Una Healy

Born on October 10, 1981, in Thurles, County Tipperary, Irish singer-songwriter Una Healy is the niece of country artist Declan Nerney. As a youngster she excelled in swimming competitions but abandoned the sport upon turning 13 in favor of pursuing music, where she became self-taught on guitar and started composing original material. After completing her education at 18, she took a short-term secretarial position and later pursued studies in both nursing and teaching prior to committing fully to music at the age of 23. She spent several years performing across the Irish live circuit to establish her reputation, securing victories at the Glinsk Song Contest on two occasions and serving as a backing vocalist during Eurovision, before traveling to London in 2007 for an audition with the Saturdays. Selected as one of the five members of the newly formed girl group, she achieved widespread recognition, joining the ensemble on global tours while they achieved four Top 10 albums and 13 singles in the U.K. Healy wed international rugby player Ben Foden in 2012, and together they welcomed two children; she adopted his surname for recordings over the ensuing years before resuming use of her maiden name in professional contexts. Alongside her bandmates, she featured in the reality series Chasing the Saturdays and served as a judge for The Voice of Ireland. Following the Saturdays’ decision to enter an indefinite hiatus in 2015, which prompted solo endeavors from multiple members including Healy herself, she secured a recording contract with Decca and commenced work on her first solo project. Titled The Waiting Game and issued in early 2017, the album saw her reconnect with her origins through a blend of folk, rock, and the country influences from her upbringing, resulting in a natural, predominantly acoustic aesthetic, while her songwriting explored themes of love, marriage, and raising a family. The track “Stay My Love” included a collaboration with Nashville performer Sam Palladio.