Singing is in Andrea’s genes, says ‘Voice’ winner’s auntie Philomena

Newly-crowned winner of The Voice, Andrea Begley, is set to be an even bigger star than her aunt, queen of country, Philomena Begley.

The partially-sighted Co Tyrone singer is the show’s second winner and her prize includes a €100,000 record deal. The 27-year-old civil servant said she was still in shock when she spoke to RTÉ’s Miriam O’Callaghan yesterday.

Andrea, whose coach was Danny O’Donoghue from The Script, beat fellow Northern Ireland contestant and favourite, Leah McFall.

Andrea said she had felt that getting to the final of the hit BBC show would be enough of an achievement for her. “To go that extra step and have the public vote me as a winner was such an amazing feeling.”

Her auntie Philomena said she had told her niece to go out and enjoy what she loved doing — singing. She told her: “Be yourself and don’t try to be like anybody else. Keep your feet firmly on the ground and I think you’ll not go too far wrong.”

Asked where the singing gene came from, Philomena said her father had been a great singer back home. She said Andrea’s father was also a good singer. “He would class himself as a bit of a Daniel O’Donnell type of singer.”

Andrea said she always had a passion for music but knew it was difficult to make a living out of it.

“I went down the academic route and got a pretty good job. I liked that side of things as well but, for me, music was always a total escape and something I could have a bit of fun with.

“Winning the show was amazing but I know there is a long way ahead to success. I need to put the hours in and make it work for me and that’s what I intend to do.”