una healy

Wonderful Women Interview with Singer & TV Presenter, Una Foden (née Healy)

una healy

For the latest edition of Wonderful Women I had the pleasure of talking to the super talented and gorgeous Una Foden (née Healy) whom I met at the Get Santa Première last year, and stayed in touch with.

Una achieved great success with the top girl group The Saturdays, with many top ten hits and a number one in the UK chart with ‘What About Us’.

Una is now a regular face on TV, judging the sport/talent ITV show, Let’s Get Gold and The Voice of Ireland. Una also appeared as a contestant in series 2 of celebrity diving TV show Splash!

In 2012, she married international Rugby Union fullback Ben Foden.

The couple has two children, their 3-year-old daughter Aoife Belle, and son Tadhg John, aged 10 months.

Una and Ben were recently selected to become co-Presidents of Sparks Childrens’ Medical Research Charity for the coming year, where they will be raising awareness of the charity’s amazing programme that helps save so many lives. 

Read about Una’s life here-

Describe a typical day for you?

I am currently working as a coach on The Voice of Ireland and writing my solo album so my days are really varied.

At home when I’m not working  I normally get my daughter Aoife up at about 7:30 and get her dressed and her breakfast ready and then her Dad takes her to nursery 3 days a week. I then spend the day at home with my 10 month old Son Tadhg and while he naps I catch up on all the housework (washing dirty Rugby Kits and lots of baby clothes with food mess) and then I normally take him for an afternoon walk as we live out in the countryside so there are loads of lovely walks around. I then come home and cook the dinner for the family.

After dinner, I give both kids a bath and then put them to bed for about 8:30 – after that myself and my husband can have some couple time and we normally curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea and watch TV.

What do you feel are your biggest achievements?

When I was 9 years old I won The an All-Ireland Gold medal for swimming so that was my first big achievement.

I spent a lot of my teens writing songs and playing guitar and it was always my dream to sing professionally. After many years of gigging and writing/recording I won the National Glinsk Song Contest in Ireland on two separate occasions.

Being selected to become one of the Saturdays was also such an achievement at the time as so many really talented girls auditioned.

What’s in your handbag?

It varies but typically I have my wallet, phone, keys, a small make up bag with the essentials in it (Nars compact foundation, Mac Blush, Stilla compact powder, Mac Lip liner in spice, Clinique Matt long wear lipstick in 50, a selection of make up brushes, Urban Decay eyeshadow, and Teddy Eyeliner Mac. I have a separate baby bag for Tadhg it couldn’t all possibly fit in my handbag!

What are your ambitions in life?

I am really looking forward to releasing my own solo music next year that I have been writing on for the past couple of years.  Obviously I am ambitious when it comes to my passions in life but more important than that is my family. I hope to the best mother to both my kids as they will always be my priority.

What advice would you give your pre-baby self, that you now know having had children?

I don’t think you can prepare yourself for how life changing it can be, but you just have to learn as you go along and its all part of the joy of becoming a new mother.

I remember how green and inexperienced I felt when I had my first child and that is inevitable.

I feel blogs like yours and speaking to other mums, is such a great way to learn as you go along and share the experience!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

I will hopefully still be working in music and entertainment and by then be a mum of two school going kids (scary thought!).

What advice would you give a budding singer?

I would say to firstly enjoy it and don’t put any pressure for it to happen overnight – it can take years and everyone gets their breaks at different times… and to remember to practice practice practice!!

Finally, happiness is…

Being surrounded by my family, I would be lost without them.

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