Mandela is an icon for Ronan Keating

Sameer Naik finds out that Irish pop star Ronan Keating is full of admiration for Madiba and reveals that SA is one of his favourite countries to visit.

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Johannesburg - If you could have dinner with anyone in the world - living or dead - who would it be?

For Irish pop star Ronan Keating, the answer is easy. The world-renowned singer says he would invite former South African president Nelson Mandela, American singer Frank Sinatra and his mom Marie Keating, who passed away after a long battle with cancer.

The former Boyzone member is full of admiration for Mandela, and has revealed that South Africa is one of his favourite countries to visit.

The Saturday Star caught up with the award-winning singer who will be performing in the band's Time of My Life tour in South Africa in August.

The pop star will perform one show in Cape Town, at the GrandWest Grand Arena on August 17, before jetting off to Joburg to perform four shows at the Montecasino Teatro on August 18, 19, 20 and 21.

 

What are some of the strangest things you have heard about South Africa?

I have heard only great things about South Africa and I have visited your beautiful country many times both on holidays and for work.

 

Boyzone will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2018. Is there a reunion tour on the cards for the band?

Twenty-five years is amazing, isn’t it? Who would have thought that we would still be here 25 years later? You can’t let a milestone like that go unmarked but we haven’t decided yet quite how we'll celebrate it.

 

You’ve had a very successful career. You were part of a successful boy band, you enjoyed a great solo career, and you’ve also featured on the big screen. What has been the happiest part of your career so far?

Everyone always seems to say that the present is their favourite time, but this is really true for me. I feel like Time of My Life is my most personal album - I was so lucky to be able to make that album over a year and really take my time with it. The songs were very organic and very personal to me. I have been so, so lucky over the years to have done all the amazing things you mentioned and while I’m doing each one it is the best. Being in Boyzone with the lads, when you are on set working on a film, presenting TV shows, doing my solo music - all of it is amazing and I am blessed to still be doing it all. So I would say right now is my happiest time.

 

What is your greatest fear?

Snakes - I can’t stand them and I know you have some scary ones in South Africa!

 

If there were any three guests you could invite for a dinner party, dead or alive, who would make the list and why?

Frank Sinatra, Nelson Mandela and my dear mum would be my choices. My dear mother passed away to cancer in 1998 and to see her again and give her a hug would always be my dream come true. I would also get her to cook the dinner so I could taste her home-cooking again. Frank and I could have a good old sing together. I have always wanted to duet with him. And I think there would be some interesting conversations with Mr Mandela.

 

What has been the most embarrassing moment of your life to date?

The very first appearance that Boyzone did on a TV show in Ireland called the Late Late Show still makes my toes curl when I watch it. Actually I say that but I never watch it, I seriously try to avoid it, but it is the sort of thing TV shows like to remind you of.

 

Who would play Ronan Keating in a film about your life?

I'm going to go for an actor I really like called Giovanni Ribisi - he has been in loads of films but his name isn’t immediately recognisable. He played the photographer in Lost in Translation, he was Phoebe’s brother in Friend. I think he's a really interesting actor and could do something quite different.

 

You featured in the movie Postman Pat. Growing up, which were your favourite cartoons?

I think being the singing voice of Postman Pat is quite something. When I was growing up I loved watching cartoons. I watched them all - He Man, She-Ra, The Muppets, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock.

 

What was the worst gig you've done?

I think that first performance that Boyzone did on the Late Late Show was quite the most excruciating thing. We thought we were fantastic and couldn’t believe we were on the telly but that clip has haunted us. Some of the early gigs that Boyzone did were pretty grim too... We were driving ourselves around Ireland in a van playing at all kinds of bars and clubs... we dubbed the tour the Window Ledge as most of the stages we played on were about the size of a window sill.

 

What is the most bizarre rumour you have heard about yourself?

The trouble with being in the public eye is that there is always some nonsense in the media, but I don’t think I’ve heard any rumours that are really bizarre. I was asked if I was going to play James Bond... but I think I started that rumour.

 

Finally, tell us a secret ?

I hate mushrooms.

sameer.naik@inl.co.za

Saturday Star