Ian “H” Watkins: Pop Icon, Renaissance Man, Redefiner

With an A-list career spanning over 25 years and 20 million albums sold worldwide, it's safe to say that Ian "H" Watkins has cemented his status as a pop icon.

Ian — known as H — is best known for his role in the pop band phenomenon, Steps, who travelled the world together during their five years as a group. After a long anticipated reunion, Steps has continued to tour into 2022, securing the title as Britain’s most successful touring pop group.

Steps topped single and album charts in the UK, Japan, Australia and Europe. Having sold over 20 million records worldwide, the group were awarded a special Brit Award for their tours, which stood proudly among a wealth of other awards won throughout their career — H also won a Smash Hits award for funniest person in pop!

But H isn't just known for his music. He's also a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community. In 2020 he made TV history with Matt Evers as the first same-sex couple to compete in Dancing on Ice.

When he’s out of the spotlight, he’s a proud father to twin boys, Macsen and Cybi. As a gay man, H knows all too well the challenges that come with parenthood, but he's never been one to back down from a challenge.

"I always wanted to be a parent, I always wanted a family," H said in a recent interview. "But as gay men, the process is a lot more challenging than for gay women because there are all different parts involved in the reproductive process.”

Despite the obstacles, H's journey to fatherhood has been nothing short of inspiring. And just like he's redefined himself as a musician, he's also redefining what it means to be a father in today's society.

A true creative spirit with credits from O2 Arena to the stages of the West End, in August 2022, H achieved a personal milestone on the home front, launching the first ever Pride event in his home town of Cowbridge. The week-long celebration featured art installations, education, talks and exhibitions with all of the money raised going to Cowbridge schools for LGBTQI+ resources.

H shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon and why should he?

He’s recently found acclaim pursuing his passion for painting, and his artwork is quickly becoming as popular as his music. Having already secured solo gallery shows, H is proving that he's a true creative force to be reckoned with.

"Painting has always been my first love," H said. H declared he was “more excited” about the “first major exhibition of [his] work, more than any opening night of a concert, or any award [he has] won, or West End show."

From pop star to proud father to prolific painter, Ian "H" Watkins has proven time and time again that he's a true Renaissance man. And with his sights set on even more creative pursuits in the future, there's no telling what this Welsh wonder will do next.