me and shayne

Will Shayne Ward Be World's Next Big Star?
	By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter British pop singer Shayne Ward arrived in Seoul, Monday for a promotional tour.   /Courtesy of SonyBMG Shayne Ward may not be a household name in Asia just yet, but the U.K. realizes this 21-year old British singer has the potential to become the world's next big pop star. Simon Cowell, a famous American Idol judge and music producer, has given the seal of approval to Ward. Cowell served as a judge on X-Factor, a British reality show where Ward emerged as the winner last December. In an interview with The Korea Times, Ward said he feels Cowell has raised expectations for his career. He arrived in Seoul Monday to promote his self-titled debut album in Korea. ``Obviously, there's a lot of expectations and you can feel the pressure. But to be honest, I'd like to see that happen. So I can say (to Cowell): 'you were right,''' he said. Ward noted Cowell is not as nasty as everyone thinks he is on television shows like American Idol and X-Factor. ``You know what, he's never said, and to this day, he hasn't said anything bad about me,'' he said. Dressed casually in jeans and a light blue shirt showing two tattoos on both upper arms, Ward was soft-spoken and down-to-earth. When asked about the changes in his life after winning X-Factor, he said: ``It has been absolutely fantastic. I'm traveling the world, which was amazing. I'm really enjoying this. I know I'm now ready to entertain. I want to go to every country possible and entertain people.'' Ward has come a long way, growing up in Manchester and singing for a band called Destiny with his school friends during weekends. During the week, he worked at a clothes shop. Now, Ward is considered one of the rising stars in the U.K. His debut album already went platinum in the U.K. Female fans have gone crazy over his romantic ballads, not to mention his good looks. ``This style of music suits my voice. It's a fantastic album, but that doesn't mean I'll always be doing ballads. I will be doing all kinds of music,'' he said. The album has 12 songs, including remakes of Brian McKnight's song ``Back at One'' and K-Ci & Jojo's ``All My Life.'' His first single ``That's My Goal,'' went straight to number 1 on the British music charts on Christmas Day last year. It was the third fastest selling single in U.K. history, selling 313,000 copies on its first day on sale. ``(My favorite song) has got to be the first single, 'That's My Goal.'' It was my winning song on X-Factor.' Just listening to the words, it kind of describes the situation me and my family were in during the show,'' Ward said. In Korea, his song ``No Promises'' has enjoyed popularity after it was used during the World Cup games shown on television. Ward's good looks and talent have earned him comparisons to pop superstars like Robbie Williams and Justin Timberlake. However, he is aware he has to work hard to have a successful career, and not fall into the one-hit wonder trap. ``You can't avoid it. If it happens, it happens. A person can work their hardest and still fail. I'm going to work my hardest to make sure I have a long career,'' he said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr 08-08-2006 18:01