A Co Antrim singer who went viral after performing for Taylor Swift in Belfast said performing at the Ulster Hall felt 'exactly where he should be'.
Earlier this week, Tiernán Heffron opened for popular singer-songwriter Tom Grennan at his Belfast and Dublin shows.
The Randalstown man came to fame in 2021 when Taylor Swift unexpectedly turned up to one of his gigs in the city centre and listened to him sing.
Read more: Co Antrim singer reveals advice Taylor Swift gave him
Speaking to Belfast Live, Tiernán shared how opening up for his musical icon was an "absolute dream".
He said: "I work as a classroom assistant in a special needs school - Tom Grennan is my favourite artist and I knew he was coming to Belfast so six months ago when I was on my lunch, I had the guitar and I recorded a 20-second video of me singing 'Little Bit of Love'.
"I put it on TikTok and asked people to blow it up so that Tom might see it and ask me to open for him in Belfast next year. It got 20,000 views or something like that."
After news broke of his Taylor Swift performance, he was invited onto Captial FM with Roman Kemp to chat about the once in a lifetime experience.
"They asked me who my favourite artist was and said Tom Grennan and they had him pop on screen to ask me would I open up for him in Belfast next year in the Ulster Hall. Then around ten days before that gig, they offered me Dublin as well.
"It's only sinking in now what an absolute dream come true it was - and I rocked it both nights," he laughed.
"It just felt exactly right and exactly where I should be and I am just completely ready for it at this point in my life.
"Since I was 15, I've done thousands of cover gigs and at every one of them, I dreamt about the opportunity of performing in the likes of the Ulster Hall.
"I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous but I was able to channel them into my performance."
Tiernán has the opportunity to meet Tom Grennan backstage and chat about how they ended up crossing paths where Tom admitted he has searched him after the Taylor Swift coverage which Tiernán said felt "bizarre" and he "couldn't believe it".
Tiernán added: "I used to do crew work after concerts in the Ulster Hall and I remember being so so hungry, and I still am, and I just thought someday, I want to be performing here and I know I can do it if I was giving the opportunity - and then it happened.
"It couldn't be any better and you just never know what can happen and I, myself, am a big big fan of a good success story and I can't believe that my story is being discovered by Taylor Swift - she has opened countless doors for me."
He is now completely independent as an artist and manages everything about his music for himself for the first time and has just released his new single 'Closer' last week.
"It's my first song I've released off the back of myself - I feel like it's my first ever song as a proper artist and really getting my sound," he continued.
"That song has been in the works for a couple of years and this week, everything I have ever worked for in my whole life has just kind of came together.
"My dream is to get a UK number 1 album and inspire people and make them happy and be able to bring the next person along with me and be able to make someone else's dream come true as Tom did with me."
Tiernán still has his sights set for the top but has been enjoying all the personal goals he's been able to achieve over the past year
He said: "On St Paddy's Day, I performed in The Harp Bar and I've always wanted to play there and for me, it's getting those wee goals like that or going to London and shooting my own music video are great - I'm not jumping ahead too much and just taking it all as it comes.
"If I could break anywhere in the world, it's not America or anywhere else, it's here and being known locally for being happy and successful."
Read more: Tom Grennan announced for Custom House Square gig this summer
Read more: Co Antrim singer invited to support favourite musician at Belfast gig
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