- Enya is a famous singer
- She is from Ireland and has gained international recognition
- Learn more about her life and career below
Enya was born as Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin on May 17th, 1961 to a very music-oriented family in Gweedore, Ireland. She even joined her family Celtic band Clannad in 1980. Her talent was so remarkable she could not be contained in the background of any band or group she was a part of. A fiercely independent force of nature, Enya started her solo career early on in her life.
Enya's Destiny For Music
She had already composed a few songs for films when in 1985 Enya was asked to compose the song for the first episode of a six-part BBC documentary The Celts, but the director enjoyed her composition so much he asked her to create the entire soundtrack! By 1987 Enya's first solo album titled Enya reached #8 on the Irish Albums Chart.
This is when her popularity really began to take flight, and she acquired a recording contract with Warner Music UK who realized her talent, and gave her full artistic freedom and control. In 1988 she produced her album Watermark which became an international hit, selling 1.2 million copies in the UK and 4 million in the US.
Enya and A Day Without Rain
Her 1991 album Shepherd Moons won her a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album. Her fourth album The Memory of Trees was released in 1995 and sold millions of copies all over the world. A Day Without Rain is her most well-known album because it features her hit single "Only Time". This song was especially popular because it was used during television and radio coverage of the tragic September 11th attacks, becoming known as the "post-September 11 anthem."
Kind-hearted Enya even donated the proceeds of her song to the International Association of Firefighters. Her album A Day Without Rain has sold over 13 million copies worldwide!
In 2001, Enya created multiple tracks for Peter Jackson's hit sequel Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. She even used the fictional Elvish language as lyrics for one of the songs. Unbelievably, she won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for one of her tracks in the film.
Also Interesting:
He's been in 'Star Wars' and 'Harry Potter'!
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She has since released 4 more albums, Amarantine, And Winter Came..., Dark Sky Island, and Oceans. Her music is used in countless films, commercials, and television shows and continues to reach high rankings on international music charts. She has won 5 Billboard Music Awards, and 4 Grammy's and has sung in 10 different languages, Enya is a powerhouse of a woman.
We can't wait to see what she does next and be soothed by her incredible music.
