I Am Who I Am
Lee Ryan is a man on a mission. The Blue singer has just completed an autobiographical album full of personal lyrics and heartfelt emotions called – Confessions. The first single, I Am Who I Am is a superb, yet defiant, ballad that will speak to many who feel misunderstood… for whatever reason.
“For me… and I think especially for the gay community who live in this world, they will really relate to it. I think that anyone who is perceived as kinda different, not of the norm or what society expects, can really, really relate to this song.”
For some reason this track wasn’t what the record buying world were lead to believe was what the new album was all about. The press had said it was a dance album…
“Yes I know, that wasn’t me or the record company… it was basically the press taking what they wanted from it and kinda slagging it off really.” He seemed a bit miffed with the press in general. “It’s far from a dance album, it’s actually a well composed and honestly written album.”
Lee has had many moments of madness. His tirade about 9/11, his attack on a taxi driver and a few other altercations with the press but he is desperate to put all the silliness behind him and try to move on. “This is something I’ve never been able to do before. There are some songs about who I am, where I’ve been and what I believe in… that’s why I wanted to call it Confessions really.”
Continuing in the confessional mode Lee speaks from the heart when mentions his early life when he was found to be dyslexic. “I’ve struggled really badly with being called thick all my life because I haven’t been able to articulate myself… it’s hard being put down like that. I came out of school being called thick and it continued through the Blue days and it becomes… frustrating. Now I’ve got the chance to tell people they got me wrong… and this is what I want to say. I could scream off the mountain tops and do a million interviews trying to rectify any situation that’s happened over the years but, I’ve found the press don’t write what I say… they write what they want.”
His frustration with the press seems to continue when he quotes some lines from one of the tracks on his album “I’ve made mistakes but who are you to put me down under your shoe. In your glass house don’t you throw stones because you’ll smash your ego to the bones.”
Cheering up, Lee was very enthusiastic about his recent appearance at Birmingham Pride. “I love doing gay gigs.” And there is always the spectre of more from Blue, a subject that was all on a few months ago but has suddenly gone quiet. “No, there will be something (on the Blue front) we’re just figuring it out at the moment but we are going to be doing some stuff.”
Lee has appeared on stage and in a couple of movies but is more enthusiastic about another project that will surprise fans and the pop business glitterarty itself. “I love films. I have a script that I have written myself and I’m off to a meeting about it today. It’s my first film that I’ve written that has actually been picked up. It’s based on Retalin and dyslexia.” Two subjects matters that don’t sound too uplifting but Lee continues, “It’s a very powerful piece… a sort of psychological horror story. Many people who have read it are quite shocked that I have written the story and the script for it. They never thought I would come up with something like it.”
So, with a new album, a film producer and writing career would there be any opportunity for him to delve back into reality programmes such as ‘Come Dine With Me’ that Lee won on the celebrity version last year. “Damn straight I’d do that again. I loved it. It was brilliant… but I am a good cook… and pretty big-headed… so that helps.”
At 26 Lee has given his music career another ten years then he hopes to concentrate on film production. However, in the meantime we can enjoy his fantastic new single and look forward to the release of what promises to be a brilliant new album
Out: 5th July – I am who I am – Geffen Records