Enya has made her first public appearance in eight years. The 64-year-old singer surprised fans by attending a wedding in Donegal earlier this month.
Known for her reclusive lifestyle, Enya was photographed at Drumhalla House in northwest Ireland.
A rare outing
© FacebookShe posed for a picture with her sister Moya Brennan, brother-in-law Tim Jarvis and members of the Donegal Dancers. The photo was later shared to Facebook and Reddit, where it quickly gained attention.
Fans were thrilled to see the Orinoco Flow singer smiling and looking well. One wrote: "She looks great after another decade! And her outfit, of course, is totally enya coded."
Another added: "Wow she looks great! She gained a bit of weight and it really suits her. Makes her look younger." Enya wore a black lace top with a white midi skirt, black heels and silver jewellery.
Her raven hair was styled with a fringe and she kept her makeup subtle. It was her first public photo since she appeared at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Living on her own terms
© FacebookEnya lives in a castle in Killiney, south Dublin. She bought Ayesha Castle for £2.5 million in 1997 and still lives there with her cats.
She rarely gives interviews and has said she prefers privacy. Speaking to The Independent, she said: "I’ve never tried to create an enigma. I’m just independent."
In another interview, she said: "It’s not a hanging offence not wanting to go to nightclubs. What happened to choice?"
Music first, fame second
© GettyDespite her private lifestyle, Enya is Ireland’s biggest-selling solo artist.
She’s sold between 75 and 80 million records worldwide. She’s won four Grammy Awards and received an Oscar nomination for May It Be from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Her success came without touring or regular public appearances. She has worked closely with producer Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan for her entire career.
Together, they’ve created songs in ten different languages. This includes Sindarin and Quenya from The Lord of the Rings, as well as a fictional language they created called Loxian.
Focused on the music
© AFP via Getty ImagesEnya once said her love of music has affected her relationships. She told The Guardian: "There have been… relationships. It’s quite hard to have someone accept that… I do need a certain amount of space for it."
She added: "Even though the person will understand that at the beginning, there is something like jealousy towards the music after a while."
An industry insider told The Sun: "There’s no one else who is so successful about whom so little is known."
A lasting legacy
© FilmMagicEnya began her career in 1980 with the family band Clannad. She left in 1982 to pursue a solo career. Her song Only Time saw renewed success after the 9/11 terror attacks. The track was used by CNN in their coverage, boosting global interest.
She remains a unique figure in the music world. Her rare appearance this month reminded fans why she remains so beloved. As one fan joked on Reddit: "She looks so lovely here, but girl drop the mixtape already omg it’s been 10 years."
So far, there's been no official word on new music. But fans will be hoping this surprise outing is a sign of more to come.
