Una Healy

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Una Healy
File:Una Foden at The Voice Of Ireland 2015.JPG
Healy backstage at The Voice of Ireland in 2015
Background information
Birth name Una Theresa Imogene Healy
Also known as Una Foden
Born (1981-10-10) 10 October 1981 (age 42)
Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland
Genres Pop, dance, electropop, dance-pop, R&B, acoustic
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, guitarist, dancer
Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active 2004–present
Labels Polydor, Fascination
Associated acts The Saturdays, Declan Nerney, Flo Rida, Sean Paul, Shaggy
Website The Saturdays

Una Theresa Imogene Foden[1] (née Healy; 10 October 1981)[2] is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician, and a television presenter. She rose to fame in 2008 as a member of the 5 member English–Irish girl group The Saturdays, signed to Fascination and Polydor Records. The group have achieved substantial success with numerous top-ten hits as well as a hit number one single entitled 'What About Us'. In October 2014, it was confirmed that she would become a judge on The Voice of Ireland.

Early life

Foden was born in Thurles,[3] to Anne, a nurse, and John Healy, a GP. She has a sister named Deirdre.[4] She comes from a musical background, and is the niece of country singer Declan Nerney.[5] She is a cousin of Irish athlete Paul Hession.[6] At the age of 13, she gave up swimming (she was an All-Ireland champion swimmer at nine)[7] and decided to teach herself to play using her mother's guitar and from then on began to write songs of her own.[citation needed]

After finishing school at 18, she decided to take a year out and became a medical secretary, and from then went on to study nursing and then primary teaching at Mary Immaculate College, but decided finally to go ahead and pursue her music passion at 23 years old.[8]

She began her music career playing guitar and singing in pubs and clubs around Ireland, solo and in bands.[9][10] Whilst she was slowly finding success in her native Ireland as an indie solo artist, she felt she did not have a firm direction in her career. Therefore, in the summer of 2007 she flew over to London to gain more exposure and experience and landed an audition for The Saturdays, which was her first audition for a major label and abroad.[11]

Career

Early work

Foden won Ireland's Glinsk Song Contest in both 2004 and 2006.[12] She represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 as a backing singer for Brian Kennedy on "Every Song Is a Cry for Love".[citation needed]

The Saturdays

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Main article: The Saturdays
File:The Saturdays at Real Radio launch.jpg
The Saturdays from left-right: Mollie King, Foden, Rochelle Humes, Frankie Bridge and Vanessa White.

Foden is a member of the girl group The Saturdays who have enjoyed thirteen top ten hits and four top ten albums. The group released their first single "If This Is Love" in July 2008. It peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles Chart. The Saturdays released a second single, "Up", where it charted at number five in the UK, and later the song enjoyed a certification of Silver in the United Kingdom. In late October 2008, the band released their first studio album, Chasing Lights, where it charted at number nine in the UK, and also achieved a certification of Platinum by BBI.[13]

The band released a third single from the album, "Issues", which also received a silver certificate by the BBI. The Saturdays released a cover of "Just Can't Get Enough" by Depeche Mode; the song debuted at number 2 in the UK, behind Flo Rida's "Right Round". The fifth and final single from the album was "Work", which was the first single by the girls to not reach the top 20. The Saturdays later went on a tour titled "The Work Tour."

In 2009, The Saturdays appeared in an episode of BBC TV series Myths, which was their first acting venture as a band. They played a singing group called The Syrens in a modern version of The Odyssey, with Healy as "Peisone".[14][15]

In October 2009, the group released a second studio album, Wordshaker, which charted at number nine in United Kingdom and was given a silver certification by the BBI. The first single, "Forever Is Over", charted at number two in the UK.[16] The Saturdays appeared in advertisements for several products including a brand of deodorant, tampons, mobile phones, an operating system, and hair removal products. But in early 2010, the Saturdays released a second and final single from their second debut album, "Ego", which charted at number nine. Although the song became their second lowest single to chart, it became one of their highest selling singles,[specify] after getting a certification of silver by the BBI.

In summer 2010, the Saturdays released their first mini album, their third album overall, Headlines!, which charted at number 3 in the UK and number 10 in Ireland. The band released their eighth single, "Missing You", which charted at number three in the UK and number six in Ireland. Group member Rochelle Humes confirmed that the second single from the album would be "Higher". After Flo Rida beat the group to number one for the second time, the American rapper offered to do a collaboration with the band. It was later confirmed by the group's official website that Flo Rida had recorded vocals for "Higher". In November 2011, The Saturdays released On Your Radar.[17]

Foden starred in a reality series called Chasing The Saturdays which premiered on E! on 20 January 2013. The show features the group trying to make it in America. Upon its premiere in the United Kingdom, Chasing The Saturdays became that week's No. 1 most watched show with 72,000 viewers.[18] Living for the Weekend was released by the group on 14 October 2013, and charted at number 10 on the UK album charts, making it their fourth top ten album to date.[19]

Solo work

Foden was a judge on sport/talent ITV show, Let's Get Gold with former EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon and cricketer Andrew Flintoff. On 18 August 2006, she released an extended play called Sorry,[20] which she self-produced. The album includes the songs "So Long", "Raider of My Sleep" and "I Love You". She was selected to present a new programme on RTÉ called Una's Dream Ticket.[21]

In January 2014, she was a contestant in series 2 of celebrity diving TV Show Splash![22] She hosted the first ever Pride of Ireland Awards in June 2014.

As of 2014, Reebok had announced they were teaming with Healy to launch Women's Fitness Collection.[23]

On 6 October 2014, it was announced that she would be a judge on The Voice of Ireland, starting in January 2015.[24]

Personal life

Foden married international Rugby Union fullback Ben Foden on 30 June 2012 in her native Ireland after four years of dating.[25][26][27] On 17 October 2013, Una announced that she had legally changed her surname to Foden.[1] The couple have two children, daughter Aoife Belle (born March 13, 2012) and son Tadhg John (born February 2, 2015).[28][29]

Foden won "Hottest Female 2009" in the Virgin Media Music Awards.[30]

She appeared in the January 2010 edition of FHM along with the other members of the Saturdays.[31] She was ranked number 19 and number 41 in FHM's Sexiest Women poll in 2010 and 2011, respectively.[32][33] In FHM's 2012 poll, she had dropped down to 66th place.[34]

Foden previously ran her own blog where she spoke about family life, The Saturdays, and herself.[35]

Discography

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See also: The Saturdays discography

Extended plays

Title Details
Sorry

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ "Sorry Una, this is my Saturday" Daily Mail; accessed 2 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "Saturdays star Una is singer Nerney's niece" 25 January 2008, Evening Herald; accessed 2 February 2012.
  6. ↑ "Declan Nerney, The Saturdays and the Athenry connection", TuamHerald.ie; accessed 2 February 2012.
  7. ↑ "Una Healy — One of a five" at FHM web site; accessed 2 February 2012.
  8. ↑ Profile, metro.co.uk, 15 August 2010.
  9. ↑ "SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER: BEAUTY Una is tipped to be the next Nadine as she targets chart success with her new girlband", herald.ie, 28 July 2008; accessed 2 February 2012.
  10. ↑ "Thurles Girl In Top UK Band" Tipperary Star, 2 August 2008; accessed 2 February 2012.
  11. ↑ "Don't call me a Spice Girl – I'm one of The Saturdays", independent.ie, 12 August 2010; accessed 2 February 2012.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ "The farewell kiss... Una Healy and Ben Foden say an emotional goodbye as they prepare to walk down the aisle" 29 June 2012, Daily Mail
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ "Cheryl Cole snatches back Hottest Female title, thisislondon.co.uk, 11 February 2010.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ "Full list of FHM's top 100 world's sexiest women 2010", metro.co.uk, 29 April 2010.
  33. ↑ "FHM 100 Sexiest 2012 voting has closed!" 29 March 2012, FHM web site
  34. ↑ "FHM's 100 Sexiest Women In The World 2012: The full list!", fhm.com, 2 May 2012.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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