Ronan Keating: Who he is and where he’s going

Irish pop sensation Ronan Keating was able to parlay his triumphant stint as the lead vocalist of the boy band Boyzone into an equally phenomenal solo career.

His eponymous debut, in fact, spawned two number-one hits, When You Say Nothing At All and Life Is a Rollercoaster, and has sold a whopping 4.4 million copies all over the globe.

Quick on the heels of his chartbusting debut solo album. Ronan released his sophomore outing Destination to equal, acclaim worldwide.

Just like what he did for his debut album Ronan, the singer embarked on a whirlwind concert tour to promote Destination.

Ronan himself says that he is thrilled to perform the songs from the new album in front of his loyal followers.

"I love being onstage," Ronan quips. "I love performing. I have a lot of fun onstage. I’m looking forward to getting out there and singing the new songs. I’ve never done a world tour of this scale before. It’s really exciting!"

Indeed, Destination begins a new journey and heralds a new beginning for Ronan, both professionally and personally.

"This is the first record I’ve made that really feels like a body of work," Ronan relates. "I want people to see me for who I really am. I don’t think they’ve seen that yet in those nine years (with the band)."

He wants people to see "who I am and what I’m about. I love music and that’s what this album is about."

The new album captures, in a nutshell, the state of Ronan’s art and heart, circa 2003.

"I feel very comfortable where I am right now, musically and in my family life," Ronan speaks with the quiet assurance of a contented man.

His happy private life (with wife Yvonne and kids, three-year-old Jack and one-year-old Marie) lends his work with a certain level of maturity and depth.

Critics have commented that shades of his bubblegum pop past are nowhere to be found in the new album. His voice has become richer, more powerful and textured than ever.

"I know what I’m all about now," Ronan reiterates. "I’ve found my sound. I know what I want and this is what this album is all about."

Although, it is named Destination, his latest album is far from marking the final stop. This is just one of the many scenic spots in an ongoing musical odyssey, a journey of self-discovery.

"This is the next step," Ronan remarks. "It’s definitely a progression. It’s the best piece of work I’ve ever done and I feel very confident about it. I can stand proud with these songs. I believe in them and I just hope everybody else does."

Among the 13 cuts in the album, he chooses two as his personal favorites, My One Thing That’s Real and Time for Love.

A mid-tempo number, My One Thing That’s Real showcases a different kind of Ronan. "A lot of people are going to listen to this and say, ‘That doesn’t sound like Ronan’s voice’," he attests. "I love the dynamics of this song, the way it starts small and builds up. The guitars are great and (writer-producer) Gregg (Alexander) gave me the space to ad-lib with the mike on."

Time for Love, on the other hand, is a soaring ballad that features Ronan’s "most exquisite vocal performance" ever.

In the album, "this is the big ballad,"Ronan confirms. "It’s a love song, but it’s also talking about what’s going on in the world right now: a lot of heartache. Gregg wrote it during that period of uncertainty after Sept. 11 and although it’s not directly about that, I think that mood – that life will never be the same again is reflected in the song."

Indeed, Ronan sounds oh-so-grown-up these days – a far cry from the cutesy boy band member of old.

As a matter of fact, the committed artist in him is making productive use of his celebrity by taking up a pet cause. He has been busily campaigning on behalf of a Unicef AIDS project in Asia.

"The reason I’m sure that any person in the public eye tries to get involved in any charity is to create awareness," he elaborates. "I went down to a place called Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. I joined a group that goes to schools and educates people. We visited a hospital and met some people whose lives have been affected by AIDS."

Incredible, he describes the experience. It was an eye-opening trip, in more ways than one.

"I went there with MTV and Unicef," Ronan recalls. "We shot this show and it was a mind-blowing stuff. It was unbelievable. It was intense for me. I have two kids at home and it broke my heart."

He acknowledges that it was one of the most arduous projects he ever did in his entire career.

"It was hard, but I am very pleased, very happy that I did it," Ronan asserts. "I hope that it would create some sort of awareness for the project called ‘Speak Your Mind.’

Indeed, Ronan is now all grown up.

"But this is not a now Ronan," he points out. "This is but another chaper."

Just another chapter in his ongoing life story. Just another stop in his unending journeys.

(On Valentine’s Day, his Filipino fans will get the rare chance to meet the "new-and-improved", "all-grown-up" Ronan Keating in the Asian leg of his world tour: Ronan Keating: Destination Manila. The much-anticipated Valentine event will go on live at the Araneta Coliseum, February 13. Joining Ronan onstage are topnotch Filipino talents like Aiza Seguerra, Kyla, Luke Mijares, and the country’s premiere vocal group, The CompanY. For tickets inquiries, call SM Ticketnet at 911-5555. Ronan Keating: Destination Manila is for the benefit of Bantay Bata 163 Foundation.)