A STAR IS BORN
IT’S been a whirlwind year for Gurteen’s Aoife McDonagh.
A life changing decision in 2016 to start singing solo has catapulted her career to a level she never even expected.
So much so, that Aoife was last week crowned the winner of ‘ Cowboys and Heroes’ country star competition at the festival in Leitrim.
Aoife’s prize for winning that competition?
The use of a recording studio for a single, and the recording of a video.
“It’s been whirlwind ever since. So now I get to go and record a CD and a video. This is a big deal for me, for a stay at home Mum of two,” she told The Sligo Champion.
“I have yet to decide what song I’ll record. I do a bit of songwriting myself but I’m not sure I’d have the confidence to use one of those as my first single. I’d really like to have it all done and dusted by August if I can.”
Aoife has been singing since she was nine years of age, mainly in the church choir.
But it was only a year ago that she decided she wanted to start singing solo. “I only started singing by myself about a year ago because I didn’t have the confidence.
“I’m a Mum of two and I’m getting older - life is too short. I was working as a beauty therapist for about ten years and when I came back to work after my second daughter was born I just saw the world in a different light,” she added.
After a chance meeting with Liam Gilmartin, Aoife found herself on the receiving end of numerous offers to play at events locally, including a wedding.
“I’m a stay at home Mum. I love being at home. And then people starting asking me about singing at events. Country music is my passion so I was lucky to meet Liam Gilmartin from the Hennigan’s Blooze Band, he knows the country scene so well.
“So he started accompanying me, we’re sort of like an acoustic country duo.
“We started playing locally in places like Culfadda and Gurteen. People who like country music seem to love it.
“In the last year it’s just really one from strength to strength,” she continued.
Thanks to a number of good contacts, Aoife was convinced to send a clip into the ‘ Cowboys and Heroes’ festival.
“So then I heard about the Cowboys and Heroes ‘ Country Star’ competition last weekend. I sent in a clip just to see and I never thought I would even hear back.
“I was lucky enough to make it to the semi- finals, there were 12 of us,” she said.
Aoife says she never expected to get into the final, never mind win the competition.
She was so sure she didn’t stand a chance that she didn’t even bring a change of clothes with her for the final.
“Last Sunday I was gobsmacked. It was a big festival and Nathan Carter played the night before. It was massive.
“So up I went to sing two songs and I made it to the final six.
“There were guys who had singles on the radio there, and guys that didn’t get through to the final who would be established.
“I had absolutely nothing to wear for the final, I just wasn’t expecting to get there.
“I was just gobsmacked. I froze when my name was called out.”