RAY QUINN

INTERVIEW: DANIEL MAY

IT FEELS LIKE HE’S BEEN PERFORMING HIS WHOLE LIFE, JOINING BROOKSIDE (ASK YOUR MUM) 20 YEARS AGO AND REMAINING A CONSTANT IN THE PUBLIC EYE EVER SINCE. HE’S TREAD THE THEATRE BOARDS, CAME SECOND PLACE ON X-FACTOR, FIRST PLACE ON DANCING ON ICE, AND HIS DEBUT ALBUM WENT TO NUMBER 1 WITHOUT EVEN RELEASING A SINGLE (UNHEARD OF!). WEE RAY QUINN IS BACK WITH A BRAND-NEW ALBUM UNDENIABLE, HE CAUGHT UP WITH OUR DANIEL FOR A QUICK CHAT…

LET’S BREAK THE ICE WITH A GAME OF WOULD YOU RATHER

EAT IN OR EAT OUT - Eat in SUMMER OR WINTER - Summer BOXERS OR BRIEFS - Boxers HANDS OR FEET - Feet, only my bird’s feet though! TV OR CINEMA - TV CHOCOLATE OR CRISPS - Crisps AU NATURAL OR MAN SCAPE - Au Natural, the only thing I cut is my beard lol CARDIO OR WEIGHTS - Neither atm, but I prefer weights ROM-COM OR ACTION - Action all day X-FACTOR OR DANCING ON ICE - Dancing on Ice

AND WHAT WAS IT?

So, my first official job was Brookside, I got that when I was about 8 or 9, I was there for 5 years.

HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT TO BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND LIVE YOUR TEENAGE YEARS WITH EVERYONE WATCHING?

It was all I knew really, I always wanted to do it, my agent Collette called me one day telling me about the auditions, it was my first ever audition I went not thinking anything of it, we were there all day and I kept getting called back. The following day I went back for the finals which went well though I never heard another thing, three weeks later my mum picked me up from school, she said I have a surprise for you when you get home. I thought I was maybe getting a new game or a treat after tea, she handed me a letter and said read that, it was

a confirmation letter saying I got the job as Anthony Murray , when I would be starting, I was completely over the moon and shocked that after my first audition I got the job. Looking back, it never felt like work it was such a great fun atmosphere.

IF YOU COULDN’T BE A PERFORMER WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

When I was really young I wanted to be a copper, I always thought that would be a really cool interesting job, in school if the teacher asked what I wanted to be I always said “a busy” lol. Even now I love watching Police shows and documentaries.

I think now knowing what I’m like, it would be doing something creative, I could maybe be a barber, I love hairdressing. I also love cooking so maybe something to do with that or even an Artist drawing cartoons, in school I got an A* in GCSE Art.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT PREFORMING?

The natural reaction from people having a great time, the admiration that comes with it, people wanting to meet before/actor gigs, it’s very humbling seeing people who listen to my music. I remember getting a piece of advice years ago when doing a Musical Theatre show, one of the cast said to me “If you can find one person in the audience, feed the energy to them and the rest will follow”. Ever since then if I notice one person really going for it and giving it large, I tend to focus on them and it works, others do follow suit and positivity spreads across the room. I love life performances, gigs etc, there is nothing like it. When they don’t clap lol, laugh or get my humour, when I go further down south people can’t understand me, being from Liverpool I speak a bit scouse. It can be hard sometimes trying to articulate. Really though nothing is that bad, it’s great when people come and support, my audiences are always really warm and welcoming

YOU CAME 2ND PLACE IN THE X-FACTOR, MISSING OUT TO LEONA LEWIS. WHAT LEAD YOU TO ENTER, WAS IT THAT YOU WANTED TO SHOW YOU WERE MORE THAN AN EX-SOAP STAR?

Not at all, I didn’t know about it, it was my Mum, Dad and my Nan, my Nan’s not here now, God rest her, they were always encouraging me, I remember we were all sitting having a Chinese one night, we would watch things like Pop Idol, I was always a fan of Gareth Gates and Will Young. This night Shane Ward was on, he had won the X-Factor, my mum said ‘Do you reckon you could do that, would you like to do something like that’ of course I said YES, while eating my Chow Mein lol. At the time I was happy enough getting £30 doing local gigs in my dad’s pup and in the social clubs. A few weeks later, I was outside the house, I was 16, my dad said look what has arrived, it’s an X-Factor application, your mum sent away for it, I said I was only messing and didn’t want to do it so that was that. A couple of days later another one came through the door, I said mum what are you doing, they all denied getting it, I still didn’t fill it in. Then a few weeks later a 3rd form arrived my Dad said go on do it will be the best Father’s Day present ever, I said fine, filled it in, sent it off and never looked back really.

AGO IT’S BOUND TO BE SURREAL?

Yeah, it doesn’t feel like it happened, I feel like I’ve been watching someone else, it’s crazy.

YOU RELEASED YOUR FIRST ALBUM 13 YEARS AGO AND IT WENT TO NUMBER ONE WITHOUT YOU EVEN RELEASING A SINGLE FROM IT, HOW DID THAT FEEL?

It was unheard of back then, I hold the Guinness World Record for the youngest male artist to enter the album charts at Number 1 without releasing a single, I’ve got the certificate and all. It’s crazy to think I was such a young lad and all of a sudden I have a Platinum selling Album and am a Guinness record holder, it’s an accolade I will always cherish and remember, my kids and grandkids can look back and say wow look what he done, that’s a nice thought.

WITH SUCH SUCCESS WITH IT I’M SURE YOUR RECORD COMPANY WERE PLEASED, WHY WAS THERE NO IMMEDIATE FOLLOW-UP ALBUM?

About three or four months after the release I was up and down the country and across the world on tour and doing gigs in places like Dubai, Portugal it was mad. Then when it finished, I went back to my mums, returned to being a normal young fella playing computer games, I then bought myself a house little car near my mums. We did talk about doing a 2nd album though the offer just went away after a few weeks, I was gutted at the time but now I feel it was a blessing in disguise, I didn’t know a lot about the industry but it lead to loads of great opportunities that without the X-Factor I never would of had. I got to play on the Westend, which is every performer’s dream. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a

thing. I had a great team around me and had a brilliant time.

YOU’VE BEEN WIDELY PRAISED FOR YOUR LOOK AND POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE TOO. HOW DO YOU STAY SO FIT AND POSITIVE, TELL US YOUR SECRET…

For me it’s staying grounded, I’m fortunate to have great supportive parents, family and friends around me. It’s important to know who you are and how to separate yourself from the industry when the time is right, when you do a show go be the character or showman but leave them on stage and come home and do normal things, be yourself which will make you stay humble. My Mrs says, laugh plenty, trust few, learn to paddle your own canoe, it’s great advice, just stay happy, find your happiness and keep hold of it

OBVIOUSLY, YOU’VE A BGF (BIG GAY FOLLOWING), LOOKS AND TALENT – WHO WOULDN’T BE IMPRESSED. ANY STORIES YOU CAN SHARE WHILE AT A GAY BARS/CLUBS ?

I done Leeds Pride a few years back, I remember the crowd were unbelieve, I was doing a pop album at the time which was never released. I went to a few bars after, the atmosphere was amazing, everyone was so happy, dressed in outrageous colourful outfits, that’s how the world should be all the time, a happy colourful place.

WE’VE LISTENED TO A SAMPLE OF FIVE OF THE TRACKS FROM THE NEW ALBUM AND MUST SAY WE LOVE IT. MY FAV WAS ARTHUR’S THEME.

Christopher Cross classic, it was always a guilty pleasure when I was growing up. I was always conscious though thinking am I going to do it O.K, but when Steve came in and did the Big Band arrangement, it was just perfect. One of the reasons we went with the name ‘Undeniable’ for the album.

THE SOUND IS REALLY MATURE

THE FINISHED ALBUM IS A COCKTAIL OF CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS, MY HEART IS DEFINITELY ON MY SLEEVE WITH THIS ALBUM AND I HOPE EVERYONE LOVES IT.

WITH A GREAT MIX FROM THE PAST FIVE OR SIX DECADES. DID YOU CHOOSE ALL THE TRACKS YOURSELF OR WERE THEY SUGGESTED?

I sat down and chose tracks, a lot were influenced from when I grew up, songs I have listened to and learned to love over the years, again guilty pleasures. The finished album is a cocktail of contemporary classics, my heart is definitely on my sleeve with this album and I hope everyone loves it.

FOR THE COMPLETE RELEASE?

There are 12 on the regular album and 10 tracks on the vinyl release, I was desperate to get a vinyl, growing up my dad always had them. The music industry has changed so much from my first album with YouTube, Spotify, downloads etc which is great though I feel taking it back to its roots, investing in a record people appreciate it more, looking at the sleeve and reading the thank you’s etc. It’s also another achievement of mine.

ANY PLANS FOR A U.K/IRELAND TOUR?

Later in the year I will be doing pre tour gigs, we are also in talks of doing support for other artists. The plan is to tour this album in March next year, a few singles will be released along the way. I’m currently writing the show.

AND LASTLY, TELL US WHAT BRINGS JOY TO YOUR LIFE…

My Kids, a cuppa tea, my Mrs who makes a banging cuppa lol, my family, a nice cold can of Larger.

RAYS ALBUM UNDENIABLE IS DUE TO BE RELEASED ON 3RD JULY YOU CAN PRE ORDER VIA RAYQUINN.CO.UK, SEE THE VIDEO FOR THE FIRST SINGLE AND MORE