It was a standard Friday night for Tiernán Heffron, performing his usual set in a bar in Belfast, just as he would each week. One particular week was no different. That is, until Taylor Swift
walked into the bar in which he was performing in.
'You always dream of something like that happening - somebody walking in and then being discovered,' he explained when we got speaking with him recently about what he described as an 'unbelievable experience.' He further went on to say that he 'never thought that something like this would happen to me, but it has.' He has hailed everything that has happened to him over the past number of weeks as a 'huge milestone.' He plans to 'use the platform Taylor Swift gave me to continue opening doors.'
Over the past couple of years, Tiernán has been a familiar face on the streets of Belfast, busking with his guitar, singing to passers-by in the city, realising his passion for singing from a young age, along with regularly posting covers on his social media pages.
'I've put in so much effort over the past ten or twelve years, and you always hear people saying about how it only takes one break or one person to hear you for something to happen. People told me that when it happens, it happens quickly, and I could never understand it. When I released the selfie with Taylor Swift, everything that I could have possibly dreamed of was coming to me in the one day.'
In a recent interview with Capital FM, Tiernán got the chance to speak with Tom Grennan, who offered him the opportunity to open up for him at his headline show in Belfast next year. When the conversation turns to that particular opportunity, he says that he has 'something to work towards' and is also 'looking forward to getting out there and smashing it.'
Having also recently performed in front of Niall Horan as part of the ISPS Handa event earlier in the year, he said that both Niall Horan and Taylor Swift gave him advice to help him on his music journey. He was encouraged by Niall Horan to continue writing and to stick at what he does.
He was further encouraged by Taylor Swift that he was 'putting in his ten thousand hours.' She went on to introduce Tiernán to her boyfriend (Joe Alwyn). She then gave him a tip from her own cash, telling him that he deserved it and that he was really good - which, in Tiernán's words, was 'a dream come true.' With the money given to him by Taylor Swift, he will go out to visit America, further immersing himself in his music. Crediting Taylor Swift for the doors she has opened for him in his music journey now, he said that he 'will be forever grateful for her for being so kind and lovely that night.'
Having recently released his new track 'Made For Lovin', he says that 'it does feel very different to have music out now, but the funny thing is that I haven't been doing anything different.' Stating that he wants to 'keep building on the momentum,' his new goal is to break into the UK, taking his career as far as he can possibly go, but acknowledges that it won't be an overnight transition. However, he isn't at all prepared to give up. 'I want to be doing this my whole life, because I love it.'
Despite ending 2021 on a high note, he's already thinking ahead to 2022. With the support slot for Tom Grennan in March of next year and a trip to America already lined up, he wants to 'continue writing, recording and making great music.'
Furthermore, he took the time to thank everyone who has believed in him and for enjoying his music, vowing to 'keep creating really great music that people can connect to.'
You can stay up-to-date with Tiernán Heffron on his social media channels below:
By Rachel Dempster