“How Lucky I Must Be” – Daniel O’Donnell Launches UK Tour in Llandudno!

As Daniel O’Donnell sets out on his latest UK tour, launching at Llandudno’s Venue Cymru this week, the Irish star chats to Andy Howells

Few artists can maintain constant chart success alongside sell-out shows for over four decades, but few have the broad appeal of Donegal based singer Daniel O’Donnell who begins his latest UK tour in Llandudno’s Venue Cymru on Friday October 13.

The tour is in support of Daniel’s forthcoming album, How Lucky I Must Be, an apt title that could well be the popular stars signature tune as he explains to Andy Howells: “It was written by Scottish singer, Isla Grant who recorded it herself.

“When I heard How Lucky I Must Be, I really liked it and wanted to record it. The record company decided it was a good title for the album. I have been lucky through the years, so, it’s a good title for the album and for me!”

One of the most prolific and successful recording artists in the UK charts, Daniel O’Donnell is the only artist in the world to score a hit in the UK album charts every year since 1988. This unprecedented and unbroken 35-year span has outshone everyone from Michael Jackson and Madonna, to U2 and the Rolling Stones.

Daniel doesn’t take the success for granted however, “I’ve recorded an album a year since 1984,” he continues, “If this album gets in the UK charts, it will be every year since 1988. I don’t want to count the chickens before they hatch but who knows? If it doesn’t, I probably won’t die for the want of it. But it would be nice if it did!”

In the meantime, Daniel is focussing on the tour and in particularly his opening Llandudno show, although there is a touch of sadness as he explains that the Cardiff St David’s Hall date originally scheduled for October 18^th has had to be cancelled as checks on the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) panels in the building continue.

Daniel says, “Well, there’s some disappointment certainly that we’re not able to come to do the Cardiff show. Hopefully sometime in the future we’ll get back again. During COVID, we had a show cancelled at St Davids Hall too. So, we’ll have to make it third time lucky!

“I suppose these things happen; there’s really nothing that can be done about it. It’s for the safety of people too, because if there’s a problem, you must respect the situation.”

As well as touring and recording his new album, Daniel recently got involved with filmmaking and joined forces with React Productions to produce the 10-minute short, The Night of The Daniels, which sees Daniel playing himself as he fights off an invasion of waxwork Daniel O’Donnell’s.

“A number of years ago React Productions came and asked me if I would do something with them,” explains Daniel, “They wanted to show the world what they could do and they had this idea.  I said, “Sure I’ll do whatever you want me to do.” Then COVID came and the film got put on hold.

“I recorded a song  Down at the La Di Da and we asked them to do the video for that, it was tremendous. But then last year, finally, we got to do what they wanted to do with The Night of the Daniels, and that’s how that all came about!”

So, now Daniel has conquered the film world, are there any other unfulfilled career ambitions?

“I suppose the one thing that I’ve never really done is musical theatre. Whether I’m too old for that or not, I don’t know. But I’ve never had the time. Who knows?”

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In the meantime, you can catch Daniel O’ Donnell on the following UK tour dates:

• Fri 13th Oct Llandudno Venue Cymru
• Sat 14th Oct Basingstoke The Anvil
• Sun 15th Oct Skegness Embassy Theatre
• Mon 16th Oct Southend Cliffs Pavilion
• Thu 19th Oct Scarborough Spa Grand Hall
• Sat 21st Oct Bradford St. George’s Hall
• Sun 22nd Oct Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Daniel O Donnell’s new album, How Lucky I Must Be is due for release on November 3rd. Tickets and more information available via www.danielodonnell.org