{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"How's Your Ma Podcast","title":"How's Your Ma: Episode 17","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3882,"description":"This week Orla and Leanne sit down with Claire Malone — singer, actress and frontwoman of hit wedding band Gossip (Wedding Band of the Year 2023, Wedding Singer of the Year 2024). Claire takes us from her earliest days in Dublin's National Performing Arts School and the Gaiety Theatre box office, through Kenny Live, Abba Gold, the Spice Girls tribute circuit, and nine wild years touring the world as lead singer of The Commitments.\nBut this episode goes way deeper than showbiz stories. Claire opens up about losing her mum to a brain tumour at 27, two abusive relationships that nearly broke her, the fertility struggles and surprise pregnancy that led to her two kids, a brutal postpartum year isolated in the countryside, and the devastating story of her wedding day — getting married while her dad was too sick to leave hospital, and losing him just six weeks later. It's honest, it's emotional, and it's very, very funny in between. Grab a cuppa (or something stronger) for this one.\n⚠️ Contains strong language and discussion of sexual harassment, abusive relationships, grief, pregnancy loss/complications, and mental health — listener discretion advised.\nTimestamps\n00:00 – Intro with Orla & Leanne, meeting Claire Malone\n00:58 – Growing up in Dublin, school and early love of drama\n01:19 – National Performing Arts School & the Digges Lane days\n02:08 – Factory Studios, dancing and acting\n02:28 – Discovering she could actually sing\n03:12 – First TV gigs at 16/17 on Kenny Live\n04:13 – The tribute band boom: Abba Esque & Abba Gold\n05:02 – Touring as a fake Spice Girl\n05:54 – Joining Abba Gold full time (age 17–21)\n07:10 – Leaving Abba Gold over her 21st birthday\n08:02 – Working in the Gaiety Theatre box office from age 15\n08:47 – Speaking up about sexual harassment at the theatre\n13:08 – Moving to LA to study acting\n16:06 – The call that changed everything: joining The Commitments\n17:55 – Nine years touring the world with the band\n18:26 – Wild life on the road, big gigs and...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/FUVDSkfVPC0QV4Qius2XwJXiLtOKT4vb9TebidaGyrI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mZGQ1/YmQ5MjYyMGQwMjhi/YTM0MTRiNDY1OTY1/MDIxMi5qcGVn.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}