WES NELSON

IT’S ONLY FRIGGIN WES NELSON, HE STOLE HEARTS ON LOVE ISLAND, SKATED INTO THE NATION’S HEART ON DANCING ON ICE AND LAST YEAR HE WAS SIGNED BY EMI RECORDS, WE CATCH UP TO HEAR ALL ABOUT IT

BY DANIEL MAY

BEFORE WE CHAT, MUSIC

LET’S back track. Before Love island at 20 years old, you were a Systems Design Engineer, that makes you sound super smart, for us average minded beings can you explain what that is lol Yeah. I was a Nuclear System Design Engineer. So, I designed the chemical electrical integration systems. Basically, that go into, essentially, nuclear stuff. It’s a nucleary-sounding job, basically. Science-y.

LOVE ISLAND BROUGHT YOU INTO THE PUBLIC EYE, WHAT IS YOUR FONDEST MEMORY AND LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THE SHOW?

My fondest memories were probably a collection of all the small little things. So, some things that probably didn’t even make the show. Just like little jokes, and this, that and the other. Just the small banter, and the sort of, cabin fever that we had caught again towards the end. I think the fondest memories probably were just Josh, and just waking up and messing around. And then least fond. Probably getting dumped when I came back.

CAROLINE FLACK’S, ANNIVERSARY WAS IN FEBRUARY, DID YOU WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY AND WHAT WAS SHE LIKE AS A PERSON?

I haven’t watched the documentary. So, purely because I have my own memories of Caroline, and how amazing she was as a person. She’s such a sensitive soul, and such a lovely person to be around. And we’ve got the greatest memories from on the show. And I’ve seen her off the show, and yeah, she was an amazing, amazing woman. And yeah, that’s the only reason I didn’t want to watch the documentary on it, is because I have my memories of Caroline, and I didn’t want that to blur anything.

YOU ARE A GREAT LOOKING GUY WHO IS BOUND TO GET LOADS OF ATTENTION, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH MALE ATTENTION?

Well, I’m not sure how to deal yet. I’ve not really had it, I suppose I just be flattered with a compliment.

DO YOU WORK OUT A LOT?

I don’t actually work out. That’s what I was saying when you asked me about the gym or cardio. I don’t actually work out at all.

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR ABS?

I don’t know. I think that’s big Alf Nelson and Pauline Nelson, their genetics. Parents, really. It’s gonna catch up with me one day, but until then, I’m just gonna stick to chilling.

WHAT ABOUT FOOD - ARE YOU ONE OF LUCKY ONES WHO CAN EAT EVERYTHING AND NOT GAIN A POUND, OR DO YOU FOLLOW A STRICT PLAN?

My diet is pretty atrocious. I can’t lie. Because, especially with music, it’s difficult with the hours and stuff that you’re working. And then some things are so spontaneous, so you don’t always have time to meal prep, or cook and stuff like that. So yeah, a lot of takeaways.

SO MANY WILL BE CURIOUS OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP STATUS? WHAT’S THE STORY, SINGLE, DATING?

Yeah, I’m keeping everything super-private right now in my relationship side of things. Because, for me, I think I’ve been open and honest with relationships before, and showed everything to the media, and showed everything to the world. And for them to have their say on it. And I’ve realised now that that’s just not for me, in a relationship. It just doesn’t work for me. I don’t like the pressures that comes with it. And yeah, I think to keep everything healthy, I just like to keep everything super-hush. So, you may see something or another, but you won’t get it out of me, sorry.

ON TO DANCING ON ICE – ANOTHER SHOW WATCHED BY MILLIONS. HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT, DID YOU PUT YOUR NAME FORWARD OR WHERE YOU ASKED?

They approached my management at the time, and just asked if I wanted to do it, and I’m not one to shy away from any sort of opportunity. So, I thought, you know, I’m terrible at ice skating. It’d be great to actually be decent by the time it comes to Christmas.

OH I DIDN’T REALISE YOU WERE A COMPLETE NOVICE, SO DID YOU CONTINUE TO SKATE AFTER?

Yeah, I never really skated. I think I’d been two or three times before that when I was drunk at Christmas and stuff. But I was one of the worst when we started. It’s been difficult this open again, I’d love to get back on the ice.

COVID HAS CAUSED HAVOC FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES, HOW HAS THE PAST YEAR BEEN FOR YOU?

For me, it’s been good. It’s been good in a sense. Career-wise, it’s actually been, surprisingly, one of the best years of my life, if not the best year of my life. Purely because I’ve been able to focus on things. I’ve been able to take away distractions and really hone in on music. Obviously, when I started out the first

lockdown, I was at Josh’s house. That was when I’d just split with Arabella. I jumped into Josh’s gaff for the time being until she could sort her stuff out, with moving and all that sort, and then I went back. But when I was at Josh’s, I was doing the... and I still am, now, every single day. Like, double-figure days of just writing and recording and just getting a big catalogue of songs. So, for me, it’s just taken all the distractions away and just let me focus on music.

YOU HAVE SAID ONE OF THE SECRETS TO YOUR SUCCESS IS WISE PROPERTY INVESTMENTS, ANY WORDS OF WISDOM TO BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS?

Yeah, for sure. I think it’s important, especially as young people, to understand that property is something that you can get into without a load of capital and a load of money. You can do it without. There’s ways to work around it. But yeah, property is something that I still do. My dad actually manages my properties now. He’s retired, so he now manages all my properties for me, my brother’s, etc, etc. And, yeah, we’ve got a nice little family thing going on now. So yeah, it’s definitely something I’d advise. It’s safe as houses. It’s something that’s always there. You can fall back on it. Whatever you want to do.

NOW ON TO MUSIC, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SURPRISED BY YOUR TALENT AFTER SEEING YOU ON CELEB X FACTOR, HAS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO PURSUE A CAREER WITHIN? CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING SIGNED BY EMI IT’S BOUND TO BE A DREAM COME TRUE.

Yeah. So, like, EMI is one of the greatest record labels in the UK right now. They’ve won countless awards and they signed me over. And they’re an amazing team. And the team that I have around me is supercustomed to me. And they cater for all my needs and sort out everything that needs to be sorted. And put me in places that I wouldn’t be able to go. Universal, obviously, are huge labels to this. That’s the main, that’s the major. They just have a lot of connects that I wouldn’t be able to have beforehand. And it was overwhelming for me, having a record label sign me, because that is literally my biggest life goal ever. So then, when that happened, it was crazy. And then, obviously, I’ve just signed my new updated deal, which is a little longer, and yeah, it’s just the greatest feeling in the world.

YOUR 2ND SINGLE NICE TO MEET YA, WAS JUST RELEASED, I LOVE IT, SO CATCHY. TELL US HOW THE COLLAB CAME ABOUT?

So, with me and Yxng Bane, we’d read the song and we was actually going to do it just as it was. But then I thought, ‘You know what, let’s...’ I mean, the thing is with me, if I’m releasing a song, I want the song to be the best song possible, regardless of whether it’s got a feature or not. So, I was just thinking this could have a feature. Someone could bring something, another dimension out of this. And that’s what Bane did, and I think Bane suits the profile. He’s a cheeky chappie. The song’s a cheeky song. Like, a bit of a sweet boy vibe. And it’s just like, he suits the song perfectly. And his voice, obviously first and foremost, is amazing over the track, and I think yeah, his energy and my energy collab real well on the song.

IS AN ALBUM NEXT ON THE AGENDA AND ANY PLANS FOR TOURING, FESTIVALS ETC?

I definitely want to do some live performances this year. I’ll not announce what they are yet. But yeah, keep your eyes peeled for them. And An album, maybe not this year. I definitely want to do a body of work and get something together. Maybe a little EP or something like that. I’m not sure yet. But probably next year looking for an album. But this year, expect a lot more music. And yeah, enjoy.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME WITH ME TODAY, ALL THE BEST, HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON.

It’s all good. Thank you so much.