EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW OF RUSSELL WATSON

And next we bring you the third part of our exclusive interview of Russell Watson by Louisa Lee.

Watson gave us a strong impression on his first show ever in Taipei in 2006, and after enjoying being completely mobbed by Taiwanese fans, he was again invited to bring us the same degree of pleasure for the World Games in 2009.

Although excited about the Kaoshiung event, Watson wasn't fully recovered from his surgeries at the time.

"You were in Taiwan again in 2009 for the World Games in Kaohsiung, how was that?"

"Hot. It was hot. I remember that very well actually because it wasn't long after I finished my radiotherapy treatment.

I was still coming back from being very very ill.

And I was worried about that gig because I was still struggling a little bit singing the classical repertoire, and it was really hot.

Also, at that time as well, I wasn't feeling good, I wasn't feeling confident, because I put a lot of weight on because when I had the radiotherapy, I was taking steroids.

I've always been fit, I've always liked training, running, boxing, playing tennis and all the rest of it.

When I got ill, I had to stop all that.

I found that really really difficult and I found it quite depressing in many respects.

And remember, I was just at the backend of coming out of that radiotherapy treatment. And steroids made me blow up and I felt heavy and not comfortable.

My suit was fitting properly. It wasn't the best period of my life.

But I remember that clearly because it was one of the first things that I did after the radiotherapy, and I remember at that point thinking, I got a lot of work to do if I wanted to get to the standard that I was at before.

And that was kind of where I really thought I need to work hard.

Not to say though that I didn't enjoy it, because I did, it was a fantastic event. I was thrilled.

It was an amazing event and I was thrilled that I've been invited there. First of all, I was thrilled because it was a real tonic for me as well,

because I have been so ill, it was like, when this came in, it was like,

I felt like all of a sudden I'm getting recognized again.

People are wanting to book me again, people are starting to have faith in me again.

That's tough because it isn't my fault that I got ill, but like I was saying, the music industry is tough, it's a tough industry to be involved in.

It doesn't matter, if you're not able to do it anymore, you can't sell a record, you can't sell a concert ticket, and you can't do the singing then, c'est la vie, that's it, it's over.

So I feel very fortunate in the respect that I was able to come back. I rode the waves, and I'm still here".

"How was it working with other artists at that event? You worked with two Taiwanese artists."

"I remember Shin, because he had heels like that.

Great big shoes like that. He was kind of a cool guy. I noticed that all the girls over there, whenever he walked anywhere, they were screaming like crazy.

I was like what's the matter with me? I'm joking. I'm joking.

I sang with Hayley Westenra, who's got one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. Really, really lovely voice.

But I really enjoyed it. The orchestra was great as well.

All I have to say is, I have never ever ever sung in an environment that has been so hot. It was the hottest I have ever been.

I tried my best to stay cool, but as soon as I started singing, and because I was carrying a little bit of weight back then as well, it made it even worse.

I was just sweating.

It was so hot. And breathing, I found breathing difficult as well, because of the humidity.

It was really heavy to breathe. And when you're singing classical music, and you're singing in thick humidity, it was tough.

I tell you what, I'm complaining and saying it was tough, but I was watching the athletes and thinking, how are you going to do what you got to do in this heat?"

"Does it always get so hot?"

"In the summer, yes, in the south, because Kaohsiung is in the south. It does get pretty hot"

"What a beautiful venue."

From pleasing our ears, to pleasing the ears of Singaporeans,

Watson just had a concert in Singapore this year, and what are his thoughts about the place?

"It's great, I really like it. I love the venue. The venue is absolutely superb.

The hotel here as well, they have looked after us really really well.

We have been looked after incredibly well. I love shopping."

"Is it your first time in Singapore?"

"Yes. I love shopping. What I can't believe is that, this is like being in heaven, because you walk downstairs into a shopping mall, and you walk through the shopping mall, and it opens up into another shopping mall.

It just continues, it feels like you can just continually walk forever in shopping malls.

Life doesn't get any better than that. I'm like a kid in a candy store.

Excuse me, could you tell me where Adidas is because I need to get a new pair of trailers?

Yes, if you walk 50 miles that way, and then turn left on JJB Sports, it's about 30 miles down on the right, okay?

Yeah. Lots of shops."

"I went to that posh place over there, with the boat on top of it.

Do you not think that looks like the Titanic landed on top of stilts?

So it has a great big boat on top of the building, but the shops in there are absolutely superb.

They've got all the designer brands in there.

I like my watches, so they got lots of watches and stuff like that."

"Did you get anything yet so far for this trip?"

"I bought a load of sports gear on this trip because when I finish on Saturday, I am flying out to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, and then I'm going on a holiday break."

"You are taking a vacation in KL?"

"Not KL, I am going over to Pangkor Laut, which is a private island off of Kuala Lumpur. Beautiful. We're going on a helicopter, private helicopter.

The first time I went, this is just astonishing, because you only get scenery like that in this part of the world. It's incredible.

Flying in from the coast of Kuala Lumpur, you flying over the ocean, coming in to this destination and you can see the birds flying around the edges, like these sea hawks and hornbills flying around.

Coming in slowly from the helicopter, it's like flying into Jurassic Park.

I could have sworn I saw a T-rex.

It's amazing, and you land, and the ocean is green.

Beautiful and the trees just set against the blue background of the sky, it's an amazing place."

"Do you travel a lot?"

"I'm starting to get back into my traveling routine.

Yeah, I do travel a lot.

What I enjoy most about what I do is meeting different people, experiencing different cultures, seeing different places.

I don't like it if I visit somewhere and I don't have time to experience what the place is all about. I don't like that.

I like to go in and be able to get a sense of what each place is all about and that's what life is about, having the stories to tell as well.

When you've been somewhere and you come away, and you have a story to tell. There's no point otherwise."

"What do you do on your free time, besides training, and doing all these rehearsals?"

"Free time, I've got a few sort of pastimes. I like. Smirking. Not always, most of the time. I like my Sony PlayStation."

"What kind of games do you play?"

It's called Just Cause, which is really good. It's Just Cause 2. That's my favorite game at the moment. It's really good. It's a massive game."

"So you play the tennis, PS 3 sometimes, and what else?

"And shopping. That's how I spend most of my time".

"Who is your favorite artist? Who do you listen to on the radio? And whose song do you sing when you take a shower?"

"I use music for mood. If I'm in the mood, I'll stick a bit of Julio Iglesias or a bit of Barry White, depends what I'm up to at the time.

If I'm in the gym, the Black Eyed Peas, the Boom Boom Pow Album is the best album ever to work out to.

I haven't found an album that has that flow of continuity, where from start to end you can work out.

Normally you have to put a little CD together of all your favorite tunes. You just stick that one in, and off you go.

So that one. I like a bit of Oasis, again if youre in the car, I'll stick a bit of Oasis in if I'm driving around at home, if I decided to jump in the Aston Martin and head down to the local tennis court, and I'll stick a bit of Frank Sinatra, I like a bit of Frank."

"I guess you listen to a wide variety of music."

"Yea, depending on mood, and whatever I'm doing. It's a mood thing for me. Certainly classical music as well, it has its place.

Doing a bit of corking in the evening, and chilling at home, putting on spaghetti, put a bit of classical music on in the background, maybe a bit of sing along."

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