THE ENIGMATIC ENYA

Have you ever heard of Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin? What about Enya, that Irish composer/singer of Celtic music?

Born in 1961, sixth of nine children. At the age of 4 to the right.
Her father was leader of an Irish showband named the Slieve Foy Band, including her mom, who also taught music.
Took up the piano at 4.
Left the family at 11 for a convent boarding school.
In 1979 several members of her family formed Clannad, a Celtic folk band, which she informally joined in 1980. Band had six albums.
During this period she experimented with layering vocals into a choir of one, inspired by Phil Spector's Wall of Sound.
Left the band in 1982 with their manager Nick and his wife Roma, and moved back home. Lived with them for seven years.
She continued performing, but was mostly petrified being on a stage.

First gained following for composing the majority of the soundtrack for The Frog Prince in 1985. Rotten Tomatoes score of 76%.
Her first album was Enya in 1987, followed by Watermark in 1988.
In that second album was Orinoco Flow (long version), which became an international hit.
She as at the forefront New Age music.
By 2008 had seven albums.
Took a four year break, and returned in 2012 for Dark Sky Island, released in 2015.

Was mostly absent until the 35th Anniversary in 2023 of Watermark.
Also in 2023, an upmixed audio of Orinoco flow was released.
She has never toured nor married. Is childfree.

Two decades ago paid more than $4 million on a 157-year old Victorian castle in Killiney.
Lives with cats in her mansion, with a net worth of $158 million.
In an interview with The Belfast Telegraph in 2015, Enya admitted she never set out to be an "enigma".
A photo of Enya seven years ago at the age of 55.

The Guardian rated the top 20 Enya songs. Surprisingly enough, Orinoco Flow was #20.

#20 Orinoco Flow (1988)
#6 Oíche Chiúin (Silent Night) (2008)
#3 Cursum Perficio (1988)
#2 Even in the Shadows (2015)
#1 Caribbean Blue (1991)

To close:

Jackie Chan sings Elvis. (need to scroll to the 7:30 mark).
Andy Kaufman impersonates Elvis. This one is really good. Unfortunately, Kaufman died in 1984 at the age of 35 from lung cancer.
Terry Fator, Elvis at Christmas.

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