Name: Eithne Ni Bhraonain

Artistic name: Enya

Chose name "Enya" because: she wanted to become known by her real name but avoid the possible problems with the pronounciation. Enya is a phonetic spelling of her Gaelic first name, Eithne.

Eithne/Enya - Eithne [pronounced "Enya"] is the real name of Enya in Gaelic. Her original name, in its Irish spelling, is Eithne Ni Bhraonain. The "Ni" means "daughter of" and "Bhraonain" means "Brennan", so it's "Enya, daughter of Brennan (Enya Brennan)."

Enya talks: "At the beginning, I found EITHNE was difficult for people to say 'Enya' with because it's Gaelic and the TH in Gaelic we don't pronounce, so I was always known as 'Enya'. And, I did a phonetic spelling of this name so as I would always be called 'Enya'. But the second part is very difficult, it's "Ni Bhraonain", so I decided to keep it brief, and just keep 'Enya'. So when everybody says Enya you are speaking a little bit of Gaelic." - Enya

Height: 160cm (5 foot 2 inches)

Eye color: green

Hair color: dark-brown

First language: Irish Gaelic

Second language: English (started to learn it at the age of 3)

Date of birth: May 17th 1961

Age:43

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Place of birth: Gweedore, County Donegal, northwest Republic of Ireland

Father: Leo Brennan - used to have a showband called "Slieve Foy Dance".

Brothers: Ciaran, Pol, Leon, Bartley

Sisters: Olive, Maire, Deirdre, Bridin

Three words that best describe her personality: perfeccionist, honest, romantic

Marital Status: single ("Besides I go out very little, I have few friends and no boyfriend. The music comes first." - Enya)

Religion: Catholic

Likes: movies, cats, wines, restaurants, salad sandwiches, art, meditation, reading, clothes, walking on the beach

Where she searches for musical inspiration: in her hometown with a big influence from Celtic culture

When she has free time, she usually: likes to listen to classical music and enjoys going to operas. One of the operas she has seen: Madame Butterfly

Two of her favorite artists: Steven Martin and Hitchcock

Favorite clothing designers: Jasper Conran and John Galliano

Favorite classical composer: Rachmaninov

Enya's CD collection: is mainly of classical music

All time favourite book: Lord of the Rings (trilogy by JRR Tolkien)

Dislikes: noisy places and fans screaming

Currently lives in: Ayesha castle (built in 1840) in Killiney - Dublin, Ireland. Enya purchased the Ayesha castle in 1997.

Some of her Ayesha castle neighbors: Bono and Edge (U2), Lisa Stanfield, Demon Hill

On June 20th 1996: the asteroid previously designated 6433 is named "Enya" in honor of Enya

Three of her songs which are her favourite: On Your Shore, Marble Halls, Fallen Embers

Orinoco Flow: the song she considers a very important one because introduced her worldwide

Likes to do interviews when: an album is released

When asked her own to describe her music, her answer is: Enya

Her albums have sold more than - 60 million copies worldwide

Started to sing: at the age of 4, in singing competitions in Irish festivals called "Feisanna Cheoil"

At the age of 11: started school in Millford which was run by nuns, studying classical music and art

At the age of 17: went to a college to learn music

Main instrument: Piano

Before she joined Clannad: spent a year studying classical music with Father O'Cheallaigh

At the age of 18: first time her appearance on stage with Clannad in front of hundred's of people in Germany. Up to this age, she used to have very long hair

After she left Clannad: lived with Nicky and Roma Ryan and decided to follow her solo career

In 1984: released a CD called "Ceol Aduiadh - Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh & Frankie Kennedy" where Enya plays a synthesizer in the song "An Clar Bog Deil". The album was produced by Nicky Ryan

First solo works: two instrumental songs: Miss Clare Remembers and An Ghaoth On Ghrian (The Solar Wind), both released in the cassette (limited edition - about 5000 copies were produced) called "Touch Travel" in 1984. Miss Clare Remembers was released later on the album "Watermark", but An Ghaoth On Ghrian was and is only available on this cassette (and in the Internet).

The Frog Prince: After it there was a soundtrack for the David Puttnam movie "The Frog Prince" (1985). This CD has 16 tracks: 11 composed by Enya, 2 of them with lyrics were composed and performed by her ("The Frog Prince" by Roma Ryan and "Dreams" by C. McGettigan) and 9 intrumental tracks were composed by her but performed by other artists

In 1985: was featured on a Christy Moore album called "Ordinary Man" (recorded at Aigle studios). Nicky Ryan and Enya were two of the engineers and Enya sang backing vocals in the songs "Sweet Music Roll On", "Diamondtina Drover" and "Quiet Desperation"

In 1986: Soundtrack for the BBC TV documentary series "The Celts". They let Enya release the album as a solo one. It was recorded in 1986 and released in 1987 as "Enya". It was remastered and reissued in 1992 as "The Celts". On the album "Enya" track 11 was released as "Portrait" (1:23) and re-released as "Portrait (Out of the Blue)" (3:00) on the album "The Celts" . Other artists played some instruments on the tracks: To Go Beyond II (Patrick Halling - violin), The Sun in the Stream (Liam O'Flionn - uillean pipes) and I Want Tomorrow (Arty McGlynn - eletric guitar).The album "Enya" (that enchanted Rob Dickins) was ignored in the beginning but became more popular after the sucess of the next album "Watermark".

In 1987: was featured on Sinead O'Connor's album called "The Lion and the Cobra" where Enya speaks (in Irish) a passage from the Bible (Psalms 91:11-13) on "Never Get Old"

First big success: Orinoco Flow (track number 7 from the second album, Watermark)

First solo album: Watermark (1988)

First executive producer: Bruce Talbot (Enya - the 1st album)

First record company: Atlantic

"Enya" is also a trademark, held jointly by Eithne and her long-time partners, Nicky and Roma Ryan. Although fronted by Eithne ("Enya") herself, the music released under her name is the result of a collaboration between Enya (music/arrangements), Nicky Ryan (production/arrangements) and Roma Ryan (lyrics). Enya has said in several interviews that without any one of them 'Enya' could not exist.

Nicky Ryan: First and current producer and sound engineer:

Nicky Ryan was born in Dublin. Beach Boys and Phil Spector are his biggest influences. He was Clannad's producer before Fachtna O'Kelly

The Lyricist: Roma Ryan - Nicky Ryan's wife.

Born in Belfast she studied Irish folklore. And she sent the demo tapes to David Puttnam (The Frog Prince movie)

Second and the current record company: WEA (Warner Music)

Second executive producer: Rob Dickins (ex "head" of Warner Music UK) who signed with Enya in 1987

In 1991: was featured on Terry Reid's album called "The Driver" where Enya provides a multi-tracked backing vocal on "The Whole of the Moon"

Albums: Go to Albums site section

Singles: Go to Singles site section

Music Videos: Go to Music videos site section

Songs released as "b-sides": Go to "b-sides" songs site section

Enya's songs in other languages (besides English): 4 in Latin (Cursum Perficio, Afer Ventus, Pax Deorum, Tempus Vernum), 1 in Spanish (La Sonadora), 1 in Welsh (Dan y Dwr), 1 English-French (Only If), 1 English-Irish Gaelic recorded for the movie "Far and Away" (Book of Days), 16 in Irish Gaelic (The Celts, Aldebaran, March of the Celts, Deireadh An Tuath, "Triad: St. Patrick, Cu Chulainn, Oisin", Storms In Africa, The Long ships, Na Laetha Geal M'oige, Ebudae, Book of Days, Smaointe, Athair Ar Neamh, 'S Fagaim Mo Bhaile, As Baile, Oiche Chiun, Deora Ar Mo Chroi)

Movie: Enya songs were used in a huge amount of films, soal operas and computer games, but the big part of them used her songs illegally. Some Enya songs in movies (officially):
Green Card (1990) - River, Storms In Africa, Watermark
L.A. Story (1991) - Epona, Exile, On Your Shore
Far and Away (1992) - Book of Days
Sleepwalkers (1992) - Boadicea
Toys (1992) - Ebudae (remix)
Age of Innocence (1993) - Marble Halls
Cry the Beloved Country (1995) - Exile
Sweet November (2001) - Only Time

In 2000: Enya released the new album "A Day without Rain"

In 2001: records 2 brand new songs for "Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring" soundtrack, Aniron (theme for Aragorn and Arwen) and May It Be

GRAMMY Awards:
1993 - Best New Age Album (Shepherd Moons)
1997 - Best New Age Album (The Memory of Trees)
2000 - Best New Age Album (A Day Without Rain)

IRMA Awards: 1993 - Best Female Irish Artist

World Music Awards 2001: Best Solo Irish Artist, Best New Age Artist

World Music Awards 2002: Best-selling Female artist, best-selling New Age artist and best-selling Irish artist

Golden Globe 2002: Got a Golden Globe nomination for "May It Be"

Echo Awards (Germany)2002: Wins the award for best pop-rock single with "Only Time"

In 2002: for the first time sings LIVE to the public on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (17th/01/2002). Also she has an Oscar nomination for "May It Be"

Design by Ydaff © 2004