Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin ([eːnjəˈpɒˠd̪ˠɾˠɢiːnʲnʲiːˈvˠɾˠiːn̪ˠɒːiːn]) (born 17 May 1961;anglicised asEnya Patricia Brennan), knownmononymously asEnya, is an Irish singer andcomposer. With an estimated equivalent of over 80 million albums sold worldwide,[1] Enya is one of theworld's best-selling music artists. In addition to being the best-selling Irish solo artist, she is the second-best-selling music act from Ireland overall, after the bandU2.Enya's music has been widely recognised for its use of multi-layers of her own vocals and instrumentation, lengthenedreverb, and interwoven elements ofCeltic music.
Raised in theIrish-speaking region ofGweedore, Enya began her musical career in 1980 playing alongside her family'sIrish folk band,Clannad. She left Clannad in 1982 to pursue a solo career, working with the former Clannad manager and producer,Nicky Ryan, and his wifeRoma, as their lyricist. Over the following four years, Enya further developed her sound by combining multi-tracked vocals and keyboards with elements from a variety of musical genres, such asCeltic,classical,Gregorian chant,church,jazz,hip-hop,ambient,world, andIrish folk. Her earliest solo releases were two piano/synthesiser instrumentals for theTouch Travel T4 cassette compilation (1984) composed around 1982–83.[2] The majority of thesoundtrack forThe Frog Prince (1985) was composed by Enya, and she sang two songs with lyrics for the project. Enya also composed a body of work for adocumentary series by theBBC namedThe Celts. A selection of Enya's pieces forThe Celts was released as herself-titled debut album in 1986, with the documentary andBBC Records releases in 1987.
"Boadicea", a track from her eponymous album, appeared in the soundtrack ofStephen King's 1992 horror filmSleepwalkers and has since been sampled in several hit songs, including "Ready or Not" (1996) byFugees and "I Don't Wanna Know" (2004) featuringMario Winans, which became the second Number 1 single featuring Enya, in the UK charts. The song, featuring both the synthesiser and Enyahumming the melody, continues to be sampled almost 4 decades since its initial 1986 release.
Enya's home area ofGweedore, pictured from above in 2008.
Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin was born in the Dore area of Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore) inCounty Donegal on 17 May 1961.[3] She is the sixth of nine children in theBrennan family of musicians, born to Máire "Baba" and Leopold "Leo" Brennan.[4] In 1968, the couple took ownership of apub in Meenaleck, Co. Donegal, naming itLeo's Tavern.[5] Enya's father, Leo Brennan was the leader of anIrish showband named the Slieve Foy Band, before performing solo. Enya's mother, Baba Brennan (née Duggan) is said to haveSpanish roots with ancestors who settled onTory Island,[6] and she was anamateur musician who played with the Slieve Foy Band[7][8] and also taught music atGweedore Community School.[9]
Enya talked about the prevalence of the sea in her music, influencing her since childhood. 'The sea has been in my heart since I was a little girl. I grew up in Gaoth Dobhair, an Irish-speaking parish on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, in the northwest corner of Ireland. The area is known for its rugged cliffs and windswept beaches, and the sea’s moods and spirit still find their way into my music.'[7]
Leo's Tavern, the pub owned by Enya's family, currently under the proprietorship of her younger brother Bartley.[5]
Gweedore is aGaeltacht region, where theIrish language, also known asGaelic, is primarily spoken. Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin, her name, isanglicised as Enya Patricia Brennan,[10] with "Enya" being the phonetic spelling of how "Eithne" is pronounced in the DonegalUlster dialect.
The name Brennan was accidentally added to Leo's name at hisbirth registration in 1925; his family name was Hardin (also spelled as Harden). Leo usedBrennan for the surname of his children. In Irish, the surname is "Ó Braonáin"/"Ní Bhraonáin" corresponding to "son of"/"daughter of Brennan".[11] Leo's father Harry Hardin was a pianist, and he died performing on stage. Enya's paternal grandmother Minna Lenehan played thedrums. They are both believed to have been born in England. Regarding Baba's parents, Enya's maternal grandfather, Aodh Duggan (anglicised as Hugh; affectionately addressed as Hughie or "Gog") was the headmaster of the primary school in Dore; her grandmother, Mháire Duggan (anglicised as Mary; née Gillespie) was a teacher. Aodh was also the founder of theGweedore Theatre company, Aisteoirí Ghaoth Dobhair.[12][13][7]
Enya has described her upbringing as 'very quiet and happy'.[14] She mentioned that 'the house I grew up in was on my grandparents’ property, behind their house. Ours was built in the 1950s and wasn’t very big.'[7] Regarding her position in the family, Enya said 'it was difficult to be heard, but I was very comfortable with that because I was able to be myself, able to be let alone.'[15] She also acknowledged that there was 'continual hustle and bustle and crying and chaos' amongst the nine siblings. Their maternal grandparents and aunt were quite involved with the siblings' upbringing at home, as Baba and Leo were travelling with the showband; Enya recalled 'they toured a great deal, mostly in Ireland and Scotland. When they did, my grandmother and my mother’s sister took care of us.'[7][16][17] Enya's songs "On Your Shore" and "Smaointe" (first released as the Orinoco Flow B-side track "Smaoitím") are dedicated to both her maternal grandmother and grandfather.
Along with the siblings' enjoyment of their childhood spent in Gweedore, they also grew up amidthe Troubles. Enya recalls that when her family visited shops inDerry for instance, 'you’d be checked by people standing with guns', and even speaking in Irish in Derry was 'pinpointing where you came from, and it was too political at the time. Whereas for us [Enya and her siblings] it was our first language, and we didn’t see anything wrong with it.'[15]
Enya took part in her first singing competitions at the annualFeis Ceoil music festival between the ages of three and five years old.[13][7] She also participated in pantomimes at the Gweedore Theatre, as seen in an early group picture whereMairéad Ní Mhaonaigh was also present. Enya often recalls that at three-and-a-half years of age, she played the characterLittle Red Riding Hood on stage, singing a song. At the age of four, Enya began piano lessons and was learning English throughout primary school. In 2008, Enya described her early studies, having 'to do school work and then travel to a neighbouring town for piano lessons, and then more school work. I remember my brothers and sisters playing outside and I would be inside playing the piano, this one big book ofscales, practising them over and over.'[11][18]
One particular memory of a very early public performance of singing at age five was recounted by Enya in her 2016Wall Street Journal article. At the theatre, contestants would 'perform two songs, starting with a slow one and finishing with a fast one [...] songs we were taught inprimary school.' Enya's mother was the pianist, and provided the starting notes for each person performing. By mistake, Enya 'began with the fast song. I didn’t realize my error until I saw my mother’s frown. I stopped singing and covered my mouth. There was silence, followed by laughter.' Enya then 'sang the right song. When I finished, there was a pause and I sang the fast song again. I won the contest [...] determined to get it right, and the audience’s laughter didn’t deter me.'[7]
A large part of Enya's early musical background involved singing choral music alongside siblings in their mother'schoir (Cór Mhuire) at the since destroyed St Mary's church inDerrybeg. The siblings' father played theaccordion andbig band style on thesaxophone, particularlyGlenn Miller-type songs. Beyond the music she grew up around, Enya was aware of many artists of the 1960s and early '70s, and enjoyed watchingmusical films. In a radio interview withElaine Page in November 2008, Enya shared a selection of favourite songs from musicals. She said ofJesus Christ Superstar, 'it was such an original piece of music in 1970 [...] played in my house every single day, and myself and my sisters would sing word for word.'[19]
Enya's brother Ciarán also mentioned that when the siblings were younger, before having a tape recorder, as Moya and Enya sang, he would play piano, 'give them two-partharmonies and say, "You go into the kitchen, you go into the bathroom" and they were fascinated by this because musically it was very melodic, even though they wouldn't finally hear their parts until they sang together.'[20]
In addition to her musical endeavours, Enya also took part in local cultural events, including the inaugural Gaeltacht Festival in Gweedore. At the age of nine, Enya participated in the Cailín Gaelach (Irish Girl) competition within the festival, in which contestants were judged on 'their fluency of spoken Irish, involvement in social and cultural activities in their parish and community, and appearance and deportment.' The competition was filmed live in June 1970, and published in theRTÉ Archives in 2020.[21]
From the age of 11, Enya attended aconvent boarding school inMilford, Milford College,[13][22] run by theSisters of Loreto;[23] Enya's education there was paid for by her grandfather.[7][6] The boarding school, now Loreto Community School, was where Enya developed a taste for classical music, art, Latin, andwatercolour painting.[6] She said, 'It was devastating to be torn away from such a large family but it was good for my music.'[11] Enya finished boarding school at age 17, towards the end of the 1970s, and she spent a year at college studying classical music. She previously saw herself becoming a piano teacher, as both her mother and grandmother had done, and gave piano lessons for a brief time in the early 1980s. This later evolved into composing and performing her own music.[11] Enya states that 'music was never far from my mind but contrary to popular belief my ambitions were in no way connected to those of my family, as I knew I wanted to have my own career and make my own mark.'[13]
Enya has noted that she 'was always quiet, even as a child, so there has always been an air of mystery around me' also mentioning that 'at school, they’d always say, "oh, we never know what Eithne’s thinking or what she’ll say next".'[24]
In 1970, several members of Enya's family formedClannad, aCeltic folk band.[25][26] Clannad hiredNicky Ryan as their manager, sound engineer, and producer, and Ryan's girlfriend (later his wife)Roma as tour manager and administrator.[22][27] In 1980, after a year at college, Enya decided not to go to university and pursue a music degree, and instead accepted Nicky Ryan's invitation to play alongside the band Clannad, with him having wanted to expand their sound with keyboards and an additional vocalist.[22][28] Enya performed an uncredited role on their sixth studio album,Crann Úll (1980), with a line-up of her eldest siblingsMoya,Pól, andCiarán Brennan, and twin unclesNoel andPádraig Duggan. She features in their follow-up,Fuaim (1982), singing lead vocals on the song "An Túll" (Irish Gaelic for "The Apple").[6] The band toured Europe, seeing Enya join the band for performances in Germany, Holland, and Switzerland.
The membership status of Enya in Clannad is a matter of some dispute. In a 2007 interview, Ciarán mentioned that Enya was a 'hired hand' and not a full member, commenting that 'she was 18, 19 and we were paying her £500 sterling a week.'[20] In a BBC Radio Ulster interview with Moya in late 2023, she also noted that Enya was considered a hired hand with Clannad.[29] Nicky Ryan also said it was not his intention to make Enya a permanent member, as she was 'fiercely independent [...] intent on playing her own music. She was just not sure of how to go about it.'[22]
In a 1991 interview, Enya herself said that she 'wouldn't call what happened a "split" and that she 'wasn't really a full member of Clannad.' Enya added 'I always felt I was just passing through [...] I was 18 and had studied music and was really feeling my way, trying to see what I could do.'[30]
Nicky discussed the idea of layering vocals to create a "choir of one" with Enya, a concept inspired byPhil Spector'sWall of Sound technique that had interested them both.[22]
During a Clannad tour in Switzerland, 1982, Nicky called for a band meeting to address internal issues that had arisen, which he put down to the excessive drinking of one or two members.[15] He recalled: 'It was short and only required a vote, I was a minority of one and lost. Roma and I were out. This left the question of what happened with Enya. I decided to stand back and say nothing.'[22] Enya chose to leave with the Ryans and pursue a solo career, having felt confined in the group and disliking being 'somebody in the background'. In an extended interview from 1989, Enya said that 'I wasn't composing it [the music], I was justthere, you know.'[31] The split caused some friction between the parties but, in time, they settled their differences.[27] Enya's brother Ciarán also spoke to Nicky Ryan around 2006, interested in recording in their studio with his sister, but Ryan suggested that this was unlikely to occur.[20] Moya often praises Enya for what she has gone on to achieve in her solo career, and supposes that there were some musical foundations that Enya had built from her short time with the band.[29]
The former home of the Ryans in suburban Artane, Enya's residence and site of the original Aigle Studio from 1982 to 1989
Enya stated, following her departure from Clannad, 'the fact is that I had become very friendly with Nicky and Roma. I trusted them [...] basically, I felt there was more there for me career-wise.'[30]
Nicky suggested to Enya that either she return to Gweedore 'with no particular definite future', or live with him and Roma in suburbanArtane,Dublin 'and see what happens, musically', the latter of which Enya decided was best for her career.[32] After their bank denied them a loan, Enya reportedly sold hersaxophone, which she had been learning to play at the time, and also gave piano lessons as a source of income. Nicky Ryan used what they could afford to build a recording facility in the Ryans' garden shed, formerly aScout hut, which they named "Aigle Studio", after the French word for eagle.[28][22]
A visitor to the house in the early 1980s described access as having to 'walk through the house to get to the studio [...] the kids [Nicky and Roma's daughters] were young then so the place was strewn with toys but the set-up suited everyone. They'd have breakfast and Enya would head off to the studio.'[33]
Shortly after leaving Clannad and thus the family home in Gweedore, Enya lived with the Ryans from 1982, until 1989, when she was able to buy a penthouse apartment inKilliney.[34]
Enya and the Ryans rented out the original Aigle Studio out to other musicians to help recoup the costs.[35][36] The trio formed a musical and business partnership, with Nicky as Enya's producer and arranger and Roma as her lyricist.[27] They called their company, of which each owns a third, Aigle Music.[37] In the following two years, Enya developed her technique and composition by listening to recordings of her reciting pieces of classical music and repeated this process until she started to improvise sections and develop her own arrangements.[38] Her first composition was "An Taibhse Uaigneach", Irish Gaelic for "The Lonely Ghost".[39][40]
Following her departure from Clannad in 1982, Enya (as Eithne Ní Bhraonáin) featured on tracks alongside a few artists, often on keyboards or backing vocals, with Nicky Ryan as producer. She played theProphet-5 synthesiser on the group Altan'sCeol Aduaidh, led by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and the lateFrankie Kennedy.[41] That year, Enya had the original offer fromMike Oldfield to sing on a new song of his, likely to have been "Moonlight Shadow". Supposedly due to existing contract clashes, she had to decline, so Oldfield later approached Scottish singerMaggie Reilly who sang on the record for Oldfield.[42][43] An Irish folk-type song named "Bailieboro and Me", penned byCharlie McGettigan, features Enya singing backing vocals on a 1982 recording, primarily credited as Eithne Ní Bhraonáin playing the grand piano for the song.[44][45]
Enya's first solo endeavours began around 1982-83, when she began to compose two piano instrumentals, "An Ghaoth Ón Ghrian" (Irish for "The Solar Wind") and "Miss Clare Remembers". Both were recorded atWindmill Lane Studios in Dublin and released onTouch Travel (1984), a limited-release cassette compilation of music from various artists on the UKTouch label. She is credited as Eithne Ní Bhraonáin in the liner notes.[46]
After several months of preparation, Enya's first live solo performance took place at theNational Stadium in Dublin on 23 September 1983, and was televised forRTÉ's music showFestival Folk.[47] Niall Morris, a musician who worked with her during this time, recalled she 'was so nervous she could barely get on stage, and she cowered behind the piano until the gig was over.'[48] Morris assisted Enya in the production of a demo tape, adding additional keyboards to her compositions.[48][49]
Roma thought the music would suit accompanying visuals and sent it to various film producers. Among them wasDavid Puttnam, after Roma had read an interview where he stated a particular interest in strong melodies.[50] Puttnam liked the tape and offered Enya to composethe soundtrack to the upcoming romantic comedy film,The Frog Prince (1984), directed byBrian Gilbert.[32] Enya scored nine pieces for the soundtrack. However, Enya's instrumental pieces for the film were rearranged and orchestrated by Richard Myhill. The film editorJim Clark said the rearrangements were necessary as Enya found it difficult to compose to picture.[51] Enya's two songs with vocals were not in the film, but on the soundtrack album, those being "The Frog Prince" and "Dreams", but the melodies are present throughout the film soundtrack. The words to "Dreams" were penned by Charlie McGettigan.[52]
Released in 1985, the album is the first commercial release that credits her as "Enya".[52] The spelling as "Enya" for her began in 1983.[53] Nicky Ryan suggested this phonetic spelling of her name,[28] with the likeliness that Eithne would be mispronounced by non-Irish speakers. Enya looked back at her composition work on the film as a good career move, but a disappointing one as 'we weren't part of it at the end.'[14][32] Also in 1985, she sang on three tracks on the albumOrdinary Man (1985) byChristy Moore.[54]
Enya's earliest interviews in English as a solo artist began in 1986. Whatever direction her music would take, she believed in being 'a true Celt at heart' and stated that 'any music I write, whether it be a pop song or a classical piece, would be Celtic music.'[55]
In 1985, producerTony McAuley asked Enya to contribute a track for the six-part BBC television documentary seriesThe Celts.[56] She had already written a Celtic-influenced song called "March of the Celts", and Nicky Ryan submitted it to the project.[57] Each episode was to feature a different composer at first, but director David Richardson liked her track so much that he had Enya score the entire series.[38][58] Enya recorded 72 minutes of music at Aigle Studio and the BBC studios inWood Lane, London, without recording to the picture. She was required to portray certain themes and ideas that the producers wanted; however, in contrast withThe Frog Prince, she worked with little interference, which granted her freedom to establish the sound[14] that she would adopt throughout her future career, signified by layered vocals, keyboard-oriented music, and percussion with elements of Celtic, classical, church, and folk music.[59]
In March 1987, two months beforeThe Celts aired, a 40-minute selection of Enya's score was released as her debut solo album,Enya, byBBC Records in the United Kingdom,[60] with theAtlantic Records release in the United States in 1986. The latter promoted it with anew-age imprint on the packaging, which Nicky thought was 'a cowardly thing for them to do'.[61] The album gained enough public attention to reach number 8 on theIrish Albums Chart and number 69 on theUK Albums Chart.[62] "I Want Tomorrow" was released as Enya's first single.[60] "Boadicea" was later sampled bythe Fugees on their 1996 song "Ready or Not"; the group neither sought permission nor gave credit. Enya took legal action and the group subsequently gave her credit; they paid a fee of approximately $3 million. Later in 1987, Enya appeared onSinéad O'Connor's debut albumThe Lion and the Cobra, reciting Psalm 91 in Irish on the track "Never Get Old"[63] - Enya posted the words of the psalm as her tribute message to O'Connor following the latter's death in July 2023.[citation needed]
Several weeks after the release ofEnya, Enya secured a recording contract withWarner Music UK afterRob Dickins, the label's chairman and a fan of Clannad, took a liking toEnya and found himself playing it 'every night before I went to bed.'[64] He later met Enya and the Ryans at a chance meeting at theIrish Recorded Music Association award ceremony in Dublin, where he learned that Enya had entered negotiations with a rival label. Dickins seized the opportunity and signed her, in doing so granting her wish to write and record with artistic freedom, minimal interference from the label, and without set deadlines to finish albums.[61][65] Dickins said: 'Sometimes you sign an act to make money, and sometimes you sign an act to make music. This was the latter... I just wanted to be involved with this music.'[66] Enya left Atlantic and signed with the Warner-ledGeffen Records to handle her American distribution.[61]
When asked about whether women in pop have a hard time, she responded 'yes, they do. Definitely.' However, Enya has considered her position as a composer rather than just a vocalist to be an advantage 'because I write and perform much of the music, I'm taken more seriously than the girls who just walk into a studio, do a vocal and that's it. I can't evenimagine what that would be like.'[67]
A sample of "Na Laetha Geal M'óige" (translates to The Brighter Days of My Youth) an Irish-language song from Enya's breakthrough album,Watermark (1988).
With thegreen light to produce a new album, Enya recordedWatermark from June 1987 to April 1988.[38] It was initially recorded in analogue at Aigle before Dickins requested to have it re-recorded digitally atOrinoco Studios inBermondsey, London.[68]
Watermark was released in September 1988 and became an unexpected hit, reaching number 5 in the United Kingdom[62] and number 25 on theBillboard 200 in the United States following its release there in January 1989.[61][69] Its lead single, "Orinoco Flow", was the last song written for the album. It was not intended to be a single at first, but Enya and the Ryans chose it after Dickins jokingly asked for a single; he knew that Enya's music was not made for the Top 40 chart. Dickins and engineerRoss Cullum are referenced in the song's lyrics.[70] "Orinoco Flow" became an international top 10 hit and was number one in the United Kingdom for three weeks,[62] and is credited with bringing new-age music to the mainstream market in America.[71] The new-found success propelled Enya to international fame and she received endorsement deals and offers to use her music in television commercials[72] She spent a year traveling worldwide to promote the album which increased her exposure through interviews, appearances, and live performances.[73]
1989–1998:Shepherd Moons,The Memory of Trees andPaint the Sky with Stars
After promotingWatermark, Enya purchased new recording equipment and started work on her next album,Shepherd Moons.[74] She found that the success ofWatermark added a considerable amount of pressure when it came to writing new songs, stating, 'I kept thinking, "Would this have gone onWatermark? Is it as good?" Eventually I had to forget about this and start on a blank canvas and just really go with what felt right.'[75]
Roma Ryan wrote songs based on several ideas, including diary entries from Enya,the Blitz in London, and her grandparents.[76]Shepherd Moons was released in November 1991, her first album released under Warner-ledReprise Records in the United States.[74] It became a greater commercial success thanWatermark, reaching number one in the UK for one week[62] and number 17 in the United States.[69] "Caribbean Blue", its lead single, charted at number 13 in the United Kingdom.[62]
In 1991, Warner Music released a collection of five Enya music videos asMoonshadows forhome video.[77] In 1993 Enya won her firstGrammy Award in theBest New Age Album category forShepherd Moons. Soon after, Enya and Nicky entered discussions withIndustrial Light & Magic, founded byGeorge Lucas, regarding an elaborate stage lighting system for a proposed concert tour, but nothing resulted from those discussions.[78] In November 1992, Warner obtained the rights toEnya and re-released the album asThe Celts with new artwork. It surpassed its initial sale performance, reaching number 10 in the UK.[62]
After travelling worldwide to promoteShepherd Moons, Enya started to write and record her fourth album,The Memory of Trees.[17] By this time, the Ryans had moved to the southern Dublin suburb of Killiney, and a new Aigle Studio had been built alongside their home, with new recording facilities which eliminated the need to go to London to finish recording for the album.[79] The new album was released in November 1995 and peaked at number 5 in the UK[62] and number 9 in the US,[69] where it sold over 3 million copies. Its lead single, "Anywhere Is", reached number 7 in the UK. The second, "On My Way Home", reached number 26 in the UK.[62] In late 1994, Enya put out anextended play ofChristmas music titledThe Christmas EP.[80] Enya was offered the opportunity to compose the film score forTitanic but declined as it would be a collaboration, rather than solely her composition and singing. A recording of her singing "Oíche Chiúin", an Irish-language version of "Silent Night", appeared on the charity albumA Very Special Christmas 3, released in benefit of theSpecial Olympics in October 1997.[81]
In early 1997, Enya began to select tracks for her first compilation album, 'trying to select the obvious ones, the hits, and others.'[82] She chose to work on the collection following the promotional tour forThe Memory of Trees as she felt it was the right time in her career, and that her contract with WEA required her to release a "best of" album. The set, namedPaint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya, features two new tracks, "Paint the Sky with Stars" and "Only If...".[83] Released in November 1997, the album was a worldwide commercial success, reaching number 4 in the UK[62] and number 30 in the US,[69] where it went on to sell over 4 million copies.
"Only If..." was released as a single in 1997. Enya described the album as 'like a musical diary... each melody has a little story and I live through that whole story from the beginning... your mind goes back to that day and what you were thinking.'[84]
In 1998, Enya, Roma and Nicky Ryan received theIvor Novello award for International Achievement.[85] That year, Enya started work on her fifth studio album, titledA Day Without Rain. In a departure from her previous albums, Enya incorporated greater use of a synthesisedstring section into her compositions, something that was not a conscious decision at first, but Enya and Nicky Ryan agreed that it complemented the songs that were being written. The album was released in November 2000 and reached number 6 in the UK[62] and an initial peak of number 17 in the US.[86]
In the aftermath of the9/11 attacks, US sales of the album and its lead single "Only Time" surged after the song was widely used during radio and television coverage of the events,[87] leading to its description as 'a post-September 11 anthem'.[88] The exposure causedA Day Without Rain to outperform its original chart performance to peak at number 2 on theBillboard 200,[87] and the release of amaxi-single containing the original and a pop remix of "Only Time" in November 2001. Enya donated its proceeds in aid of theInternational Association of Firefighters. The song topped theBillboardHot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and went to number 10 on the Hot 100 singles, Enya's highest charting US single to date.[89]
In 2001, Enya agreed to write and perform on two tracks for thesoundtrack ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) at the request of directorPeter Jackson.[90] ComposerHoward Shore 'imagined her voice' as he wrote the film's score, making an uncommon exception to include another artist in one of his soundtracks.[91] After flying to New Zealand to observe the filming and to watch a rough cut of the film,[87] Enya returned to Ireland and composed "Aníron" (the theme for Aragorn and Arwen), with lyrics by Roma inJ. R. R. Tolkien's fictionalElvish languageSindarin, and "May It Be", sung in English and another Tolkien language,Quenya. Shore then based his orchestrations around Enya's recorded vocals and themes to create "a seamless sound".[91]
In 2002, Enya released "May It Be" as a single which earned her anAcademy Award nomination forBest Original Song. She performed the song live with an orchestra at the74th Academy Awards ceremony in March 2002,[92] and later cited the moment as a career highlight.[93] Her two songs for the film were recorded atAbbey Road Studios.[94]
This release is formed of tracks spanning her career fromEnya toA Day Without Rain with twoB-sides. The album went to number 2 in Japan and became Enya's second album to sell one million copies in the country.[95]
In 2004, Enya had another significant "Boadicea" sampling request fromDiddy, for the song "I Don't Wanna Know" performed byMario Winans. She said that the producer 'phoned the studio we were working in and Nicky took the call and he [Diddy] just said he had this fantastic singer that he was working with and it was Mario Winans. Immediately we said “send the song” and it was a great song.'[96]
In September 2003, Enya returned to Aigle Studio to start work on her sixth studio album,Amarantine.[97] Roma said the title means "everlasting".[88] The album marks the first instance of Enya singing inLoxian, a fictional language created by Roma that came about when Enya was working on "Water Shows the Hidden Heart". After numerous attempts to sing the song in English, Irish, and Latin, Roma suggested a new language based on some of the sounds Enya would sing along to when developing her songs. It was a success, and Enya sang "Less Than a Pearl" and "The River Sings" in the same way. Roma worked on the language further, creating a 'culture and history' behind it surrounding the Loxian people who are on another planet, questioning the existence of life outside of Earth.[88] "Sumiregusa (Wild Violet)" is sung in Japanese.[88]Amarantine was a global success, reaching number 6 on theBillboard 200[69] and number 8 in the UK.[62] It has sold over 1 million certified copies in the US, a considerable drop in sales in comparison to her previous albums. Enya dedicated the album to BBC producerTony McAuley who had commissioned Enya to write the soundtrack toThe Celts, following his death in 2003.[98] The lead single, "Amarantine", was released in December 2005.[88]
Enya wrote music with a winter and Christmas theme for her seventh studio album,And Winter Came... Initially, she intended to make an album of seasonal songs and hymns, set for a release in late 2007, but the trio decided to produce a winter-themed album instead. The second promotional single of the album "My! My! Time Flies!", is a tribute to the late Irish guitaristJimmy Faulkner, incorporates a guitar solo performed by Pat Farrell,[99] the first guitar solo on an Enya album since "I Want Tomorrow" fromEnya. The lyrics also include some musical pop-culture references, such asThe Beatles' famous photo shoot for the cover ofAbbey Road, and the lyric "a rap on a rhapsody" possibly referring to "Bohemian Rhapsody" byQueen. Upon its release in November 2008,And Winter Came... reached number 6 in the UK,[62] number 8 in the US[69] and sold almost 3.5 million copies worldwide by 2011.[100]
After promotingAnd Winter Came, Enya took an extended break from writing and recording music. She spent her time resting, visiting family in Australia, and renovating her new home in the south of France. In March 2009, her first four studio albums were reissued in Japan in the Super High Material CD format with bonus tracks.[70][101][102][103] Her second compilation album,The Very Best of Enya, was released in November 2009 and featured songs from 1987 to 2008, including a previously unreleased version of "Aníron" and a DVD compiling most of her music videos to date. In 2012, Enya returned to the studio to record her eighth album,Dark Sky Island. Its name refers to the island ofSark, which became the first island to be designated adark-sky preserve, and a series of poems on islands byRoma Ryan.[citation needed]
In 2013, "Only Time" was used in the "Epic Split" advertisement byVolvo Trucks starringJean-Claude Van Damme, who doesthe splits while suspended between two lorries.[104] As a result, Enya's song "Only Time" re-entered both the US Billboard 100 and UK Official Charts in November 2013.[105]Dark Sky Island was announced on Enya's website on 15 September 2015.[106] Prior to this, guest musician Eddie Lee shared a post in August 2015, which indicated that new music by Enya was in progress.[citation needed]
Upon the album's streaming release on 20 November 2015, a week before physical release,Dark Sky Island went to number 4 in theUK album charts, Enya's highest charting studio album sinceShepherd Moons went to number 1.[62] The album went to number 8 in the US.[69] A deluxe edition features three additional songs.[107] Enya completed a promotional tour of the UK, across Europe, the US, and Japan.[108][109][110][111] During her visit to Japan, Enya performed "Orinoco Flow" and "Echoes in Rain" at theUniversal Studios Japan Christmas show inOsaka. In Japan, in addition to performances of her music, she made several TV appearances featuring her partaking in Japanese culture, including wearing akimono, walking throughMaruyama Park inKyoto, and visiting the top floor of theTokyo Skytree.
On 22 July 2016, Bosnian-Swedish DJSalvatore Ganacci released the single "Dive", which heavily samples "Boadicea" and features vocals from Alex Aris.[112] The single peaked number 14 on the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Songs Sales chart.[113]
In December 2016, Enya appeared on the Irish television showChristmas Carols from Cork, marking her first Irish television appearance in over seven years, and her final public performance of the Dark Sky Island era.[114] She sang "Adeste Fideles", "Oíche Chiúin", and "The Spirit of Christmas Past".[115]
From late 2019 to late-2021, there was a significant increase in activity from Enya's official online presences.[116] There were more official Enya posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, updates to Enya tracks and playlists on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, as well as YouTube channel updates and new content.
Several music videos on Enya's official YouTube channel[117] have undergone4K/HD conversions since 2020. Numerous YouTube "watch party" videos andvinyl re-releases marking anniversaries of Enya's music albums and compilations have been released since. The first of these videos was in November 2020, posted on Enya's official YouTube channel to commemorate the 20th anniversary ofA Day Without Rain.[118] In addition to the individual tracks from the album, it included handwritten introductory messages from Enya and Roma Ryan, plus a closing message from late producer Nicky Ryan. Some behind-the-scenes clips from themaking-of the music videos for "Only Time" and "Wild Child", both directed byGraham Fink, were also included. For theShepherd Moons 30th Anniversary Watch Party video in November 2021, Nicky Ryan's introductory message noted that during theCOVID-19 pandemic, Aigle Studio underwent some renovations, with new recording equipment and instruments installed, and that with this done, Enya and the Ryans were eager to start working on new music.[119]
Regarding a new studio album, there had been several mentions from close sources about Enya recording new music. In 2019, Enya's sisterMoya Brennan had mentioned that Enya was recording music.[120] In mid-2023, Enya's younger brother Bartley Brennan also spoke at Leo's Tavern saying that Enya was in the studio recording for another album.
In late 2021, a 20th-anniversary vinylpicture disc re-release of the "May It Be" single was released.[121] Enya's music continues to be sampled orinterpolated by many modern-day producers, particularly her 1986humming song "Boadicea", in songs within theR&B orhip-hop genres. Enya had previously noted for her 2015 album Dark Sky Island, that 'several songs here have a stronger beat, and even a little hip-hop influence.'[122]
In 2022, forMetro Boomin andThe Weeknd's song"Creepin'" featuring samples from her 1987 song "Boadicea", Enya didn't approve of the song to be released under the working title "IDWK" (referring to the song I Don't Wanna Know). Metro reportedly asked Enya to select song titles that she would be happy with, which included "Undecided," "Creepin'", "Don't Come Back to Me", "Better Off That Way" and "Wanna Let You Know". Metro said '"Creepin'" was the one [...] It ended up being a blessing because it's the best name for it.'[123] In early December 2024, "Creepin'" won the BMI London Song of the Year, with composition credits and awards including both Enya and Nick [sic] Ryan.[124]
In June 2023, Enya's 1997 limited compilationA Box of Dreams was re-issued on 6 vinyl LPs, featuring new liner notes.[125] Nicky Ryan also mentioned "the new album" as well as the possibility of a book based on the trio's thoughts regarding theOceans tracks. Enya's note, in Irish, read 'Beidh muid ag teacht le chéile gan mhoile', which roughly translates to 'We will meet again soon.'[126] Roma Ryan also updated the liner notes with several newer thoughts about the songs,constellations, and poetry. On 19 September 2023, a watch party video for the 35th anniversary ofWatermark was also presented.[127] Alongside this, vinyl LPs ofWatermark and aDolby Atmos upmixed audio for "Orinoco Flow" were also released.[128]
Since the anniversary of Watermark in 2023, Enya's social media pages and official website have lain dormant.
On 20 February 2025, it was announced on theRTÉ Gold Breakfast Show that Enya was the winner of theRTÉ Choice Music Prize Classic Irish Album, namely for her 1988 albumWatermark.[129] The ceremony for this took place on 6 March 2025. Despite Enya not being in attendance, she had written a speech, which was read on her behalf by Priscilla Kotey, managing director of Warner Music Ireland.
On 15 March 2025, the BBC first broadcast "Enya at the BBC", a compilation of her performances and music videos from the beginning of her solo career in 1986, to her latest BBC interview in 2016.[130]
On 10 September 2025, Enya's producer Nicky Ryan died, at the age of 79.[131] Throughout the first half of this decade, he had reassured that new Enya music was in progress.
The 2015-released song "Dark Sky Island", which is the title track of the trio's final album together, was played at the funeral of Nicky Ryan.[132] "Nicky’s Song" byMidnight Well and "Avalon" byRoxy Music were played. There were choral renditions of the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love", and Enya's iconic songs "Only Time" and "May It Be". The Enya tracks "Watermark, "Stars and Midnight Blue", and "The Humming" were also played in memory of Nicky Ryan.[133]
As of 8 October 2025, the status of Aigle Studio, which had been listed as "strike-off" in previous years", has been changed to an active status, potentially indicating further happenings in regards to the future of Enya's music.
On 15 November 2025, racing driversThéophile Naël andMari Boya scored a 1-2 win at the72nd Macau Grand Prix for theKCMG Enya group byPinnacle Motorsport, which Enya is an official sponsor for. Two blueAston Martin racing cars with Enya's logo had raced on the track, having made their debut in 2024. Boya had raced under the sponsorship last year. Formula Regional winner Naël mentioned the sponsoring team, and his honour to join big names includingAyrton Senna, who was also a fan of listening to Enya before races.[134][135]
TheTG4 television documentary, "Glacaim Leat", reflecting on the legalisation ofgay marriage in Ireland was first broadcast on 19 November 2025.[136] Enya makes an appearance, as she embraces co-star Seán Mac Ruairí, whose marriage took place on 16 May 2025, where Enya was notably in attendance.[137]
TheRoland Juno-60, a favourite keyboard of Enya's that she used onWatermark. In 1989, she said: "We wouldn't part with it for anything in the world".[27]
Enya has cited her musical foundations as 'the classics",church music, and "Irish reels and jigs'[84] with a particular interest inSergei Rachmaninoff,[138] a favourite composer of hers. Enya tentatively mentioned in 1986 that her roots could beStravinsky, but quickly followed with the notion that silence is what she listened to most besides her music.As well as piano, Enya quickly adapted to playing the synthesiser, a skilled synth player since the early 1980s, equalling the significance of her singing, especially on her breakthrough albumWatermark. Since 1982, Enya has recorded music with Nicky Ryan as her producer and arranger, and his wifeRoma Ryan as lyricist.[25] During her time with Clannad, Enya chose to work with Nicky as the two shared an interest in vocal harmonies, and Ryan, influenced byThe Beach Boys and the "Wall of Sound" technique thatPhil Spector pioneered, wanted to explore the idea of "the multi-vocals" for which her music became known.[139] According to Enya, "Angeles" fromShepherd Moons has roughly 500 vocals recorded individually and layered.[140][141] Enya performs all vocals and the majority of instruments in her songs, apart from guest musicians (some percussion, guitar, violin,uilleann pipes,cornet, and double bass).[25] Her early works, includingEnya andWatermark, feature numerous keyboard synthesisers[142][143] including theYamaha KX88 Master,Yamaha DX7,Oberheim Matrix,Kurzweil K250,Fairlight III,E-mu Emulator II,Akai S900,PPG Wave Computer 360,Roland D-50 (with the "Pizzagogo" patch, famously used in "Orinoco Flow"), and theRoland Juno-60, the latter a particular favourite of hers.[144] Her vast vocal range has been classified asmezzo-soprano.[145]
Numerous critics and reviewers classify Enya's albums asnew-age music and she has won fourGrammy Awards for Best New Age Album. However, Enya does not consider her music as part of the genre; 'the only way I can describe it [...] it'sEnya music.'[146] Nicky Ryan commented on the new age designation: 'Initially it was fine, but it's really not new age. Enya plays a whole lot of instruments, not just keyboards. Her melodies are strong and she sings a lot. So I can't see a comparison.'[147] In 1988, Enya is believed to have said about New Age music 'it's air, thin air. It's a musical drug' and noted its often spineless nature, dissimilar to the approach taken in her own music.[148] In an interview first published in 2017, Enya said that she 'felt that title [New-Age] was given to any musician whom critics didn't know how topigeonhole.'[149]
The inspirations behind several of the visuals accompanying Enya's music originate from old artwork. The 1991 music video for "Caribbean Blue", and the 1995 album cover artwork forThe Memory of Trees both feature adapted works from artistMaxfield Parrish.[150] In the 1996 music video for "On My Way Home", scenes of girls lighting paper lanterns to hang in flowery foliage were inspired byJohn Singer Sargent's paintingCarnation, Lily, Lily, Rose.
In addition to her native Irish, Enya has recorded songs in languages including English, French, Latin, Spanish, and Welsh.[151] She has recorded music influenced by works from fantasy authorJ. R. R. Tolkien, including the instrumental "Lothlórien" fromShepherd Moons. ForThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, she sang "May It Be" in English and Tolkien's fictional languageQuenya, and she sang "Aníron" in another of Tolkien's fictional languages,Sindarin.Amarantine andDark Sky Island include songs sung inLoxian, a fictional language created by Roma Ryan, that has no officialsyntax. Its vocabulary was formed by Enya singing the song's notes to which Roma wrote theirphonetic spelling.[152]
Enya adopted a composing and songwriting method that has deviated little throughout her career. At the start of the recording process for an album, she enters the studio, forgetting about her previous success, fame, and songs of hers that became hits. 'If I did that,' she said, 'I'd have to call it a day.'[153] She then develops ideas on the piano, keeping note of any arrangement that can be worked on further. During her time writing the music, Enya works a five-day week, takes weekends off, and does not work on her music at home.[154] With Irish as her first language, Enya initially records her songs in Irish as she can express 'feeling much more directly' in Irish than in English.[155] After some time, Enya presents her ideas to Nicky to discuss what pieces work best, while Roma works in parallel to devise lyrics for the songs. Enya considered "Fallen Embers" fromA Day Without Rain a perfect example of the lyrics exactly reflecting the feeling.[153] In 2008, she realised her tendency to write 'two or three songs' during the winter months, work on the arrangements and lyrics the following spring and summer, and then work on the next couple of songs when autumn arrives.[154]
Enya says that Warner Music and she 'did not see eye to eye' initially as the label imagined her performing on stage 'with a piano... maybe two or three synthesizer players and that's it.'[28] Enya also explained that the time put into her studio albums caused her to 'run overtime', leaving little time to plan for other such projects.[156] She also expressed the difficulty in recreating her studio-oriented sound for the stage. In 1996, Nicky Ryan said Enya had received and turned down an offer worth almost £500,000 to perform one concert in Japan.[157] In 2016, Enya spoke about the prospect of a live concert when she revealed talks with the Ryans during her three-year break afterAnd Winter Came... (2008) to perform a show at theMetropolitan Opera House in New York City that would besimulcast to cinemas worldwide. Before such an event could happen, Nicky suggested that she enter a studio and record "all the hits" live with an orchestra and choir to see how they would sound.[28]
Enya has performed with live andlip-syncing vocals on various talk and music shows, events, and ceremonies throughout her career, most often during her worldwide press tours for each album.[158] In December 1995, she performed "Anywhere Is" at a Christmas concert at Vatican City withPope John Paul II in attendance; he later met and thanked her for performing.[156] In April 1996, Enya performed the same song during a surprise appearance at the fiftieth birthday celebration forCarl XVI Gustaf, the king of Sweden and a fan of Enya's.[82] In 1997, Enya participated in a live Christmas Eve broadcast in London and flew to County Donegal afterward to join her family for their annualmidnight Mass choral performance,[156] in which she participates each year.[159]
In March 2002, Enya performed "May It Be" with an orchestra at the year'sAcademy Awards/Oscars ceremony. Enya and her sisters performed as part of the local choir Cór Mhuire in July 2005 at St. Mary's church in Derrybeg during the annualEaragail Arts Festival.[160]
For the UK and Ireland leg, in addition to the official music videos being filmed inHarrow, Enya performed "Echoes in Rain", "The Humming", and Orinoco Flow, where the piano was adorned with roses, much like herTop of the Pops performances in the late 1980s, and 1995. Enya performed "So I Could Find My Way" on the BBC'sSongs of Praise in 2016, filmed atAll Hallows College in Dublin.
Several of these were also broadcast on Japanese TV, along with numerous 2015 and early 2016 performances. Enya's final performance in Japan was for the Support Our Kids charity event held on 22 March 2016, where she performed "So I Could Find My Way" and donated her dress and two disc awards forAmarantine andAnd Winter Came... for the charity auction.[161] Enya performed a selection of Christmas carols from previous albums for an Irish-language Christmas show in Cork, Ireland.
Known for her private lifestyle alongside the music, Enya said in the mid-1990s, 'The music is what sells. Not me, or what I stand for... that's the way I've always wanted it.'[156][162] In a German interview from 2005, Enya stated 'I have always been shy. In former times, I wasn’t happy with that, but today I accept it and live my life after it. And I dare to express something private like emotions in my music and make it visible for the public.'[163] She later mentioned in 2008 that 'it’s more important to have my private life and freedom than come out and argue about how I’m seen', regarding it as 'a small disadvantage in trying to retain my privacy. I can live with it.'[24]
Enya has never married or had children, but has many nieces and nephews and isconsidered an aunt to the Ryans' two daughters, having shared their Artane home for almost a decade.[164][165] In 1991, she said, 'I'm afraid of marriage because I'm afraid someone might want me because of who I am instead of because they loved me... I wouldn't go rushing into anything unexpected, but I do think a great deal about this.'[166] Press often alluded to a relationship ending for Enya in 1997,[82] and that around this time she was considering taking time out of music to have a family. Enya found she was putting pressure on herself over the matter and has 'gone the route [she] wanted to go' after all.[153]
Enya has identified herself as 'more spiritual than religious' and has said that she sometimes prays, but prefers 'going into churches when they're empty'.[147] Though her political stances are rarely disclosed, in 1988 she stated that 'there is money in Ireland but it's not fairly divided. Generations-oldpotentates andpoliticians have reduced the whole nation to beggary.'[148]
As a result of injury from acar crash in Dublin in July 1997, Enya recalled that 'it took a lot of work to get my body back to singing. It was traumatic and shocking, but as a result I became more aware of my health and stronger as a person.'[167] This occurred several weeks before thefatal car crash in Paris that took the life ofPrincess Diana. In November 1997, Enya mentioned upon news of her contributing to Diana's tribute album, 'I met Lady Diana twice and the second time we met she told me that my composition "Watermark" was a favourite melody of hers.'[168] Enya's track "Watermark" was included on the end-of-year artistcompilation album,Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute.
At an auction in 1997, Enya spent £2.5 million[169] on a 157-year-oldVictorianlisted castellatedmansion inKilliney.[170][171] Formerly known asVictoria Castle andAyesha Castle, the house was renamed by Enya asManderley Castle after the house featured inDaphne du Maurier's 1938 novelRebecca.[172] Prior to moving into the castle, Enya was believed to have resided in London, and spent time there throughout the 2000s. She spent several years renovating the castle, and installing considerablesecurity measures because of threats fromstalkers.[171] The improvements covered gaps in the house's outer wall, installed new solidtimber entrance gates and 1.2-metre (4 ft) iron railings, and brought the surrounding 41 metres (135 ft) of stone wall up to a new height of 2.7 metres (9 ft).[170] In late 2005, the property had two security breaches; during one incident, two people attacked and tied up one of her housekeepers before stealing several items.[173] Enya alerted police by raising an alarm from hersafe room.[174] Enya oversaw most of the interior design (decorations and furnishings of her castle) as she was 'not going to trust that to anyone else.'[175] Enya also has an autographed picture ofSergei Rachmaninoff in her home.[175] Enya later bought a home in the south of France, also close in location to the home of U2 singerBono, nearÈze. She spent time renovating it to a morecontemporary style than the Victorian style of her castle home.[94]
Enya has mentioned watching operas, such asMadame Butterfly at theSydney Opera House, especially as she frequently travels to Australia to visit her sister and other relatives, occasionally getting noticed 'at the most obscure places' she added in 2008.[24] She also likes watchingclassic black-and-white films, especially those directed byAlfred Hitchcock. She is also drawn to watchingcrime dramas orperiod drama series, such asBreaking Bad, andMad Men, saying 'myself, Nicky, and Roma are huge fans ofBreaking Bad. We just didn't miss an episode.'[149]
As well as music, Enya has expressed interest in happenings of other areas of the arts, such as dancing, and painting. As of 2000, Enya had collected artwork by Irish artists in particular, includingJack Butler Yeats,Louis le Brocquy and the British artistAlbert Goodwin.[175] She also likes topaint, excelling in watercolours and landscape painting from a young age. However, Enya has been reluctant to share her artwork publicly: 'it shows too much of myself. If it is included in a song, it’s less a problem for me' as mentioned in 2005.[163] In a Spanish interview in 2016, Enya mentioned that her painting is 'something very personal. I share my thoughts when composing music but I prefer painting to stay private, at least for a few years.'[176]
Enya is thebest-selling Irish solo artist and one of the most influential vocalists of all time.[177][178] At the family pub Leo's Tavern, memorabilia that celebrate musical achievements of Enya and her siblings, notably those in Clannad, are displayed across the walls inside. Enya is admired by, and has influenced a number of artists from several genres,[179] includingAurora,Weyes Blood,FKA Twigs,Grimes,Adam Young,Cynthia Erivo, andNicki Minaj, who declared in a television interview: 'One of my biggest [musical influences] is Enya.'[180][181][182] In 2016,Sunday Times Rich List estimated her fortune at £91 million, making her part of their Top 50 millionaire musicians in Britain and Ireland.[177] According toBillboard, Enya is one of the all-time highest-charted Irish acts on U.S charts,[183] and is one of thehighest-certified music artists by album units in the U.S.Billboard's Mark Dezzani commented in 1997, that she popularized conventional pop melodies and ethereal ethnic music,[184] whileAudio magazine credited her for helping popularize the "New Celtic" sound.[185] Enya was described byNational Geographic'sIreland (2022) book, as the 'Queen of ambient Celtic lullabies.'[186]
InLonely Planet's 2024 description of Donegal, the county from which Enya comes, it was described by the Destination Editor as the 'wild child of Ireland',[187] a likely reference to the single "Wild Child" by Enya in 2000.[188] Two of Enya's albums,Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya (1997) andThemes from Calmi Cuori Appassionati (2001) have sold over a million copies in Japan, the latter a soundtrack of Enya's hits from 1986 to 2000 that was included in the Japanese filmCalmi Cuori Appassionati.
Enya receiving the RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Classic Album in 2025 is testament to her lasting significance in Irish music and beyond.[189]
The BBC produced a compilation of archive footage, which first aired in March 2025.[130] It recognises Enya as an artist with a noteworthy music repertoire and legacy.
In early 2025, Enya was announced as the winner of the 2025RTÉ Choice Music Prize's Classic Irish Album award, for her 1988 albumWatermark. The announcement was soon followed by a statement from the artist: 'I am delighted to win the RTÉ Choice Music Classic Album Prize.Watermark has a special place in my heart - it was my second album and really launched my career internationally. It is wonderful that people are still discovering it today and it's an honour to be chosen for this prize recognising Irish music.'[190] In Enya's winner's speech, read out on her behalf, she expressed her excitement to have been able to makeWatermark, and that she was 'so delighted that it has stood the test of time' still resonating with so many people around the world.[191]
^abcd"Personal File: Enya".Smash Hits.21. 19 October 1988. Archived fromthe original on 31 March 2016....I actually left school I was 17 and I went straight onto studying music at college and after a year of that I started touring with Clannad, so I've never had a nine to five job. I did want to be a music teacher at one time. It just didn't happen though...
^"Gaeltacht Festival Gweedore".RTÉ Archives (in Irish). [Eithne appears on video thumbnail, at 0:53–1:02, again at 5:55 - 6:19]. Retrieved3 November 2024.
^abcdefgRyan, Nicky (2009).The Very Best of Enya (Collector's Edition) (CD booklet notes ("It's Been a Long Time"). Warner Music. 825646850051.
^Fanning, Evan (5 November 2008)."Ethereal Girl".Hot Press. Archived fromthe original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved20 March 2016.
^"Enya | The BRIT Awards 2011". Brit Awards. Archived fromthe original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved25 February 2011.less that [sic] twelve months on, it has sold almost 3.5 million copies
^Williamson, Nigel (10 December 2005)."The Invisible Star".The Times. Archived fromthe original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved29 December 2016.
^Williamson, Nigel (10 December 2005)."The Invisible Star".The Times (in The Magazine supplement).her "best friends" are her managers, Nicky and Roma Ryan, a generation older and with whom she lived for several years when she was struggling to get established.
^Burke, Molly McAnally (14 November 1991)."I Hear The Angels Sing".Hot Press.15 (22 ed.). Archived fromthe original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved20 March 2016.
^abNatsumi Ito."Enya 100Q" (in Japanese). Archived fromthe original on 26 July 2015. [Answer to Q23 What was the first record you bought yourself? I was in boarding school all my life so I bought it late - 'White Regatta' (sic)(Reggatta de Blanc) by The Police.]
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