Ronan Keating will perform in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Shillong this week. (Supplied)
Irish pop sensation Ronan Keating visited India for the first time when he was a mere 17-year-old. His mates and he from the pop group Boyzone had done their debut show in India back in the ‘90s.
“It was the greatest shock from a cultural point of view,” shares Keating, during a media interaction ahead of his upcoming India tour.
“I was a young kid from Dublin who had never travelled before. All the colours, the smells, and the energy was so exciting. It opened our eyes to what the world has to offer,” shares the musician known best for hits like If Tomorrow Never Comes and Life is a Roller Coaster.
After his second visit in 2005 for the MTV Awards, the artsite now returns to India for his first solo tour.
“When I think about India, I think about the people, the warmth and the colours.
Keating is back in India for his first-ever solo tour. (Supplied)
The last time I was here was at a music awards in 2005. I still remember the costumes, the choreography, the energy of Bollywood. It was magnificent,” Keating shares.
This time, he is even more excited to visit India than he was when he was 17.
“Back then, we didn’t get to see much of the places. From the plane, it was straight to the studio or the concert and then back to the plane. We didn’t really appreciate where we were,” shares the singer-songwriter, who made his solo debut with the song When You Say Nothing At All for the soundtrack to the romantic comedy Notting Hill. The single went to number one in the UK and paved the way for his debut solo album.
Having started his career in 1993, Keating has lived through the transition from mini discs, CDs to internet and streaming.
He recalls, “Back then, an artist would walk into a room and announce how many albums he sold. Today, artists announce how many followers they have on social media. It’s a scary thing and sometimes I feel like I’m in a different universe.”
Keating adds that he comes from a time where we sold physical albums and he liked it.
“Now for me, recording music and putting it out there is a way to stay relevant,” he shares.
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After his shows in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Shillong this week, Keating and his wife plan to travel Rajasthan for some downtime.
“I’m looking forward to showing my wife around the city,” shares Keating, who plans to get back to working on his 13th album once the trip is over.
“I have got a lot of ideas. It’s been a tough year, personally. I lost my brother this year. For me, pouring myself into the songs is integral to the writing process. It’s therapeutic,” he shares.
As Keating returns to India with his ’90s hits, fans of the artist can’t keep calm.
Besides Bengaluru, Keating will be performing in Mumbai and Shillong. (Supplied)
“It’s been a while since Bangalore got good artists. A decade back, this city was the hub for artists, bands and performances. Hopefully this will be the much needed jumpstart for the music scene!” shares Debolina Ray, adding that she’s looking forward to listening to the Boyzone hits as well as his Keating’s singles.
“I love the OST of movies like Mr.Bean and Notting Hill. I am really hoping these make it to the set list. Because ‘No Matter What’, we don’t need a reason to love ‘A Different Beat’,” shares Ray, quoting some of the iconic Boyzone songs.
Arpitha Rai, another Boyzone fan adds, “Keating’s When You Say Nothing At All holds a special place in my heart. Over the years, it’s remained my ultimate romantic favorite. As a millennial, the thrill of experiencing RK perform it live is beyond exciting – eagerly anticipating an unforgettable performance.”
Venue: Bharatiya City, Near Manyata Teck Park, Bengaluru
Date: Saturday, 18th of November, 2023
Time: 4 PM onwards
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