Enya

Genre: New Age

Enya, born Eithne Ni Bhraonain, was born on May 17th, 1961 in the Gaeltact area in County Donegal, Ireland. Eithne is the feminine version of Aidan. It means "fire". Enya is fifth child in her family. She has 8 siblings, Maire, Ciaran, Pol, Deirdre, Leon, Eithne (Enya), Bartley, Olive, and Bridin.

Enya isn't the only musical person in her family. Infact, her parents, Baba and Leo, played in a family dance band. Baba taught music in a local school while Leo owned (and probally still does) a local pub, "Leo's Tavern" in Meenalich.

Enya's talents extend beyond music and into linguistics. She speaks four languages, Gaelic (commonly called Irish), Latin, Welsh and Spanish. One can notice this amazing multi-linugal talent in her music. Her song Dan Y Dwr is probally the only known song sung in Welsh (the Welsh languages is spoken in Wales in the British Isles).

While Enya was at school, she studied the piano and classical music. This was also the time that her musical career caught its beginnings. Three of her brothers and sisters along with her uncles formed a fold music group. The group was called "An Clann As Dobhair" (A family from Gweedore), but was later renamed to Clannad. It was in 1980 that she joined the group at the suggestion of the group's manager. Enya played keyboard and also provided some vocals for two of the group's albums Crann Ull and Fuaim.

After only two years of preformance with Clannad, Enya left the group and went to Dublin to live with Nicky and Roma Ryan. Roma Ryan had an instrumental role in helping to keep Enya's musical career rolling. Roma sent a cassette of some of Enya's music to a film producer named David Puttnam.

After David Puttnam listened to Enya's tape, he commisioned her to write "dreamy and romantic music with a sixties feel" for the feature film entitled "The Frog Prince", released in 1985.

Enya's next commission was for BBC. BBC was writing a six part documentary series about the history of the Celts. She wrote, and preformed music for the series which was first shown in 1987. Later, some of the music from the seris was made into a self-titled album that was hardly noticed.

In 1987, Rob Dickins, from WEA Music UK, signed Enya after listening to her self-titled CD. WEA backing made it possable for Enya to record Watermark, released in 1988. It was Watermark that bore the song Orinoco Flow that brought Enya into the public's attention. It was this song that put Enya right upto number one on the charts.

Enya has since released four CDs and left her signature on one of the most momentous movies of all time, Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Rings. She composed "May It Be".

Enya is, arguably, the most sucessful international female artists of all time. When listening to her music, one can't help but get lost in feelings and emotions that her music evokes. Even though she smashed unexpectedly into the public's eye, she will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.

Biography by: Tom Nobbe
Submitted by : 03.27.02



Works Cited and Consulted

Enya
Enya - Magic and Melody
Enya Biography and CDs
The Magic of Enya