits his brood can be difficult to handle at times. He says the X Factor dressing rooms are serene until his children arrive each day to mess everything up.
“Everyone so nice, everything is so peaceful, then my kids come in and take over the dressing room - touching everyone's stuff, messing everything up,” Ronan laughed. “They steal stuff, watches sunglasses, and sell them on the street!”
From: Music rooms
07 july 2010
From the official site:
Win Tickets to See Ronan!
Ronan will be playing in Wigan and Henley this weekend and we've got a pair of tickets up for grabs to both shows! If you'd like to be in with the chance of winning then click HERE to enter.
Competition closes tomorrow (8th July) at midday. So make sure you enter soon!
07 july 2010
X Factor's on the money
MUSIC mogul Simon Cowell will keep a very close eye on the Australian version of The X Factor thousands of miles away in the UK.
The show is looking like being one of the most expensive of all time, with a rumoured budget of $22 million at Cowell's insistence.
The massive set arrived at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne on Friday for three days of intense auditions with judges Ronan Keating, Natalie Imbruglia, Kyle Sandilands and Guy Sebastian watching dozens of potential acts. Imbruglia revealed Cowell was very strict when he signed the deal with Channel 7 in Los Angeles early this year.
"Simon said, 'It's my way or the highway'," Imbruglia said.
"He said, 'If you're going to do this show, it's going to be done how I do it', which is great."
Seven has much riding on the show being successful because of the big budget. And Cowell will be keeping up with what's going on from his star signings.
"Simon sat with Nat and me in the UK two weeks ago and is 120 per cent behind this," Keating said.
"He has a vision of what he wants the show to be here in Australia and how big he wants it to be."
For the show to work as Cowell and Seven want, the the chemistry between the judges is very important.
That chemistry was obvious during the exclusive Sunday Herald Sun set visit, which would be music to the ears of Cowell and the network executives.
From: Herald sun
(Click on the link to see a Ronan photo)
03 july 2010
Englands woes a relief for Festival
ORGANISERS of the Henley Festival are breathing a sigh of relief after England crashed out of the World Cup.
They were concerned because the climax of the festival — a concert by Ronan Keating, on Sunday, July 11 — clashes with the final.
Now they are urging football fans left disappointed at England’s defeat by Germany to make up for it by attending the "party night".
Stewart Collins, the festival’s artistic director, said: "When Germany scored their fourth goal I almost cried... and then within seconds I almost cried again as I realised what it meant for the festival. It was a real ‘to be or not to be’ moment." Meanwhile, a concert featuring the Henley Festival Youth Orchestra was held at Shiplake College on Sunday.
The orchestra was celebrating its third year, while the Henley Symphony Orchestra was marking its 40th.
From: Henley Standard
02 july 2010
From the official site:
Special Ticket Offer!
Today we have a special ticket offer for Ronan's gig at Haigh Hall in Wigan on Friday 9th July.
Ticketmaster are doing a countdown '2 for 1' today (1st July) from 12.00pm! An offer not to be missed! You can get more details HERE.
01 july 2010