Robbie Williams told Mike Hosking he has renewed energy after years of cynicism. Photo /Getty Images
Robbie Williams told Mike Hosking he has renewed energy after years of cynicism. Photo /Getty Images
His career is on a high, but Robbie Williams says his upcoming New Zealand shows will be his most important ever.
The global superstar told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hoskinghe was relishing the opportunity to perform and working harder now than he has in years when he was in hisboy band era.
“Every show is the most important show. The next show is always the most important show.
”I don’t want to let me down and I don’t want to let my audience down.”
Williams said the current demand for live touring was fuelled by a renewed appreciation of concerts from both artists and audiences.
“I think all artists shat themselves when the experiential market fell to s***. I think it did something to all of our psyches where we realised on a conscious or a subconscious level that this could be taken away at any moment and we shall never ever take this for granted again.
“I don’t think I’ve worked as hard in the last four or five years as I’ve done since I was in Take That, since I was in the boy band. But I’m really enjoying it.”
Williams is currently enjoying a career resurgence. His album Britpop, released in January, is his 16th No 1 album on the UK Albums Chart, surpassing The Beatles as the act with the most UK No 1 albums.
Williams also reflected on his Brit Awards performance where he led a musical tribute to late heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, calling the experience “sensational”.
“Standing in front of that band with that power was just intoxicating and I want more of it. I became instantly addicted and very grateful that Mrs O asked me to do it.”
The veteran pop star told Hosking the experience revived his faith in the industry after years of cynicism.
“I was quite cynical and I thought that music was full. I thought that everything that could be said has been sung, every chord that could be played has been played ...
“But to experience ... the new young people, experiencing them kind of changed my perspective and there is still magic in the air, there are still magical people and there are still a bunch of magical people in the audience receiving the new.”
Robbie Williams will bring his Britpop Tour down under in November 2026. Photo / Supplied
Asked by Hosking about what fuels his longevity in the industry, Williams credited a mindset promoted by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
“As soon as they won whatever they won, the next day Alex Ferguson was like, ‘put those medals in the bin, we go again’. And that’s how I feel - We go again and we carry on going again.
“What I am enjoying now is the journey, you know, and it’s clichéd but I literally enjoy the car journeys, the plane journeys, the sitting with my band, the talking to people that I work with and creating and keeping this show on the road.”
Robbie Williams’ Britpop tour plays Eden Park, Auckland on Tuesday, November 24 and One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch on Saturday, November 28.
