BWW Interviews: PHANTOM's John Owen-Jones About His New Single 'MAY EACH DAY'

Happy New Year, John! So last time we spoke you were just releasing Unmasked...

Yes, my recording company are very good to me. The first thing they wanted me to record was a musical theatre album, with songs that I'm known for singing, like Music of the Night and Bring Him Home; I wanted to capitalise and extend on that. I thought that would be more interesting for me and the audience when I'm performing live.

And your new single, a cover of 'May Each Day', made famous by Andy Williams, was out before Christmas. How did you decide which track to release as a single?

I've always been a fan of Andy Williams, and I thought this song had a nice Christmassy feel, with a universal message. I've had a great deal of support over the past few years, I'm very lucky. Fans - actually I hate even saying the word 'fans' - supporters are always asking me for new stuff, so I recorded this, we did it in one session, and I'm really pleased with it.

And what's been the feedback from your supporters?

It's been good! I did a signing at Dress Circle, and a lot of people turned up. Yes, the feedback's been good so far.

So what are your plans for 2013?

Well, Unmasked is being released internationally. It's a small record company so things take longer to do, which is fine by me. 2013 is about continuing to promote the album - I'm doing some concerts in Scandinavia, Portugal and the Far East, and making some TV appearances [including zombie drama 'In The Flesh' on BBC Three, and ITV detective series 'Scott and Bailey']. I'm also keeping my calendar free as best I can; before, I've been approached about things but I've always had to turn them down because I'm doing eight shows a week. I've got no plans to return to the West End at the moment.

I was going to say - there can't be that many parts around at the moment that you'd want to do, as you've done the two big hitters.

I'd go back to do Les Miserables, there's always something different in Valjean to bring out, and with the film coming out there's a new awareness, so it's an exciting time to be part of it. It'd be nice to get a Sondheim or something like that, but then I'd be up against Michael Ball and Alfie Boe and people like that, so it's tough competition.

So in the meantime you're at home and doing the school run?

Yes! When I'm on the road, it's tough to be part of the family. So when I'm at home, I do the school run, give them their tea, do all the DIY, because I don't get the chance to with my antisocial work. It's nice to be normal.

John Owen-Jones's single 'May Each Day' is now available for download.

After spending her formative years reading books and ending up with a Masters degree in English literature from King's College London, it was inevitable that Carrie should be a journalist. Her pure and simple delight in the art-form of musical theatre led to the Guardian asking her to be their West End Girl. Since then, she's picked up a PhD, and also written for many other UK publications, including the Times and the Independent. She has many eclectic loves, including sport, karaoke, reality television, MMORPGs, three-volume Victorian novels, the British seaside, embroidery and Veronica Mars.

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