British pop sensation Shayne Ward has come a long way since winning the second series of The X Factor TV talent show in 2005. The singer from Manchester, England, who released his third album, Obsession, in November, has a huge fan base in Asia. Ward talked to Sunday Young Post by phone, explaining why he's more than just a pretty face.
Sunday Young Post: When did you decide to become a musician?
Shayne Ward: Music was always there for me as a kid. I'm one of seven children, and growing up I'd always hear one of my brothers or sisters singing. We'd try singing different songs together; we'd just love to sing. There was always music playing ... it started at such a young age that it's hard to pinpoint exactly how old I was. I'm just happy that I had music growing up as a child.
I [was in] a band called Destiny for four and a half years. We played a lot of smaller places, like clubs and pubs, and that's what really got me started in performing in front of an audience. From there I went to The X Factor and the whole audition thing. Things took off from there.
SYP: How have you matured as an artist since winning The X Factor?
SW: I'm 26 now; when I started out, I was only 20. So I've been growing up and becoming the type of artist I want to be. I have more understanding now of what I want to get across in a certain track. My vocals have definitely improved, too. I'm a lot more confident. That definitely comes across in Obsession. I'm really interested in the lyrics of a song. I love to tell a story, so I make sure I focus on that.
