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Navan last night, Scotland tomorrow, back to Dublin and then off to Nashville. Cliona Hagan’s schedule for one week has Irish Country Living tired just thinking about it. If there’s one thing this country singer doesn’t do, it’s sit still for too long.
“Do you know what, being on the road and gigging actually becomes an addiction to be honest,” laughs Cliona.
“I’m a renegade, I’m not one to sit home. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my wee days off when I’m just sitting in my pyjamas watching films.
But I really am a little bit of a workaholic. I love singing, it’s my passion, and to be able to make a living out of it is just great so it is.
"I love getting up and down the country, going new places and meeting new people, it’s just great fun.”
With all the trucking Cliona does, it’s only fitting that her latest single, the first from her soon-to-be-released second album, is called Born to Run (different to the Springsteen classic).
A lot of Cliona’s recent travelling can be attributed to her first nationwide solo concert tour that just wrapped up, an experience she found really enjoyable.
Only on the scene in recent years, Cliona most definitely has taken the country music world by storm and the 29-year-old is widely recognised as one of country’s fastest rising stars.
In only a short few years she has bagged a number of prestigious awards and duetted with the likes of Philomena Begley and Nathan Carter.
Looking back on the road she has travelled, Cliona is most definitely pleased.
“It’s funny, the other day I was chatting to a few of the lads in the band, even watching old clips of myself when I was starting out, even seeing myself how much I’ve progressed, how much I’ve grown, is great.
“I still have a lot to learn, now don’t get me wrong,” says Cliona humbly.
“I’m just so happy with how our crowds have grown. You get to make friends as well with people who come to your gigs and it’s amazing when people sing your songs back to you.
"It’s just a really lovely environment to be part of.”
Shy
Cliona always wanted to be a singer and from a young age performing was something she was very passionate about, which people found strange, as she was a very quiet child.
I was very shy when I was younger but I was never shy when I was singing, I was shy when I was chatting or talking to people. I remember everyone would be like: ‘Oh my goodness, is that the same child?’
Initially it was classical singing Cliona was pushed towards, as she could sing very high, but she soon found her way to where she was destined to go.
“I really enjoyed singing classically but the reason I was put into that genre was because I could sing really high, so I was trained from no age in classical music.
"It was a great experience, I learned a lot about vocal techniques and how to look after the voice, so I wouldn’t change a thing, but country music is always what I loved and where I’ve always wanted to be singing.”
Before embarking on her solo career, Cliona qualified as a music teacher.
The teaching profession is one she has great respect for and she found helping young children reach their potential very rewarding, but going forward the singer can’t see herself returning to that, as being an entertainer really is where her heart lies.
The new scene
Over the last number of years, country music in Ireland has experienced something of a revival and Cliona is delighted to be part of it.
I think for a long time the county scene was probably Ireland’s best-kept secret.
"It’s great to see because, more so than any other type of music, it’s very sociable,” explains Cliona earnestly.
“You get to chat to the actual singer afterwards and the musicians. It’s also very family orientated and you’ve got the dancers showing people different dances; foxtrots, quicksteps, waltzes, line dancing.
"Country music has definitely generated such a huge audience over these last few years and you can see it growing all the time.”
In line with her busy lifestyle, earlier this year on The Late Late Show during the Beast from the East, Cliona performed not once, but twice and was interviewed also. Something she really relished and was thankful for.
But, as busy as this lady is, Cliona is careful to mind herself too, as in the future, on stage is definitely where she wants to be.
“I do make myself just relax and maybe watch a movie to unwind.
"Vocally as well, you need to rest your body because your voice isn’t like an ordinary instrument. I just come home, put on my comfy pyjamas and take my makeup off.”
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