INTERVIEW - Kirk Norcross

Congratulations on the recent Machu Picchu trek Kirk, what made you decide to go ahead and do it?

Thank you, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I get asked to do a lot of stuff for charity and I don’t want to be just one of those celebs that do things to look good. But the ADHD foundation was so close to my heart, because I suffer with it, and I really wanted to do something for them. We researched it and found out there was already this trek planned for the charity so I jumped on board. It was so hard; the best thing I’ve ever done but it made me realise how far I could push myself.

What was the hardest part about it?

It must have been the altitude. I’m not lying, you’d take four steps and need to have a little sit down to recuperate and get your breathing right. Even stupid things like in a morning, brushing your teeth, you’d be out of breath from that. You’d feel like you couldn’t go any further then you’d turn a corner and see an incredible view and you’d want to carry on. There was this one girl who really helped me along, one day I felt like I couldn’t do anymore and they’d have to take me back and she’d give me a little boot up the bum and spurred me on.

Would you do it all again if you were asked?

I physically couldn’t. I’d try and do anything I could for the ADHD Foundation but knowing how hard that trek is I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to do it all again. I’d love to experience all the other wonders of the world and I’d love to do that again but I psychically couldn’t.

You released your first ever single a couple of months ago, were you more nervous or excited?

I was excited; I thought it’d just be a laugh because I’ve never wanted to be a singer although I’m getting into it now down to that track. I wasn’t very happy with the amount of donations, I was over the moon with those that did buy the track and gave money, but I was disappointed more people didn’t give, even if it was just a penny it all would have mounted up. So I didn’t make as much money as I thought I would of, but money was still raised and just everyone telling me they thought the track was good made it worthwhile for me. It was fun to do, doing interviews afterwards and being called a singer was very cool.

What’s the response been like since people have heard it? Not many people knew you could actually sing!

It’s been mad! It was only a short song though and people have been like ‘I’ve had texts long than that’ but that was the song, that songs already made. It’s all been very positive which has what’s made want to pursue music. It’s something I’ve always liked but was always too nervous to express it, but then when I’d done it I was like bloody hell people like what I like. So it’s my new little adventure.

What was it like performing it for the first time?

Oh my god, honestly I was shitting myself. I had to go on after Lydia Lucy and Next Of Kin and they’re really good singers, so to go after them it made me more nervous. My manager Kym was like ‘go on you’ll be great, you won’t want to get off’ and I was like honestly, when I get up there I’ll want to get off. But she was right; the second I got up and didn’t want to come off. I was just up on stage talking to everyone and if I’d had more songs I’d have sung more songs.

You’ve been in the studio recording some songs, does that mean we can expect another single? Maybe an album?

Yes, I’m slowly working on an album. What we’re doing in the studio is recording a lot of different songs because I don’t want to have just one type of music on there I want to have lots of different sounds. I like all types of music; there isn’t just one genre I could say is my favourite. We’ve been in the studio but not actually been laying hard tracks (until recently #lockmedown). I’m looking to release a single in the next month or so just to let people know it wasn’t just a one off and whilst the hypes still out there. This one will by my first official single, ‘aint no sunshine’ wasn’t for me to get into music it was just for the charity. This is all I want to do now, I did want to get into acting but with that it’s hit and miss. Music is what I want to do; it’s what I’m passionate about now.

We heard you’ve got some exciting things lined up in America, is that music based?

It is, I’m very lucky with the people I work with Mark and Kym. The links that they’ve given me, I wish I could stand on a box and shout about it or even just tweet about it. The people I’m working with are people that have worked with the likes of the Jackson brothers and Destiny’s Child. It’s unbelievable that I get to work with them. They’ve actually listened to me and liked me, it’s not just like ‘oh lets give him a chance’ they think I’ve got it in me. When it all comes together I think it’ll be big, it won’t just be the biggest thing someone from TOWIE has got to do it’ll be one of the biggest things someone from the UK has got to work on.

What’s it like hearing people call you a singer now? Are you getting used to it?

It’s crazy. Something that I like to do and people are starting to recognise me for that now. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, just not professionally. When I’d get bored I’d sit and write a song or something, even sometimes a rap and perform it for people; I was a right little gangster when I was a kid. I’ve always enjoyed that, it’s like my little getaway but it’s everyone’s really, when you’re stressed you put a bit of music on. This sounds like an X Factor audition, but music helps release me, I bottle a lot of stuff up and with my ADHD it’s hard to control myself, but with my music (here a ‘fucking rabbit’ makes an appearance and Kirk gets distracted) do you see what I mean? I’m just so glad people are taking me seriously and calling me a singer.

Is it just music you’re concentrating on now? Does it mean we can’t expect to you see on telly again any time soon?

Yeah it’s music now. I did a fishing show recently that’ll be on ITV I think next year, it’s a really good format with a few celebrities involved, that’s just something I got asked to do and I did it because I love to fish. I don’t want to do any reality telly anymore; I want my personal life to be kept personal. I like sitting down and having a conversation with people, telling them what I’ve done in the week but I don’t want people coming up to me anymore ‘ah I seen what you done last week ya prick’. If I ever was to do reality again it’d be something about me and my business, I work a lot with my Dad still but obviously people think if we’re not on TOWIE we’re not working. We run a multi-million pound company, hotels, clubs, antique shops, everything, and so if I was to do something it’d be about the Sugar Hut and stuff like that. Nothing like Peter Andre or Amy Childs, Katie Price and all that, it’d be how to run a business rather than a fly on the wall.