Chesney Hawkes has claimed he feels that the “mystique” which used to exist between pop stars and the audience has disappeared.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk in advance of the upcoming Reminisce Festival in Sherdley Park next month he lamented the lack of mystery surrounding contemporary stars. “The kind of mystique of pop stardom that we used to have back in the day has been eroded away because of social media and the internet and everything is so accessible,” he said.
“Prince is my favourite artist of all time, and I love the fact that I didn’t really know much about him. That he was kind of mysterious, and he was a genius at creating that kind of image. Some artists are.
“These days, you know what Harry Styles had for dinner, there’s so much information floating around about these people that you don’t have that mystique so much anymore,” he pondered speaking.
“If your music’s good it should get some kind of traction, and people start listening and then you figure out how to do it you can make a living out of that and have a career out of that – basically, putting the music out online and figuring figuring it out themselves.”
He added that people needed help from outside sources, praising those who can get it done differently today.
Chesney understands the struggle to get music out there. Despite having a musical legacy in the form of his father Len Hawkes from the Tremelos, and playing all his life, Chesney still found it challenging to get a record contract back in the day.
His breakthrough, and best known hit, The One And Only, was taken from the soundtrack. While he admits he enjoyed the experience he says it was always about the music for him.
“I grew up in a rock and roll household and I was always a musician. Always writing songs.
“[Then] I was thrown into a lead part in this film. I mean, I guess at the time, I was probably quite precocious – I was 17 years old when I got that part and I just thought I’m just going to go off and be a musician for life. But then when the acting came along, I did enjoy it,” he acknowledged.
The big break led to him exploding onto the charts and hitting number one with his debut single . However, almost as quickly as it all began it was over for him. Barely out of his teens when all the initial fuss died down he admits in hindsight it was more difficult that he credited at the time.
“At the time, I didn’t realise that it was affecting me because I think that kind of exuberance of youth and I’ve always been very tenacious, so it’s one of those things where you just, I just, dusted myself off and got on with it.
“But, I’m totally fine now and grateful for it now, because I just feel like I’ve seen the ups and downs of the business and been through some s***. Now I’m like 52 years old, a father of three – three adults – and I’m very much in love with my wife, and we have an incredible life, and I’m very, very grateful for it. So, you know, all those things that happen kind of take you to a place and right now I’m incredibly happy,” he confirmed.
Chesney Hawkes will play at the Reminisce Festival on September 7. The festival, now in its tenth year, is an all day celebration of 90’s old school club tunes and pop with DJ’s and Live acts across seven stages from midday to midnight in St Helens, Liverpool.