Interviews Transcripts

AT GMTV, 1st INTERVIEW (UK) - Origins of the myth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNpPxjObuVs

Interview transcript by Pietro Nigro Famulari Fod Members(Declan Galbraith)

-Meet this gorgeous little chappy here, Declan Galbraith, is his name, isn't it?
D: Yeah (smiles)

-And you tell me if I got it right. You have recorded a song for a Chirstmas cd. And on this cd had the likes of Elvis, West Life, Bing Crosby, Elton John…
D: Barbara Streisand...

-Oh sorry I missed that, Barbara Streisand. How did you do that?
D: Well basically what happened was.. this man called Barry Mason, he wrote songs for Tom Jones, "Delilah", "The Last Waltz" , he wrote a thousand songs and had 50 hits. So, he was sitting in a pub one night and I was singing at a talent contest at 6 and he came back and he thought I was so good they told this recording company I knew and now has put me on his record.

-This is amazing. And mom is sitting along side with you, Siobhan, you must be so proud of him.
S: He's done very well. We're very pleased.

-Oh yeah he's done very well by anyone's imagination. Because you mentioned talent contests then, you have been entering contest for how long young man?
D: A year and a half, about.

-And you have won all of them
D: (smiles) Yeah, I've won all of them.

-That's quite amazing. When did you discover you had this voice? Because we heard you rehearsing, you've got a voice.
D: It wasn't exactly me that discovered it. What it was is that I was singing just in front of my family and all of a sudden people in the family started saying "Oh I'm not saying this just because I'm family, he really is good you should take him to some really good talent contest, he's really good"

-And that's what mom did…
D: And dad!

-Yeah, and dad sorry, your mom is here. You got a fly right in from of you there… could have been a money spider! But you also busked, didn't you, at the age of 7, you were in Rochester, that's where you live.
D: I didn't do it for money. Everyone says "you busked" ah! I didn't do it for money. It was just a little play at the start, 'cause, like, just muck around. 'Cause I saw all these people busking for money, at the Dickens festival in Rochester High Street. So I just put down a little box and I started singing, 'cause I really like singing. And then people just started throwing money at me, and they started putting it on a big packet and everything. And I came home at that time with 200 pounds. And then the next year I had done an hour and a half each day for two days, but I had a half an hour break in between and I earned 500 pounds.

-God, that's amazing, and you got a lot more coming your way. And mom what did he do with that money, some of it?
S: He's very good. He helped pay for the electricity bill.

-That's so sweet!
S: And he built some backing tracks, didn't you?

-Are you excited for him? I mean he obviously has a future in front of him.
S: I'm very excited, I'm very nervous for him too, but I think he'll be...

-You got it all haven't you? The looks, the personality and the voice Declan, which we're gonna hear now.
D: Thank you

-This is going to be Declan's first national TV appearance, he's got a huge voice!

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WITH GLORIA HUNNIFORD (UK) - Declan's Star Quality
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO2Ma371crw

Interview transcript by Pietro Nigro Famulari Fod Members(Declan Galbraith)

-I know you'll give a very special welcome to Declan Galbraith, along with the man who recognized his talent, that's Barry Mason.
Hi how are you? The thing is Declan normally I would kiss you, see, but then I thought of your age, you might not long to be, so I didn't bother. Anyway you'll have to learn how to do that on television programs, when you kiss all the girls.
D: Yep.

-Anyway tell me something, when did you start to sing?
D: Well, I liked singing ever since I was 2, but I started singing in public when I was 7.

-And what sort of things?
D: Well just singing in talent competitions and… I actually started singing probably in public, apart from right in front of family and everything in public probably, busking in Rochester High Street.

-Busking? Did you get much too?
D: Yeah..But.. What it was is… We have a thing called the Dickens festival down there in our area.

-In Kent this is.
D: Yeah, yes, Medway. I can't remember what the date is but… Everyone dresses up in Dickentian-like cloths. And we go down there every year, right after the Sweeps festival, the Dickens festival and the Christmas festival as well. We go down there every year. And one year we went down when I was 7 and I saw these buskers on the side of the street singing. So I kept on pestering my mom "Could I walk up to the side of the street and sing?" and she kept saying "No". Eventually she gave in and said "Yes". And I just started getting loads of crowds around me. And at the end of it, at the end of three quarter of an hour and I had 10 minutes break in between every 10 minutes.

-And how much did you get?
D: 500 pounds.

-You did not! I tell you what, you'd be a bit of a wheeler dealer all your life, I reckon. And Barry what did you actually hear, or see in Declan, the first time that you watched him in action?
B: Just something magical. You know how long we've known each other Gloria?

-A long time.
B: I've not been in this business longer than you, because I'm so much older. But I just.. a friend of mine brought him on to the house, and he sang, he stood there and sang for me without music, I just thought he was something very very special, very original.

-Because you have been writing for all the big stars for years and years. Tom Jones… reel off a few more people?
B: Yeah, The Drifters, and Elvis… lots of stars.

-Elvis? What did Elvis record of yours?
B: "Girl of Mine".

-Gosh that must have kept you in good style for a while.
D: Engelbert Humperdinck.
B: Engelbert too, I wrote for him too, right thank you I forgot about Engelbert for a minute.
D: "The Last Waltz".
B: "The Last Waltz", yes thank you Declan.

-Now Declan, remember I just asked you, I know you got a team of people around you this afternoon, who've you got? What do they all do?
D: Well I've got a lot of people that aren't here as well. I've got Lesa… Frank--- …it's not his name, is it?

-What's he do?
B: Les Molloy.
D: Yeah. He like sends… I'm not sure what he does…
B: He's a plug… he's a plugger.

-Les Molloy will love you, I'll tell you.
D: Sorry Les… No, he plugs the album.

-He plugs the album, okay, good.
D: Yeah. He brings it to different, like, places. And promotes it.

-Pretty important guy.
D: Yeah, like, he gets me on the radio too.

-Does he? And gets you in programs like this?
D: Yeah.

-I know, we like Les actually around here.
D: Yep.

-Now, you also got a stylist?
D: Yes I got a stylist, but she's not here.

-So who did your hair? 'Cause I love this spiky head.
D: My dad.

-Your dad did it, Alec.
D: And sometimes my mom does it.

-Ok. So you got a stylist and then you have a tutor don't you?
D: Yeah, a tutor, for every day that I'd miss, like I missed a day of school today, so I had three hours tuition this morning.

-Did you?
D: Yeah, and I went up to an office for an interview, and then I came here.

-Good for you, I'm really glad you came. And what do all of your school pals think of your success?
D: They are really happy for me. When I went singing on GMTV, I came back the next day and they were like "Oh Declan we saw you on TV. You are really really good. Well done!"

-Oh good. So they are not jealous in any way, of your 1 million pounds.
D: (smiles) No.

-How are you going to spend your million pounds?
D: Well I don't actually get the money in pounds. The money in ponds is what the record company is prepared to spend on me for promotion and...

-Les Molloy, guess he does it.
D: Yeah (smiles) ...advertisement and things like that.

-But I'm here to bet you get a lot of extra pocket money, don't you?
D: Yes, oh well it's been increased from 2 pounds to 10 pounds a week.

-You are doing well Declan, that's five times as much, that's ok, keep on going. Now Barry you have seen all these stars over the years, what is this extra sort of star quality that people have, what is this star quality, or x-factor that Declan has?
B: It's very hard to describe. One thing he's got is a self confidence which mustn't be confused with cockiness, or over-confidence. He has a quiet assurance in what he's doing.

-And he's still a boy.
B: I'm nervous as a cat coming on here...
D: You were!
B: ...and he's been saying "Don't worry buddy it will be alright"

-Was he Declan? Was he really nervous?
D: Yeah, he was pretending at start, but in his mind he probably was.

-I know, I know, I know. How do you get by anyway with easy guide on? How much Irish do you have in your whole percentage?
D: 3/4 Irish and 1/4 Scottish

-Oh God, you got it all worked out, don't you? And was it your grandpa who used to sing all the Irish songs?
D: Yeah well, he used to be.. he was in the local folk group, like of Medway, and whenever he was performing on a stage whether he was playing a musical instrument or singing or whatever, I would always be there really and I'd just be singing and drumming to my head and ever since I've loved singing.

-And you've learned all the songs. Sadly your granddad died, did he die on the stage?
D: He had a heart attack on the stage, but... He passed away when I was 3.

-But you remember quite a bit about him, don't you?
D: Yeah.

-All the songs...
D: Yeah, I remember quite a lot actually since I was about 1.

-Lovely.
D: And I can't remember anymore.

-Well I know that Barry has written about 7 of the songs or co-written them for the new album.
B: Yes with brothers Mack, two good young writers, I got young guys helping me, carrying me along.
D: Ian and Stuart.
B: Yeah, Ian and Stuart.

-But on the other hand, it's an Irish song you're gonna sing for us this afternoon. So which one is it?
D: Yes the song is called Carrickfergus, and it's track 1 I think on my album.
-Good for you.

D: Which came out on Monday.
-Which came out on Monday, thank you so much Declan!
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Declan Commercial on Taff TV

The child star Declan cannot complain about boredom, because the toddler wants
to do substantially career now. Yes and we know from Christina Aguilera,
Justin Timberlake and co. That also small child stars sometimes become to
cool adults. We have met Declan suddenly as a riper rocker again.

At the age of just 16 years he is already a small big rocker, no miracle that
Declan has searched a new image. Declan became famous with Pumukel hairstyle
and soppy songs. Since his seventh year the child star became with ballads like
`angels´ an international star.

Finally the meanwhile 16-year-old englishmen would like to become adult with
his new song `ego you´. The Kelly Family doesn’t only run in his MP3-Player.

DECLAN: 
I like rock musik more than all other. My father has brought me on it. I like
Deep purple and Led Zeppelin and many others. I hope very much that I can go to
the Led zeppelin reunion concert.


At the videotrick in Berlin, Declan is wearing Jeans and a leather jacket, which
let him seem especially rocking. But even if the child star slowly becomes a
big one, he would not like to separate from his spiny Pumukel hairstyle from
child days, for the time being.


Do you also like them? Yes.

His new music clip also proves how matured the popstar is. In his new video is
also smooched for the first time.

However, is there also a girl that he kisses?
DECLAN:
Of course, I have already met many nice girls, but there wasn’t the right one yet.


What girls do you like? Do German girls have a chance with you?
Main female! Main female!


On the rock star image of his rock and roll idols is the 16 year-old still
working on.
I am a singer and musician. This does not mean that I do not like fun.
It’s a part of my life to go after concerts to bars. We do not drink too much,
but we have fun.

Whether the female fans will like the matured, rocking Declan will be shown
tomorrow (16.11.07), because then his new CD is lying in the CD shelves.

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Bravo - Declan Galbraith Interview
Strong voice, super songs and charts success. De clan is only 15 - and has already got what a star needs!
But in the personal talk with Brave the newcomer speaks also upfront about his weaknesses.

In front of the camera he is already a Profi. Smiles, pulls faces, rocks with his guitare.
Enthusiastically he graps a Bravo, runs over the pages. Stage-fright? No way,
Acutally no wonder, cause Declan Galbraith is with his 15 years already a real Showbuisness profi!
With 10 years he got his first record deal, short time later he was even allowed to sing in front
of the English Queen.
Now with 15, Music world is on his feet - he is the newcomer of the winter.
With his (already second) Album " Thank you " he lost of place 5 in the German Charts, What a flash career!
But how is this Boy really? What does he think about girls? When was his first date? He told Bravo....

Bravo: You are still so young, and already so mega successful, aren't you afraid to lose the ground?
Declan: No absolutly not. It's a bit stupid of course to say " I'll never ever lose ground under the feets"
but I don't wanna think I'm some thing better cause I'm just a normal 15 years old boy.
Besides that my parents look after me staying on the ground - especially my mum.

Bravo: Do you have strict parents?
Declan: No I'm acutally allowed to do everything - apart from smoking, havingwild parties and coming
home totally drunk.

Bravo: and what about the visit of girls?
Declan: I'm allowed to bring girls with home but I shouldn't overact it of course.

Bravo: How do you mean that?
Declan: Well, if I'm coming home with two slightly dressed girls in my arm my parents would put me in front
of the door right now.
But I'm not even the kind of guy for this.

Bravo: What kind of guy are you? Are you taken?
Declan: No I'm not.

Bravo: Are you looking?
Well, it's not like I wake up one day, step in front of the door like: "today I'm gonna look for a girl"
but I wouldn't mind if a girl would find me.

Bravo: Tell us about your first real love!
Declan: there was a totally cute girl in my school. I sah her like every day and was totally in love.
I wanted to talk to her all the time but I didn't really dare all the time cause i'm really shy.
But then I invited her to the cinema and guess what: she said yes. During the performance I've tried all the
time to put my arm around her but I didn't dare to. We just stayed friends then.
Sometimes I'm mad at myself for being so shy.

Bravo: Did you have heart aching after this?
Declan: Sure it hurts but I didn't fall into a deep hole, But I was a little bit sad of course.

Bravo: Do you have any tips against heart aching?
Declan: Well the worst thing you can do is to watch romantic movies, you should do something
with friends or family, that works for sure.

Bravo: Though you have success you are a totally normal teenager....
Declan: yes of course! Maybe a lot of people think that's not a normal life but what is normal?
Some Teens become a Profi Football player with 14 or 15 and I have a record deal,
I don't see there much difference between acutally.

Bravo: Do you acutally still have spare time?
Declan: Sure, just not as regular as other people. Sometimes I have four month I have nothing to do and then
there are six weeks which are very stressful. but I have time to relax.

Bravo: And what are you doing in your spare time then?
Declan: I have to learn for school of course and doing homework. but when I'm done with it I, I play football
with my cousins, that's my second huge passion after the music....


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Declan interview with BBC UK radioshow while in China 2007.10.20
BBC: hello Declan
Declan : hi Declan: hi

BBC: hello how are you , thank you , are you well?
Declan: ya i am very good thank you


BBC: you're on your tour, is that a long tour you are doing in China?
Declan: um, at the moment i am promoting a tour next year, thats urm, at
the moment it's like a four days of arenas around china, for about six to
eight thousand capacity, and as i was say ing we are there promoting, after
we promote those and hopefully do some more

BBC: very good, very good, is this the first time you been to that part of the world? Declan?
Declan: yes it is, its amazing, its a sort of a cultural shock

BBC: and what is the reaction towards you out there? towards your sort of music.
Declan: well as we are talking about tour at the arenas, i got a huge fan base over here,
there's a forum of 120,000 members,


BBC: good lord! thats wonderful wonderful. when will you come back?
Declan: well i am coming back after this sort of visit, we are here for a week,
so we will be back next week.

BBC: and you are doing these shows with will halls in Adoll Ifield school, yeah?
Declan: yeah, thats right,with will hall on 2nd of november, yeah, i mean it's a
concert with luna mcmanas whos very quite popular with the folk thing .
I will be doing the whole second half. Its in adoll, the school, yeah.

BBC: you got a great career Declan, when you started when you were just a young
man, age 7 at the Rochester dickins festival, didn't you, to local talent competitions,
and finish up with elton john concert that 22,000 people.
it's incredible,isn't it? i mean, could you ever imagine that in your
wildest dreams?
Declan: no, um. i still got not much to mention really. i just went with the flow really,
enjoy doing music, continue to sing and play my guitar and started to write about
2 years ago, you know, just with it and build up as i grow up i just gone along.

BBC: well, consider your young age, you are just 15 now, arn't you?
Declan: yeah, i am 15 and 16 in december.

BBC: 16 in december, i mean what a wonderful start for a career you had.
i mean its incredible. and you cd is out on sale now?
Declan: yeah, at the moment we are just been releasing in what we called" GAS"
germany, austria and switserland, the first album when i was 9 was release in UK,
that did well, and i think you been playing the 'thank you' album which is( I had,
which is brilliant) thank you very much, thank you. that was released last december.
and that was recorded promoted and released in germany, austria and switserland.
we've just finished making the video for the single of this album, it's more contemperary
than the album ' thank you', its half and half of originals and covers(it's good stuff) thank you.
we tried to, i mean we wanted to actually, i mean we have many of originals to choose
from, we want ed to make a shorter album of 14 with all originals but its really hard for
the market to have such a drastic change because ' thank you' album was all covers.
so we try to make it a easier tansition.

BBC: you got some good stuff in there, i mean we've played 'love of my life',
'nights in white satin', 'bright eyes', 'house of the rising sun' is a bit unusual, bit of strange
thing to do, but great version, you will love it that one.

Declan: thank you. i mean at first it was a strange version but um, not a
strange version sry, i mean a strange song to choose.
it was actually my producer who suggested it, and we were like ' what? what
are you talking about? house of the rising sun?' the lyrics are all wrong but
because it's such an old song we are able to change the lyrics, actually it came
as a bit of a surprise because my mananger rewrote the lyrics. it turned out really
well and i was pleased with the version.

BBC: we got to thank you mum today cause she do all the hard work to try to
advice you, and we are sure she's listening as well, you've got to let
her play, declan.
Declan: yup thats right, actually she rang me in between some fans at the
airport. so i was signing the autograph with a phone to the ear.

BBC: fantastic, realy good to have you with us mate. go and have some sleep,
and once you are at the woodworth hall on the 2nd of november 8pm, tickets are just 15pounds.
Declan: yeah, and 12 pounds for concessions

BBC: 12 for concessions, listen, when you are back in the country, come to
the studio and have a longer chat with us.
Declan: yeah i will for sure, thank you very much.

BBC: i am gonna play a very special song 'an angel' for you mum. cheers declan,bye bye.
Declan: thanks for having me,bye. Declan: thanks for having me, bye.

BBC: you're welcome.


an angel'declan???,?. Began to take 'an angel' after this declan not involved in the
(estimated to go to bed, jet lag problems)
2 behind the DJ said declan some good, specific We would also like to know
if I have to let those record.

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An interview on Dec 2002.4.5
In his short rise to fame, Declan has to go through the laborious task
of giving interviews to the press. Like all kids, Master Galbraith
has a whole host of entertaining comments to say about his world.

Here are just some of them:

On his £1million deal with record label EMI:
"I don't actually get the million pounds. It's what they're prepared
to spend on me. But I don't mind. I just enjoy the singing."


On whether he thinks he's missing out on his childhood:
"Well... " [thinks hard] "I still play Cowboys and Indians when my
cousin comes!"

On how he styles his hair:
"Wax is best, but if we haven't got any wax, then I just have to use
gel, but gel goes down if you bang it a few times. Then you have to
put your hand through it and it slips back into shape again!"

On who he'd most like to be:
"I'd like to be Robbie Williams. And my Dad would certainly like to
have his money!"

On what his biggest dream is:
"To buy a big house for mum and dad... And I'd like to have a nice
house as well, and I'd make sure my sister was all well and healthy,
and I'd like to give some money to my cousin Joe, who's my best
friend. I'd also like to help out charities and things!"

Opinion of Max Clifford:
"He's really nice. Every time I go there he gives me sweets."

Opinion of his new voice coach:
"He gives me little tips on how to look after my throat. Now I always
wear a scarf at school, and a woolly hat, even if it's boiling hot.
Some of the boys say I'm like a snowman!"

Many people ask if he has a girlfriend:
"I haven't got much time for a girl. In fact, I'm not interested in
girls at the moment. But I'm sure I probably will be when I'm older."

On the type of music he sings:
"I'm not a choirboy. I sing all kinds: songs that the recording
company have written for me - because I've got some writers - and I
sing folk, and Irish ballads, and soul . . . Well, I call it soul,
but it's like a soul Irish ballad!"

On being recognised in public:
"Once, when I was in the News of the World, I was coming back from
the paper shop and someone in their car beeped their horn and whistled!"

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Florian Silbereisen - interview

Florian Silbereisen(FS): Welcome to our show, how are you?

Declan: I'm great, thank you

FS: When Declan came to our show last month, we knew we are friends, but we have a little problem with communication, because I speak just a little bit English and Declan just a little bit german. Right Declan?

Declan: Äh no, it's great to be here

Have fun!!!

Sophie

FS: That make us happy. Really good Declan!
But we invited a ventriloquist ( a man who doesn't use his mouth to speak and make different voices)
Here is the succesful ventriloquist Peter Moreno!!
Hello Peter, nice to meet you!

Declan: Hi

FS: What do you want to do, that me and Declan are able to communicate??

Peter Moreno(PM): That's no problem. I have 30 different voices and everyone of you will get one. That's very easy. I push your hand. Ok declan?

Declan the duck: Yes ok, yes ok

PM: You spaek very good german: