Enya facts for kids
Enya, whose real name is Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (born May 17, 1961), is a famous Irish singer and composer. She is known by her single name, Enya. She has sold over 80 million albums around the world. This makes her the best-selling Irish solo artist ever. Only the rock band U2 has sold more music from Ireland. Enya's music is special because she layers her own voice many times. She also uses long echo effects and mixes in Celtic music styles.
Enya grew up in Gweedore, a part of Ireland where people speak Irish. She started her music journey in 1980 with her family's Irish folk band, Clannad. In 1982, she left Clannad to start her own career. She worked with Nicky Ryan, who used to manage Clannad, and his wife Roma, who wrote lyrics. For the next four years, Enya developed her unique sound. She combined many layers of her vocals and keyboards. She also added parts from different music styles like Celtic, classical, and world music. Her first solo songs were two piano pieces released in 1984. Enya also wrote most of the music for the movie The Frog Prince (1985). She sang two songs for it. She also composed music for a BBC documentary series called The Celts. Some of her music from The Celts became her first album, Enya, released in 1986.
Rob Dickins, the head of Warner Music at the time, loved Enya's music from The Celts. He signed her to Warner Music UK. This deal gave her a lot of freedom to create her music. Her second album, Watermark (1988), made her famous worldwide. This was mainly because of her hit song "Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)". After that, she released several very popular albums. These included Shepherd Moons (1991), The Memory of Trees (1995), and A Day Without Rain (2000). Sales of A Day Without Rain and its main song, "Only Time", increased a lot after they were used in news coverage of the September 11 attacks. Later albums included Amarantine (2005), And Winter Came... (2008), and Dark Sky Island (2015).
A song called "Boadicea" from her first album was used in the movie Sleepwalkers (1992). It has also been sampled in many hit songs. These include "Ready or Not" (1996) by Fugees and "I Don't Wanna Know" (2004) by Mario Winans. This song, which features Enya humming, is still used by artists today.
Enya has won many awards, including four Grammy Awards and six World Music Awards. She has been nominated for the BRIT Awards four times, more than any other Irish female artist. Her song "May It Be" from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) was nominated for an Academy Award. In March 2025, Enya's 1988 album Watermark won the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Classic Irish Album award.
Quick facts for kids
Enya
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Enya in 1988
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin |
| Also known as |
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| Born | 17 May 1961 Dore, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland |
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| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | Warner |
Contents
Enya's Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Growing Up in Gweedore
Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin was born on May 17, 1961. She was born in Dore, a part of Gweedore in County Donegal, Ireland. She is the sixth of nine children in the Brennan family. Her parents, Máire "Baba" and Leopold "Leo" Brennan, were both musicians. In 1968, her parents opened a pub called Leo's Tavern. Her father, Leo, led an Irish showband. Her mother, Baba, was also a musician and taught music.
Gweedore is a "Gaeltacht" region. This means the Irish language, also known as Gaelic, is mainly spoken there. Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin is her Irish name. "Enya" is how her name "Eithne" sounds in the Donegal accent.
Enya described her childhood as "very quiet and happy." She grew up in a house behind her grandparents' home. With nine siblings, it was sometimes hard to be heard. But she liked being able to be herself. Her grandparents and aunt helped raise the children. This was because her parents often traveled with their band. Enya's songs "On Your Shore" and "Smaointe" are dedicated to her grandparents.
Early Musical Training
Enya started singing in competitions when she was only three to five years old. She also acted in plays at the Gweedore Theatre. She remembers playing Little Red Riding Hood and singing a song at three and a half. At age four, Enya began piano lessons. She also learned English in primary school. She practiced piano scales over and over. While her siblings played outside, she was inside practicing.
Enya shared a memory of singing at age five. She was performing two songs, one slow and one fast. Her mother played the piano for her. Enya accidentally started with the fast song. She stopped when she saw her mother frown. Then she sang the correct song. After that, she sang the fast song again. She won the contest.
Enya also sang in her mother's choir, Cór Mhuire. Her father played the accordion and saxophone. Enya enjoyed watching musical films. She loved Jesus Christ Superstar, which was played daily in her home. She and her sisters would sing all the words.
When she was younger, her brother Ciarán would help her and Moya practice harmonies. He would have them sing in different rooms to hear their parts better.
School and Future Plans
From age 11, Enya went to a boarding school in Milford. Her grandfather paid for her education there. At this school, she developed a love for classical music, art, and Latin. She said it was hard to be away from her big family. But it was good for her music. Enya finished boarding school at 17. She then studied classical music for a year at college. She thought about becoming a piano teacher, like her mother and grandmother. She did give piano lessons for a short time. But she soon started composing and performing her own music. Enya always wanted to make her own mark in music.
Enya has said she was always quiet, even as a child. People at school would say they never knew what she was thinking.
Enya's Music Career
Joining and Leaving Clannad (1980–1982)
In 1970, some of Enya's family members formed the Celtic folk band Clannad. Nicky Ryan became their manager and producer. His wife, Roma, was their tour manager. In 1980, after college, Enya joined Clannad. Nicky Ryan wanted to add keyboards and another singer to their sound. Enya played on their albums Crann Úll (1980) and Fuaim (1982). She sang lead vocals on the song "An Túll" (The Apple).
Enya's role in Clannad is sometimes debated. Her brother Ciarán and Moya said she was a "hired hand," not a full member. Nicky Ryan also said he never planned for her to be a permanent member. He felt she was very independent and wanted to play her own music. Enya herself said she was "just passing through" and not a "full member."
Nicky and Enya discussed layering vocals to create a "choir of one." This idea was inspired by Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" technique.
In 1982, during a Clannad tour, Nicky Ryan decided to leave the band. Enya chose to leave with Nicky and Roma. She felt limited in the group and didn't like being in the background. She wanted to compose her own music. This split caused some tension at first, but they later resolved their differences.
Starting Her Solo Journey (1982–1986)
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After leaving Clannad, Enya moved in with Nicky and Roma Ryan in Dublin. She felt she had a better career future with them. Enya sold her saxophone and gave piano lessons to earn money. Nicky Ryan built a recording studio in their garden shed. They called it "Aigle Studio," which means "eagle" in French.
Enya lived with the Ryans from 1982 until 1989. Then she bought her own apartment. Enya, Nicky, and Roma formed a music and business partnership. Nicky produced and arranged Enya's music. Roma wrote the lyrics. They called their company Aigle Music. For two years, Enya developed her music style. She would listen to classical pieces and then improvise her own versions.
Enya's first solo songs were two piano pieces. They were released in 1984 on a compilation album called Touch Travel. Her first live solo performance was in Dublin in 1983. It was shown on TV. She was very nervous and stayed behind the piano.
Roma Ryan thought Enya's music would be great for films. She sent it to film producers. Director David Puttnam liked it and asked Enya to compose the music for The Frog Prince (1984). Enya wrote nine pieces for the film. However, her instrumental pieces were changed by another composer. Enya's two songs with vocals were not in the film. Enya felt it was a good career step, but also a bit disappointing. The film's album was the first time she was credited as "Enya." Nicky Ryan suggested this spelling so non-Irish speakers could pronounce her name easily.
The Celts and Watermark Success (1985–1989)
In 1985, the BBC asked Enya to create music for their documentary series The Celts. Enya had already written a Celtic-inspired song. The director loved it and asked her to score the whole series. Enya recorded 72 minutes of music. She had a lot of freedom to create her unique sound. This sound included layered vocals, keyboard music, and Celtic, classical, and folk elements.
In March 1987, a selection of Enya's music from The Celts was released as her first album, Enya. It did well in Ireland and the UK. "I Want Tomorrow" was her first single. Her song "Boadicea" was later sampled by the Fugees in their 1996 song "Ready or Not." Enya took legal action because they didn't ask permission. They later gave her credit and paid a fee.
After Enya was released, Rob Dickins from Warner Music UK signed her. He loved her music and wanted to be involved. He gave her artistic freedom and no strict deadlines. Enya left her previous label and signed with Geffen Records for American distribution.
Enya recorded her second album, Watermark, from June 1987 to April 1988. It was a big surprise hit when it came out in September 1988. It reached number 5 in the UK and number 25 in the US. Its main single, "Orinoco Flow," was the last song written for the album. It became an international top 10 hit and was number one in the UK for three weeks. This song helped bring new-age music to a wider audience. Enya became internationally famous. She spent a year traveling and promoting the album.
Continued Success (1989–2007)
After Watermark, Enya started working on her next album, Shepherd Moons. The success of Watermark made her feel some pressure. But she decided to start fresh. Roma Ryan wrote songs based on Enya's diary entries and other ideas. Shepherd Moons was released in November 1991. It was even more successful than Watermark, reaching number one in the UK. Its lead single, "Caribbean Blue," was also popular.
In 1993, Enya won her first Grammy Award for Shepherd Moons. In 1992, her first album, Enya, was re-released as The Celts with new artwork. It sold even better the second time.
Enya then recorded her fourth album, The Memory of Trees. By this time, the Ryans had moved, and a new Aigle Studio was built at their home. This meant Enya didn't have to go to London to finish recording. The album came out in November 1995 and was very successful. Its lead single, "Anywhere Is," reached number 7 in the UK. Enya was asked to compose the music for the movie Titanic but declined.
In 1997, Enya decided to release her first collection of songs. She chose her hits and other favorites. This album, Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya, included two new songs. It was a worldwide success. Enya described it as a "musical diary."
In 1998, Enya started her fifth studio album, A Day Without Rain. She used more synthesized string sounds in her music for this album. It was released in November 2000. After the September 11 attacks, sales of the album and its song "Only Time" increased greatly. The song was used a lot in news coverage. Enya donated the money from "Only Time" to help firefighters. The song became her highest-charting US single.
In 2001, Enya wrote and performed two songs for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring movie soundtrack. The director, Peter Jackson, specifically asked for her voice. Enya composed "Aníron" and "May It Be." "May It Be" was nominated for an Academy Award. Enya performed it live at the Academy Awards ceremony in March 2002. She said this was a highlight of her career.
In 2004, Enya's song "Boadicea" was sampled again by Diddy for Mario Winans' song "I Don't Wanna Know." Enya approved the use of her song.
In 2003, Enya began working on her sixth album, Amarantine. Roma Ryan created a fictional language called Loxian for some of the songs. Enya sang "Water Shows the Hidden Heart" and other songs in Loxian. The album was a global success. Enya dedicated it to BBC producer Tony McAuley, who had first asked her to score The Celts.
Recent Years (2008–Present)
Enya's seventh album, And Winter Came..., was released in November 2008. It had a winter and Christmas theme. One song, "My! My! Time Flies!", was a tribute to an Irish guitarist. It also included references to famous bands like The Beatles and Queen. The album sold millions of copies worldwide.
After promoting And Winter Came..., Enya took a long break. She rested, visited family, and renovated her home. In 2009, her first four albums were reissued in Japan. Her second compilation album, The Very Best of Enya, was released in 2009. It included a previously unreleased version of "Aníron."
In 2012, Enya returned to the studio to record her eighth album, Dark Sky Island. The album's name refers to the island of Sark, which is a dark-sky preserve. It also relates to poems about islands by Roma Ryan. In 2013, "Only Time" was used in a famous Volvo Trucks advertisement. This caused the song to re-enter the music charts. Dark Sky Island was released in November 2015. It reached number 4 in the UK and number 8 in the US. Enya promoted the album with tours in various countries. She performed "Orinoco Flow" and "Echoes in Rain" in Japan.
In December 2016, Enya appeared on an Irish TV show, her first Irish TV appearance in over seven years. She sang Christmas carols.
Since late 2019, Enya's official social media has been more active. Her music videos have been updated to high quality. There have been "watch party" videos and vinyl re-releases for album anniversaries. Nicky Ryan mentioned that Aigle Studio was renovated during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said Enya and the Ryans were eager to work on new music.
Enya's song "Boadicea" continues to be sampled by modern artists. In 2022, it was sampled in the song "Creepin'" by Metro Boomin and The Weeknd. Enya approved the song's release under the title "Creepin'". In December 2024, "Creepin'" won the BMI London Song of the Year award.
In June 2023, Enya's 1997 compilation A Box of Dreams was re-released on vinyl. Nicky Ryan confirmed that they were working on a new album. Enya's note in Irish said, "We will meet again soon." In September 2023, a watch party video for the 35th anniversary of Watermark was released. Vinyl versions of Watermark and a special audio mix of "Orinoco Flow" were also released.
In February 2025, Enya's 1988 album Watermark won the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Classic Irish Album award. Enya was very happy about the award. She said Watermark was special to her and launched her international career. She was delighted that it still connects with people today.
Enya made a notable public appearance in May 2025. A photo of her at a wedding with her sister Moya was shared. Enya's outfit in the photo was one she had worn for past performances.
Enya's Artistic Style
How Enya Creates Her Music
Enya's music is built on classical music, church music, and Irish folk tunes. She especially likes the composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. Enya is skilled at playing the piano and synthesizers. She has used many different types of keyboards in her music.
Since 1982, Enya has worked with Nicky Ryan as her producer and Roma Ryan as her lyricist. Nicky and Enya shared an interest in vocal harmonies. Nicky was inspired by the "Wall of Sound" technique. This led to Enya's famous "multi-vocals" sound. For example, the song "Angeles" from Shepherd Moons has about 500 individual vocal recordings layered together. Enya sings all the vocals and plays most of the instruments herself. Sometimes, guest musicians play percussion, guitar, or other instruments. Her voice is a mezzo-soprano.
Many critics call Enya's music "new-age." She has won four Grammy Awards in this category. However, Enya does not see her music as new-age. She calls it "Enya music." Nicky Ryan agrees, saying her music has strong melodies and many instruments, not just keyboards.
Enya's music videos and album covers often get ideas from old artwork. The video for "Caribbean Blue" and the cover for The Memory of Trees use art by Maxfield Parrish. The video for "On My Way Home" was inspired by a painting called Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose.
Enya sings in many languages. These include Irish, English, French, Latin, Spanish, and Welsh. She has also made music inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy books. For The Lord of the Rings, she sang in English and Tolkien's fictional languages, Quenya and Sindarin. Her albums Amarantine and Dark Sky Island have songs in Loxian. This is a fictional language created by Roma Ryan.
Enya's way of writing music has stayed mostly the same. When she starts a new album, she forgets about her past hits. She develops ideas on the piano. She works five days a week and takes weekends off. She doesn't work on music at home. Since Irish is her first language, she often records songs in Irish first. She feels she can express emotions more directly in Irish. Then, she shares her ideas with Nicky. Roma works on lyrics that fit the songs. Enya feels that the lyrics for "Fallen Embers" perfectly match the song's feeling. She often writes songs in winter, arranges them in spring and summer, and then writes more in autumn.
Performing Live
Enya has said that Warner Music initially wanted her to perform live with a piano and synthesizers. But Enya explained that her studio albums take a lot of time. This leaves little time to plan concerts. It is also hard to recreate her layered studio sound for a live stage. In 1996, Nicky Ryan said Enya turned down a large offer to perform one concert in Japan. In 2016, Enya talked about possibly performing a show in New York City. It would be broadcast to cinemas worldwide. But Nicky suggested she first record her hits live with an orchestra and choir.
Enya has performed on TV shows and at events. She often lip-syncs her vocals to match her complex studio sound. In December 1995, she performed "Anywhere Is" at a Christmas concert in Vatican City. Pope John Paul II was there and thanked her. In April 1996, she performed the same song for the King of Sweden's birthday. In March 2002, she performed "May It Be" at the Academy Awards ceremony. Enya and her sisters still sing in their local choir, Cór Mhuire, each year for midnight Mass.
Enya's Albums
Studio albums
- The Frog Prince (1985, soundtrack)
- Enya (1986) (reissued in 1992 as The Celts)
- Watermark (1988)
- Shepherd Moons (1991)
- The Memory of Trees (1995)
- A Day Without Rain (2000)
- Amarantine (2005)
- And Winter Came... (2008)
- Dark Sky Island (2015)
Enya's Personal Life
Enya is known for keeping her personal life private. She once said, "The music is what sells. Not me." She has also said she is shy but accepts it now. She prefers to keep her privacy.
Enya has never married or had children. But she has many nieces and nephews. She is like an aunt to Nicky and Roma Ryan's two daughters. In 1991, she said she was afraid of marriage. She worried someone might want her for her fame, not for love. She later felt she had gone the way she wanted to go in life.
Enya sees herself as "more spiritual than religious." She sometimes prays and likes visiting empty churches.
In July 1997, Enya was in a car crash in Dublin. She said it took a lot of work to get her body ready to sing again. It was a difficult experience, but it made her stronger. In November 1997, Enya learned that Princess Diana liked her song "Watermark." Enya's song was included on a tribute album for Princess Diana.
In 1997, Enya bought a large Victorian castle in Killiney, Ireland. She spent £2.5 million on it. She renamed it Manderley Castle, after a house in a book she liked. She spent several years renovating the castle. She also added strong security measures. This was because of threats from stalkers. In late 2005, there were two security incidents at her home. Enya alerted police from her safe room. Enya oversaw most of the castle's interior design herself. She also owns a home in the south of France.
Enya enjoyed reading books like The Lord of the Rings when she was young. Her favorite books are Rebecca and The Picture of Dorian Gray. She collects first editions of books.
Enya enjoys watching operas and classic black-and-white films. She also likes crime dramas and period dramas. She and the Ryans were big fans of the TV show Breaking Bad.
Enya met the musician Sting at the Academy Awards in 2002. Sting's song "Every Breath You Take" is one of Enya's favorites.
Besides music, Enya is interested in dancing and painting. She collects artwork by Irish artists. She also likes to paint, especially watercolors and landscapes. But she prefers to keep her artwork private. She feels it shows too much of herself.
Enya's Impact and Awards
Enya is the best-selling Irish solo artist. She is one of the most influential singers ever. At her family's pub, Leo's Tavern, there are displays celebrating her and her siblings' musical achievements. Many artists admire Enya and have been influenced by her. These include Aurora, Grimes, and Nicki Minaj. Nicki Minaj once said Enya was one of her biggest musical influences.
In 2016, Enya's wealth was estimated at £91 million. This made her one of the richest musicians in Britain and Ireland. Billboard magazine says Enya is one of the highest-charting Irish artists in the US. She is also one of the highest-certified music artists in the US by album sales. Audio magazine said she helped make "New Celtic" music popular. National Geographic called her the "Queen of ambient Celtic lullabies."
In 2024, County Donegal, where Enya is from, was called the "wild child of Ireland" by Lonely Planet. This might be a reference to Enya's song "Wild Child." Two of Enya's albums have sold over a million copies in Japan.
Enya winning the RTÉ Choice Music Prize for Classic Album in 2025 shows her lasting importance in Irish music. The BBC also made a compilation of archive footage called Enya at the BBC. It aired in March 2025 and celebrates her music and legacy.
Special Honors and Namesakes
In 1991, a small planet discovered in 1978 was named 6433 Enya after her. In June 2007, she received an honorary doctorate degree in music from the National University of Ireland, Galway. A month later, she received another honorary doctorate from Ulster University. In 2017, a new species of fish found in the Orinoco River was named Leporinus enyae after her song "Orinoco Flow."
See also
In Spanish: Enya para niños
- List of Irish musicians
- List of Irish Grammy Award winners and nominees
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 1990s
- List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
