Cheri Burns
You had so many years of success in the band, Westlife were a global phenomenon, did you always imagine that ‘when this finishes, I want to go solo and I want to explore that’?
I didn’t, honestly. It was really only until we decided that we were breaking up as a band. It was only around then that I thought ‘you know, I’m going to have to do this on my own now’ so it was a scary thought. If I did want to go solo I think I would’ve gone solo years ago and it’s not something I ever actually wanted to do, but I think this time obviously I had to because if I wanted to keep singing I had to keep singing on my own. It’s a decision that just came naturally; it was the most natural thing for me to do. I’m glad I’ve had time to think about it all though and get ready for it. I didn’t rush the album at all, I took six or seven months, so I’m finally, I think, ready for it. I’m only two weeks in but so far, so good.
What do your family and your wife think of this new chapter?
They love it. They’re all very nervous and stuff for me as well. It’s one of those weird moments when you don’t know how people are going to react. Obviously the fact as well that I’m writing songs, I want people to like the songs for the songs, I don’t want to tell them how good it is, it’s up to them to decide but I think… my family have been amazing, Gillian and my kids have been amazing. My little boy, Patrick, I was on the phone to him there and he said ‘I just heard your song Daddy, in the toy shop,’ so he was all excited that he was in his toy shop and he heard my song coming on the radio. That was a pretty cool moment that I’ll never forget. It’s things like that, I’m getting to sing and I’m getting a second chance of a career, we’ll have to just wait and see what happens.
Have you had a reaction from the lads from Westlife?
I have, yeah. They’ve all been on to me, actually, and they’ve all said they love the song – great reaction to it from all three of the lads so it’s nice to have that too, obviously, because Westlife ended on a great note, we’re all still friends. Obviously we’re all doing our individual things so we don’t really see each other anymore that much but we’re all finding our individual paths. We’re all doing quite well and happy so I think it’s one of those things that we’ll always meet up and have a few pints and reminisce about it all.
What is next for you? You mention touring, is that something that you’re aiming towards?
Yeah, I’d love to tour. I don’t think it’ll be for a while though. I think it’ll be another, maybe, nine or ten months – the middle of next year hopefully. I want to do it when people know my album and people know my songs… hopefully have three or four singles out there as well, so I want to go out there when people know it and are able to sing along to the songs. So, I don’t want to rush that either, I want to take my time and get it right. I’m looking forward to coming to Scotland as well, amazing shows we’ve had here over the years so it’ll be nice to come back up here.
And are you looking forward to getting out on stage and performing your songs as Shane, as opposed to one of a group of four?
I am, and that’s going to be brand new as well, getting used to that whole thing. I think I’ll probably start playing small venues first and get my confidence and get who I am as a performer on my own, because it’s different. Westlife is very different; very synchronised, very organised – everything’s like big screens and big shows – I think this is going to be more me signing music and me singing my songs, so it’ll be interesting but I’m looking forward to it.
Shane’s debut EP, ‘Everything to Me,’ will be available to download from iTunes from August 25. To purchase your copy, visit: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/everything-to-me-ep/id676343554
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