Andrea Corr facts: The Corrs singer's age, songs, husband, children and career explained

1 February 2025, 15:50

Alongside her siblings Caroline, Sharon, and Jim, she helped craft the band's distinctive fusion of Celtic traditional music with contemporary pop, leading to global success with albums like Talk on Corners.

Beyond her musical achievements, which include the haunting vocals on hits like 'Breathless' and 'Runaway', Andrea has ventured into acting, appearing in films like The Boys from County Clare.

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The singer from Dundalk combines ethereal beauty with genuine artistic depth, having later revealed her poetic side through her intimate memoir Barefoot Pilgrimage.

Here are all the big facts about Andrea Corr:

1. How old is Andrea Corr?

   

   Andrea Corr was born on May 17th, 1974. She celebrated her 50th birthday in 2024.

   Andrea Corr grew up in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, where she and her siblings were raised in a musical household by their parents, Jean and Gerry Corr.

   Their father worked at the Irish Electricity Board but was also a musician, playing in a local band called the Sound Affair. Jean, their mother, was a housewife who encouraged her children's musical talents and was known for her beautiful singing voice.

   Sadly, Jean passed away in 1999 from a rare lung disease while the band was at the height of their success.

   The Corr family home on St. Alphonsus Road in Dundalk was where Andrea and her siblings first learned to play music together, practising in the family living room under their parents' encouraging eyes.

2. How did she get her start in music and when did The Corrs form?

   

   The Corrs' journey from their family living room to global stardom began in earnest when all four siblings auditioned for Alan Parker's film The Commitments in 1990.

   While Andrea landed a small speaking role, the real magic happened behind the scenes where the siblings connected with musician John Hughes, who would become their manager.

   The band officially formed in 1990, with Andrea as lead vocalist and tin whistle player, Sharon on violin, Caroline on drums, and Jim handling guitar and keyboard duties. They cut their teeth playing in their uncle's pub, McManus's, in Dundalk, where they'd perform cover versions and gradually introduce their original material.

   Their big break came in 1994 when they travelled to America and caught the attention of David Foster at the US Ambassador's residence in Dublin. The legendary producer was so impressed by their unique Celtic-pop fusion that he signed them to Atlantic Records.

   Just a year later, in 1995, they released their debut album Forgiven, Not Forgotten, which perfectly captured their signature sound of traditional Irish instruments woven through contemporary pop arrangements.

   What made Andrea particularly stand out was her crystalline vocals and her ability to play the tin whistle - a skill she'd learned at school. She'd often joke in interviews that while her siblings were taking classical music lessons, she was learning traditional Irish instruments in between drama classes, never imagining these elements would come together so perfectly in The Corrs' distinctive sound.

3. What were the Corrs' biggest songs?

   

   The Corrs - Breathless [HD] - Official Music Video

   The Corrs crafted several unforgettable hits that defined the late 1990s and early 2000s pop world.

   'Breathless', released in 2000, became their biggest international success, topping the UK charts and breaking into the US Billboard Hot 100. The infectious 'Runaway' from their debut album launched them to stardom in 1995, while 'What Can I Do' and 'So Young' from Talk on Corners dominated radio playlists worldwide.

   Their cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams' showcased their ability to blend Celtic instruments with pop classics, becoming one of their signature songs. 'Only When I Sleep' and 'Radio' also achieved significant success, particularly in Europe and Australia.

   Talk on Corners became their most commercially successful album, spending a remarkable 142 weeks on the UK charts and becoming the highest-selling UK album of 1998, outperforming even the Spice Girls.

4. Who is Andrea Corr's husband and does she have kids?

   

   Andrea Corr married Brett Desmond, a businessman and son of Irish billionaire Dermot Desmond, in a charming ceremony in County Clare in August 2009.

   The wedding was quite the Irish society event, with her siblings serving as members of the wedding party and Bono among the star-studded guest list.

   The couple have welcomed two children together: Jean, born in 2012 and named after Andrea's late mother, and Brett Jr, who arrived in 2014.