What's Happened to Andrea Begley?

We were all a little surprised last June when Andrea- remember the partially-sighted Northern Irish contestant with the emotional, angelic songs?- won the second series of The Voice UK instead of the act who was expected to win, namely Leah McFall.

I, for one, was chuffed to bits that Andrea won- her natural, beautiful style of singing is right up my street. Apparently Will.i.am had a bit of a tantrum that Leah didn't win, though... The pressure was on for Andrea!

Last summer I almost completely forgot about Andrea. I listened to her audition song "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan so many times that the words could actually influence me in hard times, but I couldn't find any other music of hers. That's because there wasn't much until a few weeks ago.

 
Andrea's debut album has come out! I officially announce, it has been released! And it's as lovely as she always has been. People have been saying it hasn't lived up to expectations.

Now, I'm no blind fan, but I don't know what they're talking about. Each song is mesmerising and pretty. Some are slow and mournful, some upbeat and lively. And her amazing voice! It's like a waterfall or a flower meadow, seriously. So pure and fluid.

So that's where she's been all summer and autumn- writing and recording her album. She has also been featured in a few newspapers and magazines, but I've always missed out on those. 

Oh, and she has published an autobiography. That was quick, wasn't it? Only in her twenties and been famous for, what, six months, and she's got down to the desk already. It's called "I Didn't See That Coming". 

I just hope the harsh critique she's been getting (for selling only 2000 copies of "The Message" in the first week) isn't bugging her too much, and that she's coping with the stress of fame well enough.

-Barista Sabita-