Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin...

Enya, real Irish name Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin but anglicized as Enya Brennan, is an Irish singer-songwriter who began her artistic career at the age of 3. An artist who can boast of being Ireland’s greatest solo artist and just behind U2 in terms of record sales (at Irish level) with no less than 80 million albums sold worldwide.

So you have to go back to the age of 3 to see her officially start her artistic career when her parents decide to have her participate in her first singing competition organized within the Feis Ceoil festival.

But it was in 1980 that things really picked up speed when she joined the family group, which bears the name Clannad. She thus participates, but anonymously, in their sixth album "Crann Ull". Anonymity lifted on the following one, “Fuaim” in 1981, an album in which she became a full member of the group.

A year later, in 1982, she decided to stand on her own feet by joining forces with the Ryans, finding themselves increasingly cramped within the family group. 1983, her, was mainly devoted to recording of instrumental pieces on the piano. The singer is also taking part for the first time in a television show during the RTE's music show folk festival.

In 1984 she composed the soundtrack for The Frog Prince, an album which is officially considered to be her first under the name Enya. In 1985, she composed again, but this time for the soundtrack of the TV docu The Celts. In a style which obviously prefigures this very particular sound which will make its glory and its fortune in the years which follow, namely this very subtle mixture between Celtic influences, classics, religious and folk.

But the real solo takeoff came in 1987, when the album bearing the artist's name was released. Album from which will be extracted the Single "I want tomorrow", first Single released and first Single classified for the singer.

Success confirmed, but especially considerably amplified, when the album "Watermark" was released a year later in 1988. Album that will make a real worldwide hit to the point of selling over 11 million copies worldwide. Colossal success partly due to a single Single, "Orinoco flow", an enormous Single that will stay as the biggest success of all the artist's discography. A Single that will literally explode the notoriety of the singer and make her, overnight, a global star.

Three years later, in 1991, she went even further with the album "Shepherd moons", which sold over 13 million copies, breaking the record of the previous album. Album carried at arm's length by the Single "Carribean blue", with a more than impressive sales score, and to a lesser extent, by "How can I keep from singing ?" and "Book of days". The singer vividly confirms her status as a phenomenon of the moment.

We will have to wait three years and the year 1995 to see the release of the new album "The memory of trees", album once again which will sell in hallucinating proportions. The record of "Shepherd moons" will not be broken but will approach that of "Watermark". And once again, it will be a single track, namely "Anywhere is", which will ensure the resounding success of the album.

The fame of the artist is such that he is offered to compose the soundtrack for a short film to come. A movie called Titanic. Offer that she will decline ...!

The end of the decade will not see the release of a new album by the artist. On the other hand, the following decade, yes. And what an album ! He will break all her records for album sales so far ! To be continued.

To discover or rediscover...

Discography (among others ...) :

80s Decade :

I want tomorrow 1987
Orinoco flow (Sail away) 1988
Evening falls 1988
Storms in Africa 1989

90s Decade :

Exile 1991
Carribean blue 1991
How can I keep from singing ? 1991
Book of days 1992
The Celts 1992
Marble halls 1994
Anywhere is 1995
On my way home 1996
Only if 1997

2000s Decade :

Only time 2000
May it be 2002
Amarantime 2005
If I could be where you are 2005
It's the rain 2006
O come, o come, Emmanuel 2008
Trains and winter rains 2008
Stars and midnight blue 2008

2010s Decade :

So I could find my way 2015
Echoes in rain 2015
Diamonds on the water 2015

Tracks :

1987 ... beginnings to say the least confidential but which show an artist potential already above the average. We are impatiently awaiting the continuation ...

1988 ... an artist potential that will literally explode on this title and propel the young singer to heights of fame that she could never have imagined. She is signing here quite simply one of the most emblematic titles of the decade. MAS-TER-FUL !

1988 ... the rest will not have the same level of success as the previous title but it is clear that in the Intimist field, she literally excels. The proof once again with this title. MA-GIC !

1989 ... after a startling career, to say the least, the rest was to prove somewhat disappointing. The qualitative level remains high but the singer is unable to maintain the level of excellence she achieved on 'Orinoco flow'. Pity...

1991 ... small air gap in 1990 and here she is in great shape again in 1991. She proves once again that in the 'emotional' register, she is really one of the sure values of the moment

1991 ... a comeback confirmed by this title with certain lyricism and which at the same time offers her a new planetary recognition of the first order. MA-GIC once again !

1991 ... a unique, and above all remarkable, know-how in the Intimist field. With her, everything is only sweetness and pleasure and each title delivered surprises us with the emotional charge it carries

1992 ... in this supercharged decade of 90 where everything spins at the speed of light, the singer really acts as an alien. A shift in any case that does not serve her, far from it. A little softness in this rough world doesn't hurt, quite the contrary !

1992 ... even if the quality of the titles released continues to be maintained at a particularly high level, we still feel that the public is starting to get bored. Watch out for the fatal stall ...

1994 ... another moment of intense emotions. The singer takes here in a masterly way one of the flagship titles of Michael Balfe's opera 'The bohemian girl' and appropriates it as if it had been written for her !

1995 ... we thought she was a bit outdated and in decline, it was bad to know her. Another shattering comeback in 1995, a year that saw her pick up on the leading pack with disconcerting ease. What talent !

1996 ... with her, the years follow one another but are hardly alike. And yet, the style changes very little. It's just how the public feels that makes the difference every time. Unfortunately for her, in this year 1996, the public will be absent subscribers ...

1997 ... who says change of year says trend reversal. The year 1996 was a year 'without'. As if by chance, the year 1997 will be a year 'with'. Go figure ...

2000 ... then nothing for 3 years. Here she has arrived at the gates of the 2000s and the least we can say is that she has lost none of its splendor. Her particular style crosses the ages in a remarkable way and allows her to still be there without being has-been. Nice feat !

2002 ... one could legitimately think that the 2000s would see her disappear from the radar. Oh no. It's even the opposite that will happen ...

2005 ... a timeless style that allows him to obtain a new global top hit, 18 years after her debut. A longevity reserved exclusively for the Greatest. And the adventure is not over yet, far from it ...

2005 ... the adventure is not over, of course, but the singer will never find the summit of the Charts again and this time for good. But quality is always the order of the day so why sulk our pleasure ...

2006 ... a unique style that has hardly changed since she started her career. A strength as much as a weakness ...

2008 ... this does not prevent her from continuing her adventure quietly and especially surely. Especially since the albums, them, and unlike the Singles, continue to experience a certain success in the Charts albums. All is not lost so ...

2008 ... what is strong once again with her is that each title is inspired. And even if the sound does not necessarily correspond to what the young generation expects, the fans of the first hour, them, find themselves there largely !

2008 ... 20 years of career all the same, we can only salute the performance anyway ! She is still there, which is certainly not the case with all those who started their career at the same time as her ...

2015 ... with each new title we tell ourselves that it may be the last but she comes back, time and time again. An exceptional longevity for an artist who is no less ...

2015 ... and each time the magic of her inimitable style works wonderfully. A style that is always so fluid, always so airy and which simply feels good ...