Orla Fallon

"You'll never be the sun, turning in the sky, and you won't be the moon above us on the moonlit night. And you won't be the stars in heaven, although they burn so bright; but even on the deepest ocean, you will be the light."

Órla Fallon is an Irish singer/songwriter hailing from Knockananna, County Wicklow, Ireland. A former member of world-renowned Irish chamber choir Anúna, she burst onto the World Music scene when she joined ensemble Celtic Woman as one of its founding members. She remained with the group for four years, departing in 2009 to embark on a solo career.

Her trademark is her haunting, ethereal voice, evocative of ancient Ireland. Her music ranges from classical Irish songs to folk to pop with a heavy Celtic influence, and she wrote fan favorite "Dancing in the Moonlight" for her album Distant Shore. She is a talented harpist as well as a singer, and has accompanied herself on numerous occasions - most notably while performing "Isle of Inisfree" and "Carrickfergus" with Celtic Woman. She also does so with "Distant Shore" and "Dancing in the Moonlight", among others.

In terms of personality, she is soft-spoken and gentle, more artist than entertainer. She tended to fade into the shadows next to vibrant, energetic Máiréad, cheeky and alluring Méav, warm and motherly Lisa, and youthful, sparkling Chloë - particularly in Celtic Woman's early days - but as her career has gained steam she has developed a subtle, quiet confidence that has made the most of her warm and openhearted spirit and enraptured fans on both sides of the Atlantic. She may not be a household name, but those that know her love her, and those that love her do so passionately and absolutely; and she returns that love with unbridled warmth and generosity.

Recently she has used her growing prominence to promote public television, filming two specials for PBS - A Celtic Christmas aired in November 2010 and My Land in February 2011. 2011 also saw her tour the United States, beginning in February, for roughly fifty concert dates across the country.

Solo Discography

 * Órla Fallon: The Water Is Wide - 2000 (2006 US)
 * Distant Shore - 2009
 * Winter, Fire and Snow - 2010
 * A Celtic Christmas - 2010 (audio CD of her Christmas special)
 * My Land - 2011 (audio CD of her "My Land" special)

Applicable Tropes:

 * Classical Music
 * Cover Version: Naturally.
 * Fan Nickname: "(Beloved) Fire Maiden" appears to have emerged on her official messageboard.
 * Happily Married: Oh yes, although she keeps her personal life very private, limiting it to mentions of "himself" in interviews and dedications in her albums. She got married in 1996. Incidentally, in the cover photo for her Celtic Christmas special, she is wearing her wedding dress - and she says she's "very relieved it still fits after fourteen years!"
 * Harp of Femininity: Oh yes.
 * I Call It Vera: Her harp is named "Harry."
 * Incredibly Long Note
 * Irish Names: Obviously. Notably, her birth name is Órlagh - she shortened it to Órla professionally.
 * Let's Duet: She really likes collaborating with people. Her Christmas special alone saw David Archuleta, country singer Mark Wills, and fellow CW member Méav Ní Mhaolchatha join her, and that's not counting her collaborations with Clannad, Anúna and Jim Brickman, just to name a few.
 * Meaningful Name: "Órla" means "fair lady" or "golden princess" in Gaelic. Fitting, no?
 * Melismatic Vocals
 * Signature Song: From her Celtic Woman days, "Isle of Inisfree", "Carrickfergus" and "Newgrange." Lately "My Land" and "Distant Shore" have become this.