Daniel O’Donnell struggled to achieve success in the early days of his music career.
The 62-year-old singer has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide but admitted that when he first started out, it was “hard” and he wasn’t even sure things were going to work out when he was first trying to make it big in the 1980s.
He told the Sunday Express’ Style magazine: “It was hard. From 1984 to 86, it wasn’t working. I went to see the label boss and said I don’t think it’s going to work.
“He said they were getting good reach on the album and I should stick it out. He was right as 1986 was my pinch-me moment.
“It was like somebody switched on a light. Everywhere we went was packed. It was like a wildfire – I couldn’t believe it!”
The ‘I Just Want To Dance With You’ singer got his big break in the end thanks to pirate radio in his native Ireland as he worked his way from the club circuit to theatres.
He said: “They were playing all my stuff – maybe because I was young and they were young. I just wanted to sing the songs I loved.”
Daniel is gearing up to undertake another UK tour in promotion of his greatest hits album ‘Through The Years ‘ and revealed that, more 40 years on from the start of his career, he is now on first-name terms with many of his loyal fans.
“I’ve got to know a lot of the fans – I know many of them by name. Interacting with them is lovely. I get as much out of it as they do.”
