Eleanor McEvoy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eleanor McEvoy
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McEvoy performing in 2016
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| Background information | |
| Born | 22 January 1967 |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1990–present |
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Eleanor McEvoy (born 22 January 1967) is an Irish singer and songwriter. She is famous for writing the song "Only a Woman's Heart." This song was the main track on the album A Woman's Heart, which is the best-selling album in Irish history.
Contents
Early Life and Music
Eleanor McEvoy's musical journey started when she was just four years old and began playing the piano. When she was eight, she learned to play the violin. After high school, she studied music at Trinity College Dublin.
During the day, she went to her classes. At night, she played music in orchestras for shows and in music clubs. After graduating in 1988, she spent four months playing music on the streets of New York City, which is called busking.
Later, she joined the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and played with them for four years. She decided to leave the orchestra to focus on writing her own songs.
Career Highlights
A Star is Born
In the early 1990s, McEvoy performed in clubs around Dublin with her band. In July 1992, she performed a song she had written called "Only a Woman's Heart." A famous singer named Mary Black was in the audience and loved the song. She asked McEvoy to include it on a new album featuring Irish female artists.
The album was named A Woman's Heart after her song. It became a huge success, selling over 750,000 copies in Ireland. It is still the best-selling Irish album of all time.
Just before the album was released, a talent scout from Geffen Records saw her perform. He was so impressed that he offered her a worldwide record deal. This led to her first album, Eleanor McEvoy, in 1993. She then toured the United States, Asia, and Europe.
New Albums and a New Style
McEvoy signed with Columbia Records for her second album, What's Following Me? (1996). The song "Precious Little" from this album became a radio hit in the U.S. This allowed her to go on her own tour across the country.
Her third album, Snapshots (1999), had a very different style. It used a lot of drum loops, which was a big change from her earlier music. While critics loved the album, the record company was not prepared for the new sound.
Even so, McEvoy had a successful 24-show tour in the U.S. to support the album. She also began working on other projects, like recording a song for a tribute album to the musician Bert Jansch.
Going Independent
In 2001, McEvoy decided to release her music on her own. Her fourth album, Yola, had a more acoustic, jazz-like feel. Music critics praised it, calling it her best album yet. It even won "Record of the Year" from Hi-Fi+ Magazine.
Her next album, Early Hours (2004), continued this new style. It had a jazz and blues sound and was praised for its high-quality audio. It was even mixed in 5.1 surround sound, which creates a very immersive listening experience.
More Music and Tours
McEvoy's sixth album, Out There (2007), was almost entirely a solo effort. She wrote the songs, produced the album, and played most of the instruments herself. One song, "Vigeland's Dream," was inspired by a walk she took in a famous sculpture park in Oslo, Norway.
Her seventh album, Love Must Be Tough (2008), was different because it included songs written by other artists. These were songs originally performed by men about women, which she reinterpreted from her own perspective.
Over the years, McEvoy has toured all over the world, playing in countries like Australia, Spain, Germany, and Poland. She even performed at the famous Glastonbury Festival in 2008.
Recent Work
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McEvoy has continued to release albums, each with its own unique sound.
- I'd Rather Go Blonde (2010) received excellent reviews for its powerful songwriting.
- Alone (2011) is a collection of simple, solo performances, showing her talent in a very personal way.
- If You Leave... (2013) was inspired by classic albums from the 1960s and included her versions of famous songs like "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys.
- STUFF (2014) was an album of fan-requested songs that were hard to find.
- Naked Music (2016) was another album of personal, stripped-down songs.
In 2017, she released The Thomas Moore Project, an album of songs from the famous Irish poet Thomas Moore.
The Story of "Only a Woman's Heart"
The song "Only a Woman's Heart" is McEvoy's most famous work. It became the title track for the A Woman's Heart album, which remains the biggest-selling album in Irish history.
Many famous artists have recorded their own versions of the song, including:
- Emmylou Harris with Mary Black
- Phil Coulter
- Canadian singer Isabelle Boulay
- The group Celtic Woman
The song was even mentioned in the book New Cardiff by author Charles Webb.
In 2012, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the A Woman's Heart album, McEvoy and the other original artists held sold-out concerts in Dublin. They also released a new song together called The Secret of Living.
Discography
Eleanor McEvoy has released many albums throughout her career. Here are some of her studio albums:
- Eleanor McEvoy (1993)
- What's Following Me? (1996)
- Snapshots (1999)
- Yola (2001)
- Early Hours (2004)
- Out There (2006)
- Love Must Be Tough (2008)
- I'd Rather Go Blonde (2010)
- Alone (2011)
- If You Leave... (2013)
- Stuff (2014)
- Naked Music (2016)
- The Thomas Moore Project (2017)
Music for High-Quality Audio
McEvoy is known for releasing her music in high-quality audio formats. Her album Yola was one of the first albums recorded for SACD, a format that provides much clearer sound than a regular CD.
Because of their amazing sound quality, her albums are often used by high-end audio companies to test their speakers. Several of her albums have won awards from audio magazines for their production.
