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Who is Enya? Biography and profile

Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin (anglicised as Enya Patricia Brennan) was born on 17 May 1961.

Known professionally as Enya, she is a legendary Irish singer, songwriter, record producer, and musician.

With an estimated 80 million albums sold worldwide, she ranks as the best-selling Irish solo artist in history, second only to the band U2.

The Very Best of Enya album Contents

A few frequently asked questions and personal life details

Is Enya married? Who is Enya's husband?

Enya is not married and does not have a husband.

She has maintained a famously private lifestyle and has never been married. While she sometimes wears rings, these are not indicative of her marital status.

The rings she wears hold sentimental value, having belonged to her late grandmother, who was a strong source of support during her childhood.

I have never come close to being married or engaged. I was with someone eight years ago when I questioned whether I wanted the pressure of being married or having children. I always felt that if pregnancy was to happen, it would happen; if it didn't, it didn't.

I have security, I don't need a man in my life. I don't have pets, I have two guard dogs; and I don't do my own shopping; it's a security thing....The downside of success is stalkers. I have had death threats from people with fixations who need help.

Enya

What is Enya's net worth?

Enya's net worth was estimated to be around £91 million (roughly $119 million USD), according to the 2016 Sunday Times Rich List.

Her immense wealth comes primarily from her staggering music sales and royalties.

Key facts regarding her financial success:

  • She has sold an estimated 80 million albums worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
  • Her 2000 album A Day Without Rain alone sold almost 7 million copies in the US.
  • She lives a highly reclusive life in a private castle, avoiding flashy displays of wealth.
  • Net worth figures remain estimates, as she likely holds private investments managed through her company, Aigle Music.

Where does Enya live? Does Enya live alone in a castle with her cats?

In 1997, Enya purchased a small Victorian castle located in Killiney, County Dublin.

Originally built in 1840 by Robert Warren and named "Victoria Castle" after Queen Victoria, Enya renamed the estate "Manderley Castle".

The name was inspired by the fictional estate in the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. More in Wikipedia.

Despite rumors, she does not live with cats. Enya relies on a high-end security system and two guard dogs to protect her privacy.

I live in Victorian Gothic castle in Killiney that I was so bold as to rename Manderley, because Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca is one of my favourite books. ... People have this image of me as an ethereal Lady of Shalott, floating across the battlements, but it's a very small castle as castles go — with no big ballrooms... I don't write my music in my home, only in the studio; I want as normal life as possible at home, with dinner parties and entertaining.

I don't have pets, I have two guard dogs; and I don't do my own shopping; it's a security thing.

Enya

Is Enya still alive? Where is Enya now?

Yes, Enya is still alive and continues to lead a quiet, private life.

She is 65 years old and currently resides at Manderley Castle in Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland.

Because she is deeply protective of her privacy, real-time updates regarding her daily whereabouts are rarely publicized.

How old is Enya?

Enya was born on May 17, 1961.

She is currently 65 years old.

Where is Enya from? Is she Irish?

Enya hails from Dore, Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair), in County Donegal, Ireland.

She was raised in a Gaeltacht region, meaning Irish Gaelic was her first language and the primary tongue of her community.

This traditional upbringing, alongside her family's deep roots in Irish folk music and theatre, heavily influenced her iconic Celtic sound.

What is Enya's musical genre? What's her type of music?

Most critics classify Enya's distinct sound as new-age music.

She has won four Grammy Awards specifically in the "Best New Age Album" category.

Despite this industry label, Enya strongly disavows the "new-age" categorization.

When asked by reporters how she classifies her own music, Enya famously replied, "Enya".

Her late producer and manager, Nicky Ryan, echoed this sentiment regarding the genre labels:

"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."

Learn more about New Age, Celtic, ambient and ethereal music: artists like Enya

Does Enya do shows or concert tours? Are there any planned appearances on TV?

Enya has never undertaken a solo concert tour.

Her last official touring days were in the early 1980s when she played keyboards and sang backup for her family's band, Clannad.

The primary reason for her lack of touring is the immense studio complexity of her sound. It is incredibly difficult and expensive to recreate her signature multi-layered vocals (often dubbed a "choir of one") in a live setting.

She does occasionally perform on television broadcasts and award shows. Check this live performances compilation.

Is Enya a religious person?

Enya has been widely described as "spiritual but not religious."

Raised in a strict Catholic boarding school—Loreto College in Milford—her Irish-Catholic roots deeply influenced her early musical education and aesthetic.

While many of her songs feature spiritual themes or Christian references, she does not identify as a Christian music artist.

Her globally appealing sound connects with listeners of all faiths due to its calming, ethereal qualities.

For me, I've derived from religion ... what... I enjoy ... and it's to go to church, but usually ... when there's nobody else there. I just love that moment, ah, to just sit there. It's very peaceful, very calm, and very therapeutic, and it's ... wonderful.

Enya

Even more Frequently Asked Questions below.

Enya's biography

Early Life and the Formation of "The Trio"

Enya's musical journey began in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland.

Born into a deeply musical family, her father Leo led an Irish showband before opening Leo's Tavern, while her mother Máire was a music teacher.

In 1980, she joined her siblings' successful folk band, Clannad, providing keyboards and backing vocals for two albums.

By 1982, Enya felt musically restricted and decided to forge a solo path.

She formed an unbreakable partnership with Clannad's former manager/producer, Nicky Ryan, and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan. Together, they formed Aigle Music and built a home recording facility.

Developing the Signature Sound

Living with the Ryans in Artane, Dublin, Enya spent years meticulously developing her signature style.

Inspired by Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound," Nicky Ryan encouraged Enya to layer dozens of her own vocal tracks to create a massive, sweeping choral effect.

This technique seamlessly blended new age, Celtic, classical, and ambient influences.

Coupled with Roma Ryan's poetic lyrics, Enya's music transcended borders, eventually featuring tracks recorded in ten different languages.

For me this career and that I am privileged to do a job I love to do, means really, really much. I would never change any moment from my life. When making music I sink myself into the process as deeply as I can and forget all of the success.

Enya

Soundtracks and Signing with Warner

Enya's earliest solo commissions included soundtrack work for the film The Frog Prince (1984).

She soon secured a major project scoring the 1987 BBC documentary series The Celts.

The documentary's music was released as her debut solo album, Enya (1987), which caught the attention of Warner Music UK chairman Rob Dickins.

Signing with Warner granted Enya complete artistic freedom, minimal label interference, and no strict deadlines.

Global Stardom

The critical and commercial success of Watermark (1988) propelled her to worldwide fame.

Driven by the international top-10 hit single "Orinoco Flow", the album sold over 8 million copies.

This success established a pattern of multi-million selling releases:

Sales of A Day Without Rain and its lead single, "Only Time", skyrocketed in the United States following its prominent use in media coverage of the September 11 attacks.

Following Amarantine (2005) and And Winter Came... (2008), Enya took an extended break from the studio.

She finally returned to music in 2012, eventually releasing Dark Sky Island in 2015.

Record-Breaking Achievements

Enya is known for her immense privacy and has never undertaken a solo concert tour.

Despite this, she has sold an estimated 80 million records worldwide, with 26.5 million certified albums in the United States alone.

A Day Without Rain remains the bestselling new-age album in history.

Her prestigious industry accolades include:

  • Four Grammy Awards for Best New Age Album.
  • Six World Music Awards, including World's Best Selling Female Artist.
  • An Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nomination for "May It Be", written for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).
  • An Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement.

Download or stream Enya songs

Enya was born Eithne Ni Bhraonain in Co. Donegal, Ireland. Enya studied classical music at college and under private tuition. On leaving college she was asked by producer Nicky Ryan to join her siblings in their family band. She did so for a short time, but found it too restrictive musically, and so in 1982 she joined Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan in a creative and business partnership.

The first album of this contract was "Watermark" with the hit single "Orinoco Flow". This was followed by "Shepherd Moons" "The memory of trees" "Paint the sky with Stars" "A day without rain" which produced the single 'Only Time' "Amarantine" and for "Lord of the Rings; the fellowship of the Ring" the songs "Aniron" and "May it be". Enya, Nicky and Roma were nominated for a Golden Globe Award and for an Academy Award for the song "May it be". The latest honours bestowed on Enya were two Honorary Degrees, the University of Galway honoured her with Doctor of Music and the University of Ulster honoured Enya with Doctor of Letters.

Enya's old official website

Profile

Full name: Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin

Birthday: 17 May 1961

Place of birth: Dore, Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair), County Donegal, Ireland

Parents: Leopold "Leo" and Máire "Baba" Brennan

Siblings: Four brothers (Ciarán, Pól, Leon, Bartley) and four sisters (Máire/Moya, Deirdre, Olive, Brídín)

Mother language: Irish Gaelic

Musical upbringing and Clannad

Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin was the fifth of nine children born into a highly artistic family.

Her maternal grandparents performed in a band throughout Ireland, deeply rooting her in a musical heritage.

Her father, Leo Brennan, led the Slieve Foy showband before purchasing a local pub in 1968, famously naming it Leo's Tavern.

Her mother, Máire, was a former dance band musician who became a music teacher and choir director at the local comprehensive school.

At age 11, Enya attended Loreto College, a strict convent boarding school in Milford, paid for by her grandfather.

There, she developed a profound love for classical music, art, Latin, and watercolor painting.

Joining the Family Band

In 1980, instead of pursuing a university music degree, Enya accepted an invitation to join her family's Celtic folk band, Clannad.

The band already featured her older siblings Máire (Moya), Pól, and Ciarán, alongside her twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Duggan.

Invited by Clannad's sound engineer and manager, Nicky Ryan, Enya provided backing vocals and played the Wurlitzer electric piano and Prophet 5 synthesizer.

She contributed to two of Clannad's albums: Crann Úll (1980) and Fuaim (1981).

Despite touring Europe, Enya was considered a "hired hand" rather than a permanent fixture. Seeking creative independence, she left the group in 1982 alongside Nicky and Roma Ryan.

I joined my family's band, Clannad, as a teenager in 1980 to sing harmonies and play keyboards, but it wasn't musically challenging for me; I felt like an outsider. ... My split from Clannad two years later caused a conflict of loyalty for a time, because I went off with their manager Nicky Ryan, who had asked me to join Clannad in the first place.

Enya

Solo career

Enya in music video for "I Want Tomorrow", from the soundtrack of The Celts documentary.

Enya recorded two early solo instrumental tracks, "An Ghaoth Ón Ghrian" ("The Solar Wind") and "Miss Clare Remembers".

These debuted on a 1983 demo compilation tape titled Touch Travel.

She received her first solo credit as Enya (adapting the phonetic spelling of Eithne) for her soundtrack work on the 1984 film The Frog Prince.

In 1987, Enya provided a spoken Gaelic reading of Psalms 91:11-13 for Sinéad O'Connor's debut album, The Lion and the Cobra, appearing on the track "Never Get Old".

Enya is more than just me. It's also Nicky, who arranges my melodies, and his wife Roma, who writes the lyrics. They believed in my music from day one.

Enya

Enya's major solo stepping stone came when she was commissioned to score the 1986 BBC television documentary The Celts.

This evocative music became her first solo studio album, Enya (1987), released by BBC Records, though it initially attracted little mainstream attention.

International breakthrough

Enya's true international breakthrough arrived in 1988 after she signed with Warner Music UK.

She released the landmark album Watermark, heavily driven by the surprise hit "Orinoco Flow".

The single unexpectedly topped the UK charts, and the album ultimately sold over 8 million copies.

The success of Watermark surprised me. I never thought of music as something commercial; it was something very personal to me... The writing of a melody is an emotional moment; success doesn't make it easy.

Enya

Cementing Her Cinematic Sound

Three years later, she returned with the massively successful Shepherd Moons (1991).

The album sold over 10 million copies worldwide and earned Enya her first Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.

Her atmospheric sound became highly sought after by Hollywood filmmakers.

Key soundtrack placements during this era include:

In 1992, Warner released a digitally remastered version of her debut album, renaming it The Celts.

Four years later, she released her fourth studio album, The Memory of Trees (1995), which also won a Grammy.

In 1997, Enya celebrated her first decade of success with a greatest hits collection, Paint The Sky With Stars: The Best of Enya.

This compilation featured two brand new tracks: "Paint the Sky With Stars" and "Only If...".

Return and A Day Without Rain

Following a deliberate five-year break, Enya released A Day Without Rain in late 2000.

Peaking at #2 on the US Billboard 200, it remains Enya's most commercially successful album to date.

The album's emotional depth resonated deeply following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Her poignant track "Only Time" became the unofficial anthem for media coverage surrounding the tragedy.

Though she initially frowned upon bootlegged remixes featuring news soundbites, Enya eventually released an official charity mix of "Only Time" to raise funds for 9/11 widows and children.

The somber association with 9/11 often clashed with her other projects at the time.

During a 2002 CNN appearance, producers overlayed images of war while she performed "May It Be", a song written specifically for The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring.

There is no formula to it because writing every song, for me, is a little journey. The first note has to lift you and make you go, 'What's this?' You play C, but why is it that one day it leads to G and it didn't yesterday? I don't know. It's everything. It's the walk you take in the morning, it's the night before, the meeting with people, landscapes, the chats, all of that evolves in some way into melody, but I'm not sure how it's going to happen. I'm dealing with the unknown all the time and that is exciting.

Enya

Because she records every vocal layer manually, Enya is a self-admittedly slow worker.

Fans often endure waits of up to five years between new studio albums.

In September 2004, a new song called "Sumiregusa" ("Wild Violet") debuted in a Japanese Panasonic commercial.

Warner Music Japan mistakenly announced an upcoming November album release, which Enya's team quickly retracted via her official website.

1998–2007: A Day Without Rain and Amarantine

Her sixth studio album, Amarantine, was finally released in November 2005.

The album was a critical success, winning the 2007 Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.

Enya followed this by releasing several Christmas-themed recordings in 2006.

The EP Sounds of the Season was released in the United States via a partnership with NBC and Target.

It featured classic carols like "Adeste Fideles" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," alongside two original tracks, "Christmas Secrets" and "The Magic of the Night".

Amarantine is an ancient word, which means eternity. The poets describe an undying flower with that word, and I fell in love with that idea ... For me that word suited rhythmically to the refrain of the piece. A-ma-ran-ti-ne. In our website the fans tried to guess something super-romantic to be the album's name, but this word was obviously never guessed by anyone.

Enya

By late November 2006, special editions of Amarantine hit global markets.

North America received Amarantine - Special Christmas Edition, featuring a bonus disc of holiday tracks.

The UK edition included postcards and a copy of Roma Ryan's companion book, Water Shows the Hidden Heart.

Canadian fans could purchase a standalone EP titled Christmas Secrets.

Enya in 2007 Grammy Awards.

By mid-2007, Enya's total worldwide sales surpassed 70 million albums.

Her incredible financial success without ever touring prompted a US businessperson to coin the term "enyanomics".

In the summer of 2007, she received two major academic honors.

She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music from the National University of Ireland, Galway on June 29, followed by an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Ulster on July 10.

Recent Releases

Enya in a promotional photo for the Amarantine album (Show bigger image).

Enya initially planned to record an album of standard Christmas hymns for late 2007.

Instead, the project evolved into a fully-fledged winter-themed studio album, And Winter Came... (2008).

The album included the tribute track "My! My! Time Flies!", dedicated to the late Irish guitarist Jimmy Faulkner.

This track marked the first time a prominent guitar solo was used on an Enya song since her 1987 debut.

And Winter Came... sold almost 3.5 million copies worldwide by 2011.

A Long Break and Viral Resurgence

Following a grueling promotional schedule, Enya took an extended hiatus.

She rested, visited relatives in Australia, and renovated a new property in the south of France.

In November 2009, Warner released a comprehensive CD/DVD package, The Very Best of Enya.

In 2013, her hit "Only Time" experienced a massive viral resurgence.

Volvo Trucks used the song in an "Epic Split" advertisement featuring actor Jean-Claude Van Damme.

The commercial triggered a wave of YouTube parodies, pushing "Only Time" back onto the US Billboard Hot 100 at No. 43.

I felt I didn't know what to do ... I thought I needed a break, and the music needed a break ... I know it sounds like a long time, but to me, it felt like six months.

Enya

Return to the Dark Sky

Enya finally returned to Aigle Studios in 2012 to record her eighth album, Dark Sky Island.

Released in November 2015, the album was inspired by Roma Ryan's poetry about the island of Sark, the world's first designated dark-sky preserve.

The album's lead single, "Echoes in Rain", premiered on UK radio in October 2015.

Dark Sky Island reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 8 in the US Billboard 200.

During her promotional tour, she performed at the Universal Studios Japan Christmas show in Osaka.

In December 2016, she made a rare television appearance on the RTE special Christmas Carols from Cork, her first Irish TV performance in over seven years.

Musical style and other projects

Anytime I hear a song, it's the whole story of the song. You actually go into the moment, into that year. It's like a diary: going back to that day, where you had written it, worked on it, the life of it, the day you finished it. What you ate that day, the earrings you wore. Every song — every song is a punch in the gut.

Enya

Enya is celebrated for seamlessly blending languages to suit the emotional resonance of her melodies.

While she predominantly sings in English, a significant portion of her catalog is recorded in Irish Gaelic and Latin.

Her linguistic versatility extends to Welsh, Spanish, French, and Japanese.

She has also recorded in fictional languages.

For Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Enya sang "May It Be" in English and Quenya, and "Aníron" entirely in Sindarin—both Elvish tongues created by J.R.R. Tolkien.

On her 2005 album Amarantine, she utilized Loxian, a completely original language invented by her lyricist Roma Ryan.

While Enya frequently performs live on global television and award broadcasts, she has never mounted a full concert tour, though she considers the logistical hurdle a "great challenge" she might tackle one day.

Favourites

  • Movies: Old black & white classics, particularly Hitchcock's Rebecca.
  • Book: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Her absolute favourite character is Frodo.
  • Music: Classical composers like Rachmaninoff and Debussy.
    "I was asked the question 'What was the first single you ever bought?' and I thought 'I have never bought a single or an album'. Even as a teenager! It's strange. I don't like listening to music. People find it hard to understand that."
  • Her own songs: Marble Halls, On Your Shore, Smaointe..., Fallen Embers, Amarantine, If I Could Be Where You Are.
  • Fashion designer: Maria Grachvogel, who famously designed the red dress Enya wore to the Amarantine launch party.
  • Food: Italian, French, and Indian cuisines.
    "I don't eat red meat. I eat fish and lots of vegetables. I've been told I'm a very good cook but take forever to prepare one meal. Everything has to be absolutely perfect and nobody is allowed into the kitchen."
  • Drink: Champagne and very dry white wine.
  • Pets: "I don't have pets, I have two guard dogs."
    "I love cats, at one stage I had 12. It was just bliss. They'd all lie around in the sun and then come up and climb around my neck."

Trivia

  • An actual asteroid floating in space, "6433 Enya", was discovered in 1978 and named in her honor.
  • Enya co-owns a private recording facility named Aigle Studios. "Aigle" translates to "Eagle" in French.
  • In her rare downtime, Enya's hobbies include collecting artwork, painting, reading, and watching romantic black-and-white films.

Awards

Enya's critical acclaim is anchored by four Grammy Awards, all won in the Best New Age Album category:

Her cinematic work has also drawn major award attention.

Her song "May It Be" for The Lord Of The Rings - The Fellowship Of The Ring received dual nominations for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2002.

Other major industry accolades include:

  • IRMA Awards: Named "Best Female Irish Artist" in 1989 and 1993.
  • World Music Awards: Captured five distinct trophies, including "Best Solo Irish Artist", "Best New Age Artist", and "Best-selling Female Artist" across the 2001, 2002, and 2006 ceremonies.
  • BRIT Awards: Enya holds the record as the most-nominated female Irish artist in BRIT history, with four nominations.

More Frequently Asked Questions

Enya in her 2005 music video "Amarantine".

Who is "Eithne"? How to pronounce "Eithne"?

Eithne is Enya's birth name.

"Enya" is simply the phonetic spelling of "Eithne," which is pronounced as ehn-ya.

When she began her solo career, she chose to adapt the spelling to avoid constant mispronunciations by non-Gaelic speakers.

Why do some people use Eithne and not Enya?

Fans generally use Eithne when referring to the individual woman.

The name Enya is used to represent the musical entity created by the collaborative trio: Eithne Brennan, Nicky Ryan (1946-2025), and Roma Ryan.

Who are Roma and Nicky Ryan?

Nicky and Roma formed the production and management team behind Enya's massive solo success.

Nicky Ryan (1946-2025) acted as her producer, arranger, and manager, while Roma is her exclusive lyricist.

Nicky originally served as the sound engineer and manager for the family band Clannad before breaking away to focus on Enya's solo career.

Who is Clannad and what relationship do they have with Enya?

Clannad is a globally successful Irish folk band composed entirely of Enya's family members.

The core lineup features her twin uncles, Noel and Pádraig Duggan, alongside her older siblings Ciarán, Pól, and Máire (Moya) Brennan.

Who is Moya Brennan and what relationship does she have with Enya?

Moya (born Máire) is Enya's eldest sister.

She serves as the lead vocalist and harpist for Clannad and has maintained a highly successful solo career of her own.

Who is Aigle?

Aigle (the French word for "Eagle") is the name of Enya's private recording studio.

It also functions as the umbrella name for the business entity operated by Enya, Roma, and Nicky Ryan.

What colour are Enya's eyes?

Enya's eye color appears to shift between green, hazel, and grey depending on the lighting in different photos or music videos.

While she may occasionally use colored lenses for stylized shoots, most fans agree her natural color is a striking hazel-grey.

What is her address?

Enya maintains fierce privacy regarding her personal residence at Manderley Castle.

Direct fan mail should not be sent to her home. Fans can send letters through her official label representation:

Enya
c/o Warner Music Ireland
22 South Great George's Street
Dublin 2
Ireland

Enya looks so beautiful! How does she manage that? Does she have a special diet?

Most widely circulated photos of Enya are highly produced promotional shots for magazines or album booklets.

Like any major artist, she works with professional makeup and lighting teams.

As for her lifestyle, she eats a very clean diet consisting mostly of fish and vegetables, avoids red meat, and occasionally enjoys a glass of dry white wine.

Does Enya really do all the instruments and vocals herself?

Yes, Enya provides the vast majority of the instrumentation and layers all of her own vocals.

While she primarily focuses on the piano and synthesizers, she also performs string and percussion parts.

Is all the music on Enya's albums composed only by her?

Enya composes almost all of her original music.

Throughout her multi-decade career, she has only recorded a handful of traditional arrangements.

These include "Marble Halls" (from an 1843 opera), "How Can I Keep from Singing?" (a Shaker hymn), and classic Christmas carols like "Oiche Chiun" and "Adeste, Fideles".

Some of Enya's songs are not in English, what language are they?

Enya has recorded vocals in an astonishing ten different languages.

These include English, Irish Gaelic, Latin, Spanish, Japanese, Welsh, and French.

She has also sung in three fictional languages: J.R.R. Tolkien's Quenya and Sindarin, and Roma Ryan's Loxian.

  • Irish Gaelic: "March of the Celts", "Aldebaran", "Deireadh An Tuath", "Storms In Africa", "Oiche Chiun", "Ebudae", "Book of Days", "Smaointe", "Athair Ar Neamh", "Deora Ar Mo Chroi"
  • French: Featured in "Only If"
  • Japanese: "Sumiregusa"
  • Latin: "Cursum Perficio", "Afer Ventus", "Pax Deorum", "Tempus Vernum", "Adeste, Fideles"
  • Spanish: "La Sonadora"
  • Welsh: "Dan y Dwr"
  • Sindarin: "Aniron"
  • Quenya: Featured in "May It Be"
  • Loxian: "Less Than A Pearl", "The River Sings", "Water Shows The Hidden Heart"

What is Loxian?

Loxian is a fully constructed fictional language created by lyricist Roma Ryan.

She invented the language specifically for Enya's 2005 album, Amarantine, when standard English or Gaelic phrasing failed to capture the necessary musical mood.

Inspired by Tolkien's Elvish languages, Roma expanded Loxian into a published book titled Water Shows the Hidden Heart.

Was that Enya I heard? Is this song really an Enya song?

Because Enya's style is heavily imitated, peer-to-peer sharing networks frequently mislabel ethereal songs as her work.

Tracks like "Now We Are Free" (from Gladiator), "Harry's Game" (actually by Clannad), and "Return to Innocence" (by Enigma) are constantly, and incorrectly, attributed to Enya.

Always cross-reference a complete list of Enya songs to verify authenticity.

How many records has she sold?

Enya is one of the most successful female artists in history, selling over 80 million albums worldwide.

Her zenith was the 2000 release A Day Without Rain, which sold an estimated 16 million copies globally.

On what occasions did Enya perform? Was it a live performance or lip-synced?

While she doesn't tour, Enya has completed numerous television broadcasts.

Due to her vocal layering, live television mixing is notoriously difficult, meaning most TV appearances utilize lip-syncing.

  • "Dulaman" - Live with Clannad (Celtic Folk Festival, Utrecht) - 13 February 1982 (Live)
  • "Orinoco Flow" - Top of the Pops - 20 October 1988 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Oiche Chiuin" - Sunday, Sunday - December 1988 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Carribean Blue" - Top of the Pops - 17 October 1991 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Book of Days" - Top of the Pops - 23 July 1992 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Anywhere is" - Top of the Pops - November 1995 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Anywhere Is" - Concerto di Natale in Vatican - 1995 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Marble Halls" & "Only If"- The Kenny Show - 15 November 1997 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Only If" - Late Show with David Letterman - 1997 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Only Time" - Pure Oxygen - 11 December 2000 (Live)
  • "Only Time" - Jay Leno - 2000 (Live)
  • "Only Time" - World Music Awards - 2 May 2001 (Lip-Synced)
  • "Wild Child" - San Remo Festival - March 2001 (Live)
  • "Wild Child" - Japanese Performance - Date Unknown (Live)
  • "May It Be" - Larry King Live - 23 January 2002 (Live)
  • "May It Be" - Academy Awards - 24 March 2002 (Live)
  • Brennan Family Tribute - 13 July 2005 (Live)

See also: