"Enya" is the debut studio album by Irish singer, songwriter and musician Enya, released in March 1987 by BBC Records in the United Kingdom and by Atlantic Records in the United States. It was reissued in 1992 under the title "The Celts" by WEA Records in Europe and Reprise Records in the United States. The album contains selections of music originally composed for the soundtrack to "The Celts", a BBC documentary series about the origins, development and influence of Celtic culture.
The project began after Enya had contributed to the soundtrack of "The Frog Prince" (1985). In 1985, producer Tony McAuley invited her to compose a piece for the planned television series. She had already recorded a track titled "March of the Celts", which she submitted, and the series director David Richardson subsequently commissioned her to compose the full score after being impressed with her work. Enya collaborated with producer and arranger Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan. The recording process took place at Aigle Studio in the Ryans' home in Artane, Dublin, and at BBC Enterprises studios in London. The production involved an unconventional recording approach, including extended use of reverb, which required adaptation by BBC studio engineers. A total of approximately 72 minutes of music was recorded for the series, with around 39 minutes included on the album. The album cover features Enya posing with stuffed wolves.
Several tracks are inspired by historical figures, mythology and cultural themes associated with Celtic history. "Aldebaran" is named after a star in the Taurus constellation and references Celtic migration narratives. "The Celts" served as the main theme for the television series. "Boadicea" references the Iceni queen Boudica and was intended to evoke an atmosphere of being spellbound. "I Want Tomorrow" was written in response to this concept. "Deireadh an Tuath", meaning "End of the Tribe" in Irish, relates to themes of spiritual continuity and seasonal tradition associated with Samhain. "The Sun in the Stream" draws on the Irish legend of the Salmon of Knowledge. "Fairytale" is based on early Irish literature concerning the characters Midir and Étaín. "Epona" refers to the horse goddess of Gallo-Roman religion. "Triad" consists of three parts: "St. Patrick", adapted from the hymn "Deus Meus Adiuva Me"; "Cú Chulainn", named after the Irish mythological hero; and "Oisin", referring to the mythological figure Oisín. "Bard Dance" references the role of bards in early Celtic society. "Dan y Dŵr" refers to the flooding of Capel Celyn in Wales to create the Llyn Celyn reservoir.
The album was released prior to the broadcast of the television series. In the United Kingdom it was issued by BBC Records through EMI, and in the United States it was released by Atlantic Records, which categorised it as new age music, a classification that Nicky Ryan later criticised. It reached number 8 on the Irish Albums Chart and number 69 on the UK Albums Chart. The singles "I Want Tomorrow" and "The Celts" were released in 1987, with "The Celts" reaching number 29 in the UK Singles Chart. The album attracted the attention of Warner executive Rob Dickins, leading to Enya signing with the label.
Following the commercial success of the albums "Watermark" (1988) and "Shepherd Moons" (1991), the album was remastered and reissued in 1992 as "The Celts". The reissue included revised artwork and a longer version of the track "Portrait", retitled "Portrait (Out of the Blue)". The reissued album reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart and later returned to the chart on several occasions. It was certified platinum in both the United Kingdom and the United States and sold an additional one million copies in the United States. A further Japanese reissue was released in 2009 with a bonus track, "Eclipse".
Music from the album has been reused in other media. "Boadicea" was featured in the film "Sleepwalkers" (1992) and included in the soundtrack of "The Crow" (2024). "Epona" appeared in the film "L.A. Story" (1991). Some material from the soundtrack was also reused in documentary projects by filmmaker David Bickley.
"Boadicea" has been widely sampled by other artists. The Fugees used it in "Ready or Not" (1996) on the album "The Score". Mario Winans sampled it in "I Don't Wanna Know" (2003), with Enya reportedly receiving a majority share of royalties after clearance was obtained. The sample has also been used in recordings by artists including Nina Sky, Meek Mill, and others, as well as in remixes and derivative works across multiple genres. It was also incorporated into "Creepin'" (2022) by Metro Boomin, the Weeknd and 21 Savage, which reinterprets elements of Winans' version. In some cases, sampling led to legal disputes or retrospective crediting agreements.
The album received mixed critical reception on release. Reviews varied between viewing it as an example of atmospheric new age music and a form of contemporary folk-influenced composition. Some critics highlighted tracks such as "I Want Tomorrow", "The Celts", "The Sun in the Stream" and "To Go Beyond (II)" as notable pieces. In retrospective assessments, the album is often discussed in relation to Enya's later commercial success and development of her signature layered vocal and synthesiser-based sound.
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