Megan McKenna is feeling more confident and settled since becoming a mum, she tells us. The Essex-born star may have made a name for herself on reality TV, but these days she’s better known for her stunning singing voice and delicious cooking, in what appears to be a complete career change.
Now living in Germany with her footballer husband Oliver Burke, 28, and their nine-month-old son, Landon, it’s clear that 32-year-old Megan – who tied the knot with Oliver in June – is feeling at ease in her new life, as she sits down with OK! for an exclusive interview.
READ MORE: GMB's Charlotte Hawkins wows in 'absolute perfection' Boden dress that's now 40% off
“Motherhood has definitely made me more free. I don’t worry about the little things any more. As a mum, you have the most amazing gift already, so everything else is fine,” says Megan, as we chatted at London landmark The Shard, before she took to the stage to perform with acclaimed songwriter, Toby Gad.
The former Ex On The Beach star has been carving out a career in music since winning The X Factor: Celebrity in 2019. In the show, fronted by Simon Cowell, Megan debuted her original song This, which later went to No.1 on the iTunes charts, and made it into the UK Official Charts.
And after taking a time out from the industry to spend quality time with Landon and Oliver, she’s ready to get stuck in again. “I took a break from music for obvious reasons and I moved to Berlin, so I’ve had a lot on my plate,” she says. “But, to be honest, I took a break because I don’t like doing things half-heartedly. I’m very passionate about what I do, so I want to do it properly.”
She adds, “This performance is my first since becoming a mother, so it’s exciting.” Megan joined a host of other famous guests, including Paloma Faith, in performing alongside Grammy winner Toby.
She adds, “I would say definitely The X Factor helped with people realising that I’ve grown up a lot,” she says of the talent contest, which came after her drama-filled stints on Celebrity Big Brother and TOWIE.
Article continues below
“People realised that I can actually write music, I’m not just a singer who sings karaoke. I actually write from the heart and I think that’s why I won The X Factor because all my songs are inspired by my own stories.”
Megan’s song, This, is often used on social media for engagement and pregnancy announcements, including her own special pregnancy announcement with Oliver in April last year, which came after various fertility struggles for the couple. “I hear my song all the time and get tagged in so many videos using it. It’s really lovely,” she says.
Of course, not only is she embracing the brave new world of motherhood, Megan is also embracing a different culture, as the family-of-three made the move to the German capital to be close to Oliver’s football team, German Bundesliga club Union Berlin.
“I’m not in Germany full-time, though,” stresses Megan, when we ask how life abroad is going. “We have moved there, but I’m back and forth – I’m flying a lot!”
Smiling at her parents across the room, it’s clear that family is everything to her.
“My mum has always been so supportive of me,” she confirms. “She’s my best friend. You need family close, because I travel a lot and to have that closeness is everything. In the in-between bits, thank God for FaceTime! Even just social media keeps me close to UK friends and family, if I didn’t have that I think I’d find it really difficult to stay involved.”
Megan’s proud parents had front row seats for her performance at The Shard, which saw her sing Fergie’s Big Girls Don’t Cry alongside Toby, who wrote the hit song. But they’ve also seen her go through the tougher sides on her musical journey, confesses Megan.
Winning The X Factor: Celebrity meant that the Barking native was awarded a record deal by music mogul Simon Cowell, but she admits that things didn’t quite go to plan.
“The label shut down after I won, so it was pretty hard. It was tough because I’d worked so, so hard. But Simon and I had a nice relationship. He actually rang me – which was crazy, because it’s not every day Simon Cowell rings you – to say that the label was closing down. He was really nice about it and said, ‘I’m sorry, but you need to find a new home.’ But it’s not an easy thing to do.”
Despite what could have felt like a huge setback, Megan says she’s ready to take on the industry again, now Landon is a little older. “Thankfully, times are changing and you don’t need a record label to release music, so hopefully it will be easier.”
Article continues below
Meanwhile, she’s being kept very busy with plenty of other ventures, including her blossoming culinary career. With a Sunday Times bestseller cookbook (and autobiography) already and millions tuning into her mouthwatering recipe videos on social media – in which she whips up everything from comfort food classics to gluten-free dishes – Megan has made quite a name for herself as a cook.
“I love cooking. It’s so natural to me. I just prop my phone up and film while I’m doing it, so it’s normal to share my recipes. Most of the time, I look horrendous! I always think afterwards, ‘Gosh, maybe I should try and put on some lipstick on,’ but then it gets to the end of the day and I’m like, ‘Nah, that’s impossible!’” she laughs, before adding, “I love cooking, I love singing, I love Landon and I love Ollie. That’s all I need, really!”
