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I'm saving myself by not watching the recorded presentation of Destiny, but I have listened to the tour CD. Éabha's voice is very pure, strong, quite haunting, but overall beautiful. David Downes has outdone himself yet again finding talent. My sister was like, "She sounds like Adele," and I told my sister, "Éabha sounds WAY better than Adele. Adele's voice is too raw and ragged, which is why I don't like her." That is also my opinion as well. Just how high can Éabha sing with her vocals? Are there any songs she has done that hit high notes? I know that her voice is strong and such, but I do not know if she can make it fluctuate. She's definitely my favorite next to Carlin's voice and Chloe's. Hayley is my overall favorite, but Éabha is going to take that spot for me now, hah.

  Eabha  is  a  true  mezzo  soprano- which  is  not  to  say  that  she  couldn't  hit  a  higher  note  occasionally, but her  natural  range  seems  to  be  a  half  step  below  a  regular  soprano.   Of  course,  I am  partial  to  the  extra  high sopranos-  like  you  know  who ...    ;D

no. She herself said she was an alto singer. She says that in a written interview in a newspaper.

I think she sounds related to Orla Fallon and the Brennan Sisters.

Hmmm... it was  my  understanding  that  "Alto"  and  "Mezzo-soprano"  were  equivalent  terms   ....   :-\  ...I could  be  wrong...   :-\ 

you are correct, Kimberly  ;) :) She has a voice very similar to Orlas. Its very haunting and low and fantastic!  :)

So the technicalities! So in sheet music, when you break down the parts, a lot tend to be in SATB- soprano, alto, tenor, bass. Those parts can be broken further, commonly SSATB, so you have SATB ones and twos.

The complicated part! The alto line isn't... technically sung by altos. Plenty of people who can sing alto, as in all the notes of the part are well within range, go there. Many are mezzo sopranos, which are the lower sopranos, and then you have the contraltos, which is the lowest voice type in women. An alto is a music part, not a voice type.


I can't explain this part well, so I'll point you to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_type (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_type) instead! If you go further and follow the links to the main articles on certain voice types, you will realize that yes it goes further, a lot further.

Short version, we know Eabha sings the alto part, but you'd have to know her range to figure out where to put her. I can't place her yet; I need to hear more of her.

Contralto is a voice type, Alto is a part in a choir. Contralos are the rarest female voice type and usually have a very smoky type to them. When a woman sings an alto in a choir, she can be an alto, but doesn't have to, the same goes for a soprano. A woman can sing an alto part in a choir, but a soprano part as a soloist. The mezzo-soprano is the most common female voice type and between the soprano and the contralto, but closer to the soprano. I am pretty sure Éabha is a low mezzo-soprano, who has experience in singing the alto part in a choir, but not a true contralto, which is 1. very rare and has 2. a much more "gravely" sound to it.

This comparison baffles me because I don't think they sound anything alike.

look up on youtube: Eabha Mcmahon "Someone Like You" :)  ;)

I mean, I don't see any similarities my sister pointed out that Eabha sounds like Adele. To me, Adele sounds horrible and her voice is way too raw. Eabha has a real voice that is stirring and melodic.

Well, just so you know I only started listening to Eabha with her true Destiny solo's now this year, at the same time I am not only full playing on Destiny CD but have been at the very same time on Adele 21 & 25 which I got as Christmas Presents*.  Destiny & Adele 25 are tide my car really, I switch from the 3 CD's depends by my mood. Rolling in The Deep / When You Go are the top player's.  Neither one beats or is a step higher as enjoyment. When We Were Young/ My Land & Walk Beside Me toooo EMOTIONAL

I was shocked to find out Eabha singing Rolling in The Deep. :o on a clip of her own.

Love ADele
Love Eabha
Love CW
 :-*

I am partial to 2 with that.  ;D

I could be wrong, I think it's Set Fire to The Rain  ;) perhaps I'll look into it. /

You couldn't be more wrong about Adele, if you think she sounds horrible then your hearing must be off. Just because she sounds different to you that doesn't make it bad. You are entitled to your own opinion however your opinion differs from millions and millions of people all around the world and Adele has the record sales and awards to prove it.

Hi! I'm pretty new here. I had to make an obligatory post about Eabha....when I heard her voice for the first time in Tir Na Nog, I screamed with joy. I was really hoping for another alto!
Then I listened to a few of her songs in Anuna, particularly the song Fill Fill a Run which was so hauntingly gorgeous, I instantly fell in love with her.

  I  couldn't  agree  more.  Eabha  is  a  real  gem.  :) 

I think so, too. Yet her voice is a little lower than Orla's.

The first time she sang, I think I fell over.