Music News

Ronan Keating has announced his solo tour - and he can't wait to sing new song 'Breathe' to his fans.
The 38-year-old singer has unveiled autumn dates in the UK for his 'Time Of My Life Tour' in support of his upcoming solo album of the same name, which is a collection of love songs inspired by his relationship with his wife Storm Uechtritz.
Ronan has already started rehearsing his fresh material to find out how he's going to recreate them on stage and he is sure 'Breathe' is going to become a live highlight because it's such a "euphoric" song.
He told BANG Showbiz: "Storm's inspired me for the last 12 months to make this record, I've dug deep about my feelings and all the songs come from the heart. It's very autobiographical, I'm in a great place and that's come out of me in the lyrics. I'm proud of the songs, I think they're my best work and I'm excited for people to hear them live, I was excited for Storm to hear them.
"There's a song called 'Breathe' - which is going to be the second single - I'm really enjoying singing it at home just with my guitar as I get ready for the live performances and that track has a great euphoric chorus. I'm sure people are going to love it."
Ronan can't wait to hit the road and after his UK dates he will be heading to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, but admits he does sometimes miss the "carnival" atmosphere that comes with touring with his group Boyzone.
He explained: "Touring on my own is different sonically, I have a different band, my backing band and Boyzone's band is slightly different. I love what I do solo and of course I love what I do with Boyzone - it's a different experience with Boyzone as it's a bit of a carnival on stage. I love touring with the lads."
Tickets for the UK dates of the tour go on sale at BookingsDirect.com and RonanKeating.com from February 12.
'Time Of My Life' - Ronan's tenth studio album - will be released the same day.

Ronan Keating's 'Time Of My Life' UK tour dates:

Fri 9 Sept PLYMOUTH Pavilions
Sat 10 Sept CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
Sun 11 Sept BRISTOL Colston Hall
Wed 14 Sept NEWCASTLE City Hall
Fri 16 Sept ABERDEEN GE Arena
Sun 18 Sept GLASGOW Clyde Auditorium
Tue 20 Sept SHEFFIELD City Hall
Thu 22 Sept NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall
Fri 23 Sept MANCHESTER 02 Apollo
Mon 26 Sept BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall
Thu 29 Sept LONDON Eventim Apollo
Sat 01 Oct BOURNEMOUTH International Centre
Sun 02 Oct BRIGHTON Centre

Phil Collins is planning on writing new songs - as soon as his damaged foot gets better.
The former Genesis star has been walking with a stick because of problems with "trapped nerves" caused by a back operation he had in October - the same month he announced he was coming out of self-imposed retirement.
However, he has a medical time frame for when his body should be in better condition and is currently installing a home studio to start recording new tracks for a fresh album and possible tour, although Phil is sure his drumming days are over.
In an interview with The Sun newspaper, the 65-year-old musician said: "My studio is being installed in the house and I will see what comes out. I will see how many songs I can write and when my foot gets better I will think about doing some shows. The drumming side of things is not going to be as good as I used to play and if I do shows it might be singing only."
Now he's back and readying himself to perform live again, Phil
has his eyes set on playing the legend's Sunday afternoon slot at the Glastonbury festival.
He admitted: "I know there is a special afternoon show that Lionel Richie and Tony Bennett have played. And that Paul McCartney has played the festival too. It's an interesting concept and it could be part of the plan."
However, Phil is going to take things "one step at a time" with his foot and back still hampering him.
He added: "But looking at this foot, there's only one way to go and that's take one step at a time."

Taylor Swift is a "huge fan" of James Bay.
The 'Out Of The Woods' hitmaker was introduced to James by mutual friend and fellow musician Hozier when the pair were touring last year.
The 'Hold Back the River' singer was hanging out in his dressing room when Taylor came to see him to declare her love for his music.
Asked about Taylor's fangirl moment, he told the latest issue of NME magazine: "That was when I was doing a tour with Hozier. They're mates and she was coming along. She came in with all her bodyguards but stopped at the door of my dressing room and said, 'Oh wow, I'm a huge fan of your music.' She went off on one about my music - really in depth. It was really nice that someone up in the stratosphere of pop was digging deep into someone so unknown."
Since releasing his debut LP 'Chaos and the Calm', James has picked up a lot of famous fans such as Ed Sheeran and Rolling Stones guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood.
James and Ed have become friends and he can recall one surreal moment when the 'Tenerife Sea' singer introduced him to pop bad boy Justin Bieber at a private party.
The 25-year-old rocker - who has been nominated for an impressive four BRIT Awards - recalled: "It was the MTV EMAs in Milan. Ed was having a party in a massive hotel room. I don't know if Mr. Bieber knew who I was, but Ed introduced me anyway saying I'd got the biggest album in the UK at the moment. Justin was cool - a nice, charming little lad."

Jessie J feels underappreciated as a singer in the UK.
The 27-year-old singer has performed at the Grammys and MTV Video Music Awards but has never been asked to take to the stage at the BRITs in her home country and admits it is disappointing for her to not get the recognition she feels as though she deserves.
When asked in the issue of Women's Health magazine about why she's never got the call to sing at the BRITs, she said: "It makes me sad. I've done the Grammys, the VMAs ... my profile in America is that I'm kind of celebrated as one of the greatest singers and I love it."
Jessie has never won a BRIT Award but has had three nominations for the 2011 Critics' Choice prize and for British Female Solo Artist twice in 2012 and 2014.
The 'Domino' singer won't be deterred by any setbacks in her career and is determined to be remembered as one of the great vocalists of all-time.
Jessie said: "I want to be up there with the Celine Dions, the Whitneys, the Beyoncés and Aretha Franklins.
"I go hard because I hope and pray that one day, people look back and go, 'She could really f**king sing, you know'. Which is why I keep going."

Kanye West credits God for his new album.
The 38-year-old rapper is due to release his highly-anticipated LP later this month, which he previously proclaimed to be the best record "of all time", but he insists he didn't contribute much to it.
He said: "[The album is] a dream that can't happen without God.
"I'm only doing two percent of the work. God is doing the rest of the work."
And Kanye also gave credit to his late mother Donda West and wife Kim Kardashian West's late father Robert Kardashian - who famously helped defend O.J. Simpson when he was accused of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson - for watching over production of the record.
Speaking on Los Angeles radio station Real 92.3, he quipped of his father-in-law: "He's still doing deals for controversial black people from up in heaven."
The 'All Day' hitmaker initially titled his record 'Swish' before changing it to 'Waves' and a poll carried out on Twitter by his wife earlier this week revealed 'So Help Me God' is also potentially its name.
And Kanye said he wanted to run the poll to allow his "family" some input.
He explained: "I wanted to get people's opinions on how they felt.
"What I've really come to realise about being a celebrity is ... everybody is our family. It's family. If something bad happens, you're gonna hear about it....
"Obviously I have made a connection with people - a family-level connection that they played my music in their houses for so many years with their mothers, their friends, their kids. We love any opportunity we have to involve all of our family in the creative process."

Ozzy Osbourne will make his return to the stage after a "nightmare illness" forced him to pull out of a host of gigs.
The 'Paranoid' singer and his band Black Sabbath had to cancel three shows, including a gig in Vancouver, Canada, on Wednesday (03.02.16) on their final ever tour after Ozzy was struck down with sinusitis.
The rocker's wife Sharon Osbourne has now revealed Ozzy, 67, is feeling better and will be "ready to rock" on Saturday (06.02.16) when the band resume 'The End' tour in Seattle.
Speaking on CBS chat show 'The Talk', she said: "He will be in Seattle on Saturday. He will be ready to rock."
Revealing the effect the sinusitis had on her spouse, Sharon, 63, said Ozzy felt like he had "the Pacific Ocean' inside his ear and has been struggling with his hearing.
She said: "He's doing so much better. He had sinusitis, which went to bronchitis and he said that he felt like he had the Pacific Ocean in his ear. And he couldn't hear properly. It's been a nightmare."
And Sharon also shared that Ozzy had been feeling extremely "guilty" for missing the shows and is determined to make it up to the heavy metal group's loyal fans.
She added: "To have a responsibility of performing with his band Black Sabbath, the crew, the fans, even the opening act, just sat at home like this - waiting, waiting, waiting - and he feels that huge responsibility. He feels guilty for being sick."

Lady Gaga will be honoured for her commitment to music education.
The 'Til It Happens To You' hitmaker will receive the Jane Ortner Artist Award at the 2016 Jane Ortner Education Award Luncheon on April 4 in recognition of the "strong educational foundation" she promotes through her music.
Executive director of the Grammy Museum Bob Santelli said: "The enormous impact Lady Gaga has had on artists and fans began with a strong educational foundation.
"Her career trajectory, marked by extraordinary talent and creativity, is one of the most inspiring stories in music."
Meanwhile, the 29-year-old singer has been handed another honour by the Grammy Foundation as she has been asked to perform an "experimental tribute" to the late David Bowie at the award ceremony later this month.
Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of the Grammy Awards, said: "We had already booked Lady Gaga on this year's show, but when David passed - almost in a single moment - we knew we had to change direction. We immediately spoke and agreed that she should be the one to honour David. She's perfect for it."
The tribute will be directed by Nile Rodgers, who was responsible for producing Bowie's 1983 album 'Let's Dance' and was close friends with the late star, who tragically passed away in January after a battle with cancer.

Dave Grohl knew he wanted to be lead singer of the Foo Fighters the day after Kurt Cobain died.
The Nirvana drummer recalled having a "revelation" and admitted "everything changed" when he learned his bandmate had committed suicide in April 1994 and saw it as a sign to move forward with his own career.
The 47-year-old rocker believed it was his chance to try out something new and within months of Kurt's death, he formed Foo Fighters, with bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith, both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate, as well as Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear.
Speaking with photographer Sam Jones on his 'Off Camera' YouTube series, Dave recalled: "When Kurt died, I woke up the next day and thought, 'I'm lucky to be alive'. So much that still, to this day, I feel that every morning when I wake up, because it's so strange to think that person was just here and now they're gone. And I'm still here? And maybe tomorrow I could be gone as well?
"It was a profound revelation I had the day after he died and it changed everything. It honestly changed so much of my life that I felt the most important thing was just appreciating being alive, good day or bad day. But after Kurt died, I really felt that way, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna try this. What do I have to lose? I'm gonna start this band and then I'm gonna be the singer.'"

Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White has died.
The 74-year-old star died in his sleep in Los Angeles last night (03.02.16) following a long battle with Parkinson's disease and his family have appealed for privacy as they come to terms with his loss.
His brother, Verdine White, who was also a member of the band, said: "My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep.
"While the world has lost another great musician and legend, our family asks that our privacy is respected as we start what will be a very difficult and life changing transition in our lives. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes."
The 'Boogie Wonderland' hitmaker was diagnosed with the neurological condition in 1992 and had to stop touring in 1994 because of his battle with the disease, though he remained active in the music business and retained executive control of the group.
In addition to his work with Earth, Wind & Fire - whose most successful period began in 1975 with the release of their LP 'That's The Way of The World' and continued throughout the decade - Maurice also worked as a producer for the likes of Cher and Barbra Streisand, and he also co-wrote and co-produced the Emotions' number one single 'Best of My Love'.
In 2000, the nine-piece band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Maurice was individually inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010.