SPECIAL K
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DOWN TO EARTH
When Kian starts to talk about stuff like CD collections, you realise he's just a regular 20-year-old who'd rather be having a pint with his mates than schmoozing Mariah in the Met Bar.
When he's home in Sligo, he hangs out with the people who've known him for years, who don't treat him differently because he's famous.
But not everyone's so understanding, and in a small town, even before he became a star, Kian was an easy target for jealous people. "Everybody knew me and by the time I hit 14 I used to have all the guys from the bad side of town starting on me," he says. "They'd go pick fights for no reason. I'd never go down to the carnival 'cos there were people who would come and hit me."
Kian spent years refusing to stand up for himself in case he got into more trouble. He begged his mum to send him away to boarding school, but she convinced him it was all part of growing up. Then when he reached 16, he snapped.
"One guy came round the corner after me and challenged me for a fight. He went to hit me and I kicked the crap out of him and that was it. I haven't been touched since."
"I go home now and the guys who used to pick on me are like, 'Nice to meet you. You're doing great!' I think, 'Don't pretend nothing happened. You made my life hell when I was younger.' It's not like I wouldn't walk out the front door, but there were days when I was afraid people would be waiting for me."
Westlife have come a long way since they won Smash Hits' Best New Tour Act in 1998, and talking to Kian is like having a conversation with a wise old man of pop. But that wisdom comes at a price: Kian's had about half an hour off this year. Surely that doesn't leave much time for girlfriends? A cheeky grin crosses Kian's face. "If I meet a nice girl I'll make time," he smiles. "I've met so many girls who are beautiful, but is there anything upstairs? Then you meet average-looking girls you get on with. You share the same feelings about certain things. That's the type of person I like. I could go out on a date with a really beautiful girl and they might only be there because I'm in Westlife."
"They might think I'm rich and that I'll take them to snazzy places, but I won't. I let them see I'm a regular person - if they don't like it there's no point."
Surprisingly, Kian claims he doesn't get famous women chatting him up. But would he notice if they did?
"Yeah," he grins. "I think I would. It's very strange, cos all my mates would be like, 'Oh, did you meet her? Did you get off with her?' but it's not like that. I think Mariah Carey's beautiful, but I didn't fancy her. I didn't sit there and think, 'Oh, she's stunning.'" That's just not Kian's style. "I'm not like that with anyone. If I fancy a girl, it'd be more relaxed. I'd chill out and take it easy and not let her know!"
He can see the advantages of dating someone famous though. "People end up going out with other people in bands 'cos they meet so often and get to know each other," he reasons. "It's not flirting. They're just human beings and I'm not going to treat them differently. If you end up with someone in a band you have to understand their lifestyle. I went out with a few girls and they were like, 'How can you live like that?' But that's what I love to do."
Even if you're immune to those blond boy looks, spending an hour in Kian's company is enough to have you raising an eyebrow in admiration. And as if being not-very-ugly, single, very sweet, and in Westlife isn't enough to hook the girls, Kian thinks he makes a very good boyfriend. "I always remember important stuff, I'll make a girl feel good about herself and let her know what I'm feeling. I won't be dishonest. If I'm having a problem, I won't bother hiding it," he says.
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© 2001 Pami