Roma and Nicky Ryan
At the heart of Enya's artistic endeavors lies a formidable trio that has shaped her musical legacy. Enya, the mastermind behind the mesmerizing compositions and captivating performances, finds herself in an intricate collaboration with two key figures: Nicky Ryan, the visionary producer who brings her music to life, and Roma Ryan, the talented wordsmith responsible for crafting the evocative lyrics in an array of languages.
Roma Ryan, Enya and Nicky Ryan.
Roma Ryan's lyrical prowess shines through as she assumes the role of Enya's primary lyricist, infusing her compositions with profound meaning and poetic beauty. Her profound understanding of Enya's musical vision allows her to weave a tapestry of words that resonates across cultures and languages. Complemented by her husband, Nicky Ryan, whose expertise as Enya's trusted music producer ensures that each album embodies the artist's unique essence and sonic tapestry.
This formidable trio has forged a remarkable partnership that spans over four decades, with their collaboration taking root at the inception of Enya's career in 1982. Together, they have nurtured Enya's creative vision, shaping her distinctive sound and garnering worldwide acclaim.
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
Roma Shane Ryan (born 20 January 1950 in Belfast) is a Northern Irish writer, poet, and lyricist, currently living in Artane, Ireland. Nicholas Dominick Ryan (born 1949) is an Irish music producer, recording engineer, and manager. Born and raised in Dublin, Nicky Ryan gained initial recognition in the 1970s and 1980s for his work with several artists including Gary Moore, Planxty, Christy Moore and Clannad.
In 1982, the Ryans left Clannad and formed a partnership with Enya after the latter wished to pursue a solo career, with Ryan her producer and arranger and Roma her lyricist. For the next two years, Enya lived with the Ryans who then lived in Artane, a northern Dublin suburb while she practiced her music skills and recorded a selection of demos. In September 1983, the three became directors of their music company Aigle Music, with "aigle" being the French word for "eagle". Using a mixing board originally made for Clannad, the three constructed a home recording facility and named it Aigle Studio. In the video documentary Enya - A Life in Music, Enya states that it was Nicky who first had the idea of layering Enya's voice, thus creating Enya's distinctive style.
Roma is the primary lyricist for Enya. Her lyrics have won Grammy awards; the song "May It Be" for the The Lord of the Rings film The Fellowship of the Ring was nominated for an Oscar.
Her lyrics can be heard in films such as The Frog Prince (1984), Green Card (1990), L.A. Story (1991), Toys (1992), Cry, the Beloved Country (1995), and Reisei to jônetsu no aida (2001), all of which feature Enya's music.
In 2005, Roma created a new language known as Loxian, inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's Elvish language, for Enya's album Amarantine. She wrote a book describing Loxian, called Water Shows the Hidden Heart.
Roma and Nicky have two daughters, Ebony and Persia, who also contributed with artwork and layout to Enya's 2005 release.
Nicky Ryan, Enya and Roma Ryan
Featured albums
A Day Without Rain, 2000
Through extensive use in various forms of media, "Only Time" became an anthem of resilience and hope after the tragic events of the September 11 attacks.
The Memory of Trees, 1995
This album won Enya's first Grammy Award for Best New Age Album. “With the destruction of the world’s rainforests it may turn out to be that the memory of trees is nothing more than that for us—a memory.”