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Orla Tierney, originally from Garristown in Ireland, is making waves on the Costa del Sol with her soulful performances. She sings and entertains.
When did you start singing?
Siobhan and I sang together in Ireland as a duo. She had been to Benalmadena several times on holidays and suggested that we visit for a few days in the summer of 2003. We wanted to see the gigs scene while also having a vacation. We got a couple of bookings before we came, then we received more during our stay. We did very well in those few weeks. We began to think about moving to Spain one day. I was not happy in my current job in Dublin as a nurse. I spent 15 years in the health service and earned a lot of money. But it didn’t fulfill me and that was never my intention. I wanted to earn my living by playing music. Before that I played the piano. I began playing music when I was two years old, and then took piano lessons when I was seven. After completing all my exams, I received a teaching diploma for piano at the age of twenty. At that point, I had become so worn out from practising for exams and completing them that I didn’t touch a piano for years. I have a piano at home and am slowly returning to playing.
What brought you to Spain and why?
In school, my career guidance teacher asked me what kind of person I wanted. I said that I was a singer! Yes, that was the truth. I’ll take you back to 2004, when my sister finally decided to move from England to Spain. Visits to her were frequent. In 2005 I gave up my “steady, permanent and pensionable” job at Dublin in order to live out my dream as a full-time singer.
I originally planned to spend a year in Spain, but instead stayed 20 and lived my dream. After 12 years in expat-heavy Benalmadena, I craved authentic life and moved to Alhaurín el Grande in 2018. It’s wonderful to be in a cottage nestled amongst the trees at the foot of a mountain with Spanish neighbors.
How did you like your first concert? What was your first gig?
I’ll always remember my first solo performance in a small Benalmadena pub: only two patrons were there to watch me. The nerves got to me; I was so nervous that I almost left, and cried in the restroom during a break. Somehow it rallied for the second half—then an Irish stag party burst in, turning it into wild fun!
Have you ever played a gig that was really memorable?
Over the years, countless memorable gigs—hard to pick one. The early weekly performances at a villa for mentally handicapped people were deeply rewarding. Their joyous reactions touched hearts deep. Recent performances at an elderly care facility in Benalmadena brightened my days and I hope to come back often. Favourites? Annual summer outdoor street stages in Alhaurin el Grande!
What frustrates you about Spain
Andalucia is not frustrating. Summers last year were scorching in July and August with nightmares about parking for gigs. Overall, I love Spanish life: embrace the “mañana” ethos, go with the flow, and let go of stress—what’s the point otherwise?
Will you ever live in Ireland again?
After 20 happy years in Spain, it was hard to return to Ireland. Full-time singing, free days and part-time gigs were replaced by 9-5 grinds and part-time gigs. Sunnier climate seals it. Homesickness grows with age—maybe when my voice croaks, qué será será!
