In Conversation With Olly Murs

It has been quite a year for Olly Murs, as his successful arena tour celebrated his fifteen years in the music business with the kind of infectious pop music that has become his trademark.

The singer shot to fame when he finished runner-up in the sixth series of the X Factor in 2009, with Joe McElderry being the overall winner.

Since then, Murs has toured extensively both as a solo artist and while supporting other artists, such as Take That and Robbie Williams. He has also released an array of number one albums and singles, including Dance with Me Tonight and Troublemaker, among others.

The highlight this year for Olly has not surprisingly been the birth of his second child, as he explained, “Definitely the most important thing to happen to me this year has been the arrival of my little boy Albert – he is a little treasure who I miss greatly when I’m out on tour.”

During his hectic schedule this year, he even found time to perform one of the things he has always wanted to do – switch on the Blackpool illuminations! "If you haven't visited Blackpool to witness the illuminations, I strongly encourage you to do so, as they are truly remarkable – spanning the entire promenade and leaving a lasting impression if you've never seen them before."

In a break from his usual go-lucky pop style, the new album Knees Up sees Olly taking a huge shift musically, with the emphasis firmly on ska and, to a certain extent, reggae music, as witnessed on the single Save Me.

The track sits proudly alongside songs by Madness, an act who Olly is a fan of. “I grew up listening to Madness; in my house their music was always playing. In the past, I have even performed with them, which was a great honour.

The new album also deals with issues that you might not associate with Olly, such as mental health on the track Chin Up. “It is always hard to write a song about the subject. Over the last year or so, I’ve had a few friends who went through difficult times – it just felt right to try and put something together that deals with the issue. The song itself is one that I am very proud of.”

The song is in contrast to his positive nature, though, as he admits he sometimes has times when he feels down: “I try and live every day and be as positive as I can; it is just my nature, but I do have my bad days.”

While the album might appeal to his predominantly female fan base, the musical direction of the record might also appeal to a wider audience. Was this, I wondered, an attempt to crossover to others? “The album is me still trying to be a bit of a lad; being a dad now, I don’t get my laddish days like I used to. There is still a bit of a lad in me, but with my family, I have a lot more responsibilities.”

In a career that has had many highlights, was there a particular point where he knew that he had finally made it to the big time? "It was probably when I achieved my first number-one single, embarked on a tour, and realised the size of my fanbase." When I left London, I got to see the fans face to face on tour in the early days, which is a memory I will not forget.”

After such a busy year, Olly is planning to do different things next year. "It’s been so hectic this year—a lot of touring and travelling, releasing the album, being a radio presenter, having a new addition to the family—I’ve probably not spent as much time at home as I would have liked. Next year there will be work, but I want to try and navigate being a pop star, being a dad, being a radio presenter and even being a footballer in charity matches.”

The album Knees Up is out now on BMG Records. conversation with Olly Murs