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15 Fun Facts About Enya

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Do you want to know some fun facts about Enya?

Famous Irish singer, songwriter, and musician Enya has a fascinating background and a musical style that is truly one-of-a-kind. Her enchanting melodies have made a lasting impression on the music industry, stealing the hearts of fans across the globe.

Born Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin on May 17, 1961 in Dore, Gweedore, Ireland, Enya embarked on her musical journey in 1980 by becoming a member of Clannad, her family’s Celtic folk band.

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Enya’s impressive vocal range has been described as mezzo-soprano. When it comes to her musical influences, Enya attributes her foundations to “the classics,” the vibrant rhythms of “Irish reels and jigs,” and church music.

The enchanting and calming melodies of her music have graced numerous films, TV shows, and commercials, contributing significantly to her immense popularity.

Read on to learn more fun facts about Enya.

15 Fun Facts About Enya

15 Fun facts About Enya

 

1. Enya hails from the famous Brennan musical family

Clannad, the Irish band Enya formerly belonged to, was formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, consisting of Ciarán, Pól, and Moya Brennan – Enya’s siblings. The band was brought together by the three and their late maternal twin uncles, Pádraig and Noel Duggan. In the Clannad band, Enya showcased her talent in playing the keyboards.

Enya’s father, Leo Brennan, was the head of the Irish showband known as the Slieve Foy Band. Her mother, Máire (née Duggan), contributed to the family’s musical heritage with her amateur musician background, having played alongside her husband Leo in the Slieve Foy Band.

2. Her surname means “daughter of Brennan”

Enya’s surname, “Ní Bhraonáin,” means “daughter of Brennan” in English, hence her anglicized name “Enya Patricia Brennan.”

3. Her first name means “fire” and “little seed” / “kernel”

Enya, a girl’s name with Irish origins, comes from the Gaelic name “Eithne,” meaning “fire” and “little seed” or “kernel.” The famous singer made the name popular throughout the world. In Irish history, there have been at least 9 saints bearing variations of this name.

4. She is Ireland’s best-selling solo artist

… and the second-best-selling musical act overall, only behind the renowned rock band U2.

Enya has achieved remarkable album sales, surpassing 75 million copies sold globally. She sold an impressive 26.8 million albums in the United States and 5.3 million in the United Kingdom. Her best-selling album is A Day Without Rain, which sold over 13 million copies worldwide.

5. She has never gone on a concert tour

Enya famous irish singer

Despite holding the distinction of being Ireland’s best-selling solo artist and second overall, Enya has chosen not to embark on a concert tour throughout her career.

She revealed that this choice was initially driven by necessity. Her record contract stipulated that she should have two to three years between each album, and she explained that her songs’ meticulous construction demanded several years of effort.

6. Enya sings in various languages

Throughout her career, Enya has showcased her versatility by recording songs not only in her native Irish but also in English, Spanish, French, Welsh, Latin, and Japanese, creating a diverse musical experience.

Her abilities extends even further as she has sung in fictional languages like Loxian, which was invented by Irish poet and lyricist Roma Ryan, and those derived from the imaginative works of fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien.

7. She contributed two songs related to The Lord of the Rings

These songs found a place in Peter Jackson’s movie. One of these songs was beautifully rendered in Sindarin, while the other was sung in Quenya. Both are fictional languages. The latter, titled “May It Be,” earned a well-deserved nomination for the prestigious Best Original Song Academy Award in 2001.

8. She leads a reclusive lifestyle

Enya is famously private and rarely grants interviews or makes public appearances, preferring to let her music speak for itself. She even recorded most of her music in her own home studio called Aigle Studios, located in Artane, Dublin.

9. Enya lives in a castle next door to U2’s Bono

Enya resides in a magnificent castle constructed in 1840, conveniently situated next to the residence of U2’s frontman Bono. This castle is located just outside Dublin, in Killiney, and it offers sweeping views of the coastal scenery.

The castle is formerly known as Victoria Castle and Ayesha Castle. Enya affectionately renamed it “Manderley,” drawing inspiration from the fictional estate in her favorite novel -Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, published in 1938.

She spent an estimated €3.8 million on the mid-19th century castle at an auction in 1997, further spending around €300,000 on renovations that took seven years to finish.

10. Manderley Castle was broken into

In 2005, a couple of intruders unlawfully entered Enya’s castle and proceeded to restrain a maid and stole several items.

In response, Enya quickly sought refuge in a panic room and promptly alerted the authorities.

In a lighthearted gesture following the incident, Bono sent her a note teasingly stating that he would have come over and dealt with the stalkers, but he was watching something good on TV.

11. She has an autographed picture of Sergei Rachmaninoff in her home

Enya Irish singer

Enya is a huge fan of the great Russian composer, conductor, and virtuoso pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 – 1943). Her fondness for him is evident from the fact that she keeps an autographed picture of the composer in her home.

Rachmaninoff is widely viewed as one of the best pianists of his time. The very popular 1975 song “All by Myself” by Eric Carmen draws inspiration from the second movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18, composed around 1900-1901.

12. She has never gotten married or had any children

In a 2015 interview with Belfast Telegraph , Enya has expressed that love can present challenges, particularly when boyfriends become jealous upon discovering her necessity to have personal space so she could focus on her music writing.

While she has been in relationships before, the reclusive superstar remains single. Balancing personal connections with her musical passion can be challenging and finding someone who fully accepts and understands her dedication to music is not easy.

Enya has also expressed her fear of marriage, worried that someone might be interested in her because of her fame and identity, rather than genuinely loving her for who she is.

13. She has won 4 Grammy Awards

Enya’s albums are categorized as New Age music by numerous critics and reviewers. This genre distinction has garnered her significant recognition, as evidenced by her impressive achievement of winning 4 Grammy Awards in the New Age music category. These Grammy-winning albums are as follows:

• Shepherd Moons – 1993
• The Memory of Trees – 1997
• A Day Without Rain – 2002
• Amarantine – 2007

14. Enya refrains from categorizing her music under any specific genre

Despite her 4 Grammy Awards in the New Age music category, Enya does not want to categorize her music under this category or any other specific category. In response to inquiries about the classification of her music, she simply stated, “Enya.”

15. A minor planet and a species of fish have been named after her

A minor planet initially sighted in 1978 was given the name 6433 Enya in 1991 as a tribute to the famous Irish singer.
Likewise, in 2017, scientists discovered a previously unknown species of fish dwelling in the Orinoco River drainage area in South America. They named it Leporinus enyae in her honor.