The One and Only Returns…
The One and Only Returns: Chesney Hawkes Ahead of His UK Tour Dates – Interview by Rachel Ducker
There are few songs that instantly transport you back to a moment in time, but The One and Only is undoubtedly one of them. Over 30 years since it reached number one, Chesney Hawkes still feels familiar to audiences here.
Before his latest string of shows across England, I talked with him privately, stepping away from crowds for an honest conversation. Our chat came just before he hits stages near Norwich and then Colchester, bringing familiar melodies into view. Beyond hits like “The One and Only,” I wanted to know what drives him – beyond guitar strings and studio lights.
Far from flashy, we covered decades of his work. Growing famous so young wasn’t easy. Stage lights haven’t dimmed his rush for live shows; instead, they spark much like they did when he started.
His stint on Celebrity Big Brother came up – a program that brought him face to face with viewers who might never have seen him before.
Right now, Chesney Hawkes kicks off his tour across the UK. After that comes a string of shows – first in Norwich, then Colchester – and people are quietly buzzing about it. It won’t just be music; think old memories stirring, mixed with today’s pulse, all tied together by his voice that cuts through like yesterday.
Still… talking with him made it clear – he isn’t stuck on one note or a flash-in-the-pan moment. He shifted, evolved, showed up differently over time, still managing to meet listeners where they are.
In our full interview, Chesney reflects on the highs, the challenges, and the moments that have shaped his journey – and why, after all these years, he still feels incredibly grateful to be doing what he loves.
Chesney Hawkes: Still the One and Only – 35 Years On
Rachel: Most people know you from The One and Only – and I have to admit, I cannot get that song out of my head. I’ve been singing it all week knowing this interview was coming up. What is it like to have a song that’s lasted a lifetime?
Chesney: It looks that way, doesn’t it? It’s been 35 years, actually, to this week, since I first put it out. It’s pretty wonderful that you’ve connected with people in some way. That’s the beautiful thing about music: it connects differently with different people.
When you have a record like that, which goes out and finds its own connections, you almost give up ownership of it. Of course, I had something to do with it, but the memories people attach to it become theirs. People who’ve known me since the beginning tell me it takes them right back to their youth, doing homework, falling in love, living their lives. That’s incredibly special.
Rachel: Your rise to fame in the early ’90s was huge. Is there anything people might misunderstand about how it all happened?
Chesney: I came from a rock and roll upbringing. My dad was in a band called The Tremeloes in the ’60s, so there were always guitars around the house. I grew up watching musicians, watching my dad’s friends on stage, and being part of that musical world.
I always assumed I’d be in a band. I didn’t expect it to happen as a solo pop career, or to be seen as a heartthrob pop star. That wasn’t how I imagined it at all.
Rachel: Oh yeah – you can say heartthrob – we’d all agree!
Chesney: [laughs]
Rachel: You’ve had such a varied career. How do you feel you’ve changed most as an artist?
Chesney: Definitely through songwriting. As you get older, you have more life experience, and your writing naturally becomes deeper. When I was younger, I could write songs about anything. Now, if I’m writing something for myself, it has to be personal.
This latest album really reflects that. There are still some big pop moments, but I also tackled deeper subjects. Some of the songs were painful to write, but they needed to be written. It was therapeutic, cathartic.
Rachel: I think when something comes from a genuine place, that’s when people connect with it. Authenticity matters more than ever now.
Reaching a New Generation and Bringing the Hits Back on Tour
Rachel: You’ve also had some other ventures recently, including Celebrity Big Brother. Do you think that’s helped introduce you to a younger generation who may not have known your music before?
Chesney: It definitely seems that way. My gigs now have a really varied demographic, which is fantastic to see. Before, people would shout out The One and Only when they saw me. Now I get younger people saying, “You’re that guy from Big Brother.”
Rachel: Whichever way people discover you, it’s a good thing. You have a UK tour coming up – stopping near us in Norwich and Colchester. What can people expect from the upcoming tour?
Chesney: This tour, I really want to make it extra fun. We’re going to include some interactive moments and surprises on stage, but more than anything, I want it to be an experience.
I want people to leave their inhibitions at the door, come in, and relive their youth. Of course, I’ll be performing the classic songs, but I’ll also include tracks from the new album and some unexpected moments along the way.
There’s a real sense of community with the fans who’ve been there throughout the years. We’ve all grown up together. Many of them have kids now, just like me, and that shared experience makes the shows feel really special.
Rachel: How do you choose what songs make it into the setlist?
Chesney: It’s always a creative process. I’ll put together my ideas, and then I work closely with my management to shape it. Sometimes we’ll reimagine songs completely – strip them back, change the arrangement, maybe perform something differently from how people expect.
It’s not just about what songs you play, but how you present them. I like finding ways to keep things fresh and exciting, even for songs people have known for decades.
Rachel: I hear your wife is very involved and supportive of your career. Behind every good man is a good woman.
Chesney: Oh yeah, behind every good man… you’re right there!
From Los Angeles to Home – and the Album That Changed Everything
Rachel: You spent time living in LA and have now returned to the UK. What led you there originally, and what brought you back?
Chesney: We went to LA with one word in mind: adventure. We had a good life in the UK, a nice house, the kids were happy in school, and work was going well. But one evening, my wife and I were sitting in the garden with a glass of wine, and I said, “Life’s good, isn’t it?”
She replied, “Yes… but is this it?”
Those words stayed with me. Life is short, and sometimes you have to take a leap into the unknown. Even if it doesn’t work out, you can always come back. It’s about who you take that leap with, and having that support made all the difference.
That leap ultimately helped shape what would become his most personal body of work yet.
Chesney: It’s ok to jump off a cliff – you can climb back up.
Rachel: Yeah, but it’s who you jump off a cliff with!
Chesney: Yes definitely!
Rachel: I’ve heard some of the new album, and it’s fantastic. Can you tell us more about how it came together?
Chesney: It began very naturally. I started working with my friend Jake Gosling, who discovered Ed Sheeran and has worked with artists like Sam Smith to Paloma Faith and One Direction. We were just sitting outside with guitars one day, and we wrote a song in about 20 minutes.
When that happens, you know it’s something special.
Within hours, we had the track finished, and it felt so effortless and fun that we decided to keep going. We brought in friends, musicians I’ve worked with for years, even my brother on drums. The energy was incredible, very organic.
But alongside those sessions, I also had some deeply personal songs I’d written. They were difficult to revisit, emotional, painful in places, but they needed to come out. When I played them to Jake, he immediately said, “This is the heart of the album.”
Those songs became the emotional core of the record.
Rachel: Did creating the album change something for you personally?
Chesney: It did. It didn’t just fulfil something – it awakened something. Those songs had to come out. And since then, I haven’t stopped writing.
It’s like rediscovering a part of myself creatively. There’s definitely more to come.
Lessons from 35 Years in Music – and What Comes Next
Rachel: What would you say is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your 35 years in the music industry?
Chesney: The music industry can be challenging. You have to be thick-skinned. But more than anything, you need tenacity, faith, and belief in yourself.
I’ve mentored young artists over the years, and it’s not always the most talented ones who succeed. It’s the ones with passion and unwavering belief – the ones who live and breathe music. That belief is everything.
For me, music was never a backup plan. It was always who I was. I never considered doing anything else, and I think that helped me push through the difficult moments.
Rachel: Do your children share that same creative drive?
Chesney: Yes, especially my youngest. He has that same belief and determination. I can see it in him already.
Being a father has given Chesney a deeper perspective, not only on his career, but on the legacy he continues to build.
As the conversation draws to a close, it’s clear that Chesney Hawkes isn’t simply revisiting past success – he’s evolving, creating, and embracing every new chapter with the same passion that first launched him onto the global stage.
With a new album, a UK tour, and a renewed creative energy, his story is far from finished.
And for audiences in Norwich and Colchester, the opportunity to experience it live promises to be something truly special.
To book tickets to the UK Tour see here.
