TOTP- October 2000

ME, MYSELF & I

Seeing triple? Don't worry, there's only one STEPHEN GATELY, but there is more to him than meets the eye.

Do you have a personal mantra?

Something I say to myself every day? 'I thank God for this day. It will be a day of completion. Miracles shall follow miracles and wonders shall never cease.' I got that from a book called The Game of Life and How to Play It, and basically it fills you with positive energy. The author wrote it in 1954 and it's still selling really well now. It's only 100 pages which you can read every night and it just makes you go 'Wow!' If I have a certain problem, I just open the book and the answers are always there. It tells you that rather than asking God for things, we should be thanking him for things we've already received.

Have you always believed in yourself?

I knew I was going to be successful- I knew I was going to be in the entertainment business. I've been practising signing autographs since I was 13! Some of the guys in my class used to laugh at me so I always said, 'It'll be worth some money some day.' About three years ago I bumped into those guys in Dublin and one of them just said, 'You were dead right!'

What do you pray for?

I do pray- I pray regularly, but in a way that I like. I light incense sticks and candles, and I have one of those Tibetan singing bowls, too- where you rub a wooden stick around a metal bowl. Generally I pray for the health of my family, happiness, guidance and protection.

Looking back, is there one piece of advice you wish you had been given?

You can always look back and wish for things to have been different, but everyone makes mistakes and you learn from them. I suppose there are things I wish I hadn't done, like when I was younger I left my school- where I was the only guy in a class of 24 girls- to join another school for three months, but then left and went back to the first one!

Do you believe you've found your soul mate with Eloy?

Definitely! You do search, but you kind of know when you meet the right person. You know what's right for you- even though you never know how things are going to work out.

Is self-acceptance the greatest love of all?

It's good to be able to accept yourself, though it is very difficult. It's not just accepting but also feeling comfortable with yourself, being proud and confident and loving yourself. Some things I still lack, and that's where meditation comes in. I'm too sensitive and get hurt easily. It's not just about comments I might hear, but everything. I'm sensitive for other people and for myself- all Pisceans are sensitive!

How do you think other people see you?

Do you know what? I really, really don't know, but I hope they see me in a good way. I try to be good in all the things I do and I do the best that I can- being generous to people and good to fans. The thing is, it costs nothing to be nice. In the industry I hope people see me as successful- my first single did really well and not many people release an album after one single. I hope I have good relationships, too, with photographers and journalists, because I do enjoy what I do.

Who encouraged and supported you on your quest for stardom?

No one pushed me cos I just knew I wanted to do it, although my family, including my sister, was really supportive. We're close now though she's older than me- I speak to her every day on the phone. There was one teacher, Miss Higgins- well Moira Higgins cos I call her by her first name- who was always really behind me. She's lovely, really bubbly. She brought me out of myself and got me into acting.

Do you ever wish you weren't you?

Sometimes I do, just so that I can get away from it all for a little while. I can deal with hectic days, but when it's hectic weeks and months I'd rather be someone else. In Asia I visited seven countries in three weeks including a day travelling to each place- that was tough.

Which song lyrics do you think are the most inspirational?

One song I really like is Michael Jackson's Man In The Mirror. It has good lyrics about changing the world for the better.

How do you relax?

When I get tired I put my two feet firmly on the ground and put the back of my hands on my knees to do my chakra healing. I do a lot of breathing exercises, but I've got a massage chair as well. It's a big, big leather chair, which moves and kneads your back. And it shakes and taps on your legs. Is it better than Eloy's massage? Nah, he's good at giving massages too!

Do you have a confidence outfit?

I always feel totally comfortable in black. I don't know why but I love it. Most folk look good in black and it goes with everything. It looks really classy if you wear black out at night.

In the church of Stephen, what would be the first commandment?

You shall treat each other with respect and love, not war.

Who or what do you see in the mirror?

I see someone who's done well from a poor background in Sheriff Street, Dublin. It's been hard, but it means I appreciate everything that's been given to me.

Is there anything you would like to see reflected?

I'm pretty happy, though I'd like to wake up every morning looking good instead of having to spend half an hour making myself look half decent- you know, cleansing, toning, moisturising and stuff.

Do you have a best side?

They say everyone has, but I don't know. Mariah Carey will only be photographed on one side of her face, but I don't really think I have a best side.

What are you least confident at?

Baseball! I can never hit the ball! I can throw- and no, I don't have a girlie throw! Well, maybe it is girlie-ish. No, I can throw quite far actually. It's just when the ball comes towards me and I'm trying to hit it, going cross-eyed saying 'Where's it gone?' I end up throwing the bat at the ball!

What makes you tick?

Er, my dogs, Eloy, family, friends, my mobile, money, my car- they all make me tick. I like people who are friendly and on the same line as me, which is all about enjoying yourself. The more positive people I'm around, the better I feel.

Have you jumped on the 'I'm so spiritual' bandwagon like so many other pop stars?

How long have I been talking about meditating and being a bit more spiritual? Ages! So that's a no: I'm not jumping on a bandwagon. I just grew into it. I used to go to this woman called Annette, who did healing. One night I came out from seeing her after a session of acupuncture and for no reason I just burst out laughing and was giggling and giggling for about ten minutes. It made me feel so good, I carried on.

Where do you think is the most spiritual place you've ever been?

Probably India cos it's a spiritual place and meditation and things aren't seen as weird there.

Do you think you have a guardian angel?

I know I have a guardian angel. I think everybody has-whether you realise it or not. Mine's called No Days- it's not male or female. They're just there!

I Believe, Stephen's poptastic new single, is out now.