Tullamore's Tolü "hopeful" in lead-up to Dancing with the Stars final

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Tullamore singer Tolü Makay said her experience on Dancing with the Stars Ireland has given her a "new lease of life" as she prepares to compete in this Sunday’s final of the hit RTÉ show.

The Nigerian-Irish musician, who moved to Tullamore as a child, is the third Offaly native to compete on Dancing with the Stars, following Edenderry comedian Neil Delamere and Tullamore rugby player Jordan Conroy, who both took part in the 2022 series.

Having secured a place in the final of this year's competition, Tolü said she is "hopeful" she might become the first Offalian to lift the Glitterball Trophy.

"It’s good to be hopeful. It would be amazing to bring home the Glitterball," she said. "It wouldn’t just be a win for me, it would be a win for the community. I’d love to bring it back to Tullamore."

The Offaly singer-songwriter admitted that, before signing up for the hit dancing competition, she had never actually watched the show.

"Going into it, I actually never watched Dancing with the Stars before, so I didn’t really know what to expect," Tolü said.

Before making her decision, Makay reached out to singer Erica Cody, who previously competed on the programme, to ask for her perspective.

"She gave me such a good and honest response that I thought, if she’s that excited about it, I should definitely say yes," she said. "I’m so happy that I did say yes because it’s honestly given me a new lease of life."

Makay said the experience has helped her grow both physically and personally throughout the competition.

However, she noted that viewers may not always realise just how demanding the show can be.

"People don’t realise how tough it is. We’re learning a new dance every single week and none of us are experienced," she said.

"Trying to match what professional dancers have been doing since they were five years old is insane. It’s really a game of resilience."

Makay said the encouragement she has received from her hometown has played a big role in keeping her motivated throughout the competition.

"The support from home has been amazing," she said. "Seeing the articles, the comments online, and hearing about kids cheering me on, it really gives me the push to keep getting better. That support gives me the drive to keep going."

With the final now just days away, Makay admitted the contestants are feeling the physical toll of weeks of intense rehearsals, with exhaustion starting to set in.

Despite the fatigue, she hopes the final performance will be something to remember.

"I just want the performance on Sunday to feel epic and something I’m really proud of," she said.

Looking ahead, the singer said she believes her experience on the show will only enable her to grow more as an artist.

"I'm always about growing, learning and adapting, as an artist and as a creative," she said. "It's incredible to be surrounded by really creative people who genuinely love what they do. You can tell everyone cares about the outcome and the performance."

Appearing on Dancing with the Stars Ireland has also introduced Makay to audiences who may not yet know her music.

"People have definitely gotten to know me more through the show. It’s nice to be known, it’s nice to be seen, and it’s nice to be understood," she said.

"It’s connected me with people I probably never would have reached otherwise. Even if people don’t know me through my music yet, this gives them an avenue to get to know me."

With the public vote deciding who takes home the Glitterball Trophy, Tolü is urging supporters to get behind her in the final.

"The only thing that will bring me close to the Glitterball is the people voting at home," she said. "It’s really in the public's hands."