Cliona Hagan is back at the Grand Opera House /INTERVIEW/

Just a few hours before the start of her nationwide tour, I had the great pleasure of being backstage and meeting one of the most promising country singers, the music star from Country Tyrone Cliona Hagan. Although I truly felt all the nerves of sharing the same space with someone who has achieved so much in such a short time, I was eager to find out more about the “The Dolly Songbook” tour. Cliona has a long list of achievements to date – she was awarded Female Vocalist of the Year four times at the Sunday World Entertainment Awards, she even reached the final of RTE’s Dancing with the Stars in 2019. Well now she has all her sparkly outfits ready to pay tribute to one of the most iconic and successful country singers of all time – Dolly Parton. Cliona’s love for music was from an early age, and one of her childhood performances was at the very venue we were at the moment: the Grand Opera House in Belfast. 

Q – Cliona, this will be your second time performing at the Grand Opera House. How does it feel to be back? 


“It feels magical, surreal. I was last here when I was 13 years of age and it’s really full circle that I get to come back and do my own show at this iconic venue. I also think that anyone that performs here or anyone that comes to catch a show here will always feel that special feeling. So I am just so excited and cannot wait for the show tonight!” 


The country singer studied and completed a Music Degree at Queens University and then went to Edinburgh University where she qualified as a secondary music teacher. After teaching music for a few years, she then decided it was time to follow her first love – performing on stage. From multiple appearances on The Late Late Show, to workshops and tours, this was the only career progression for Cliona and seeing the Dolly Songbook show that night – all I can say is that she was born to perform! 


Q - From studying and teaching music to performing on big stages…. Would you say it was a no- brainer decision? Would you ever go back to teaching?  


“I have always loved teaching… from a young age though all I did was to sing around the house and my two older sisters had to listen to me sing all the time! Even though I loved teaching, my first love was always singing on stage, so I just thought to myself: you know I’m going to give it a go and make sure that I don’t look back and have any regrets and I’m so glad I did. And now, 8 years later I have just had the best time of my life – I got to meet so many amazing people through music and it was all because I did not let fear ruin my life. I took that gamble I took that jump off the ledge and my goodness I am so glad I did.” 


Even though Belfast is the first stop of the “Dolly Songbook” tour, Cliona has been jet-setting all over, doing shows with “Take It To The Limit" in Germany…so being on the road does not seem foreign to her at all. 


Q - So what is it like being on tour and how do you stay balanced – any tips and tricks up the sleeve?  


“Well yes unlike musical instruments the voice has to be taken care with the upmost precision and I always make sure before performances that I am as healthy as I can be, that I get as much sleep as possible, that I do not eat any chocolate as I always find they coat the vocal cords. Preparation wise I love to over prepare, so therefore on stage days I just really like to relax keep calm and even though there is always nerves I think as well when you are relaxed I always want to enjoy every part of what I have worked so hard to put together…I make sure that it translates. If you are excited, if you are happy you know the audience feels that as well. So sorry for the long winded answer… but yes – lots of sleep and no chocolate!!” 

Dolly Parton has been a part of Cliona’s life from very little, but imitating is not what she does when she performs songs like “Jolene”, “To Daddy” and “9 to 5”! While seeing her and the Sheerin family band perform on stage they have truly created a show like no other – from hearing the harmonies and backing vocals from the band to seeing Cliona switch from one instrument to another was the thing that truly tied everything together.  



Remaining tour dates *click here*





Location: United Kingdom

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