Roma Ryan

Last updated

Roma Ryan
Birth nameRoma Shane
Born (1950-01-20) 20 January 1950 (age 74)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Genres new-age, Celtic, world
Occupation(s)lyricist, poet, writer
Years activesince 1982
Labels WEA, Warner Music UK, Warner Bros. Records UK, Reprise, Geffen
Spouse(s) Nicky Ryan
Website romaryan.com valleydwellers.com

Roma Shane Ryan (born 20 January 1950) is an Irish writer, poet, and lyricist, who lives in Killiney, Ireland, with her husband Nicky Ryan. She is the primary lyricist for the singer Enya, who has stated that the importance of the Ryans' contributions is such that without them, Enya would not exist. [1]

Contents

Biography and work with Enya

Roma Ryan ( née Shane) and Nicky Ryan met Enya in 1978; Nicky Ryan was managing Enya's family's band Clannad. Enya had just finished secondary school when Nicky Ryan rang her, asking if she would become a member of the group. The Ryans and Enya left Clannad several years later to focus on their own musical careers. Enya originally wrote instrumental melodies. Ryan found these melodies "very visual" and suited to film work, and began to write lyrics to them. [2]

Her lyrics can be heard in films such as The Frog Prince (1984), Green Card (1990), L.A. Story (1991), Toys (1992), Cry, the Beloved Country (1995), and Calmi Cuori Appassionati (2001), all of which feature Enya's music. Ryan's lyrics for Enya have won Grammy Awards; the song "May It Be" for The Lord of the Rings film The Fellowship of the Ring was nominated for an Oscar.

Loxian language

In 2005, Ryan revealed her creation of a new language, known as Loxian, in Enya's album Amarantine . It was inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's Elvish language. This language can be heard on three tracks from "Amarantine": "Less Than a Pearl", "The River Sings" and "Water Shows the Hidden Heart". Enya has mentioned in interviews that Ryan developed Loxian while writing lyrics for the track "Water Shows the Hidden Heart"; she and Enya had attempted to write lyrics for the track in Latin, Gaelic and English, but in the end found that they didn't really work for the song. [3] The first Loxian phrase created by Ryan—"Syoombraaya"—is the title of that track ("Water Shows the Hidden Heart").

Loxian language was used again in Enya's eighth studio album, Dark Sky Island, released on 20 November 2015, on the songs 'The Forge Of Angels' and 'The Loxian Gates'. These songs focus on the otherworldly and futuristic tales Ryan uses Loxian for, along with the non-Loxian Astra et Luna. [4]

Solo work

Ryan has undertaken several projects apart from Enya, including a book describing the Loxian language called Water Shows the Hidden Heart. The book also contains poetry and stories written by Ryan. "Water Shows the Hidden Heart" was released in two editions: the first edition as a standalone item, shortly after the release of Amarantine in 2005. [5] The first edition features a short introduction by Enya. The second edition was included on the Deluxe Collector's Edition of Amarantine boxed set in early 2006. [6] It omitted Enya's introduction and added colour images, as well as containing a different selection of Ryan's poetry. Neither version is in print.

On 1 September 2017 Ryan published two books of poetry, Islands No 2&3: Dark Sky Islands and Little Histories and The Messenger's Origin. The first book focuses on the poetry Ryan wrote for the Enya album, Dark Sky Island. The other book is part of The Loxian Games. As of 21 August 2017, several winners of the Loxian Games had received their books and posted photos of the autographed copies on Unity - Enya's official forum. Enya, Ryan, and her husband all autographed the books presented to the winners. The books were published by Valley-dwellers Publishing.

The Loxian Games and the Unity forum

Ryan has been the coordinator of two on-line competitions at Enya's official website, enya.com—the First and Second Loxian Games, which have both been completed. Ryan announced the games on the official website in August 2008; the first games began on 1 September 2008 and the second games in September of the following year. Ryan stated: "The Games are a series of treasure hunts and you can tell by the name that they're based on the Loxian language you heard on Amarantine. They are games of riddles and clues and of you, looking for answers. As with most treasure hunts – there are prizes to be won. As with most treasure hunts you do not know what prize you may have won!" [7] The winners for both games had been announced on the official forum, unity.enya.com. Enya announced the last winners of the games in a video message from 2017. Prior to the closing of the sites, Roma had provided the majority of Aigle's contact with fans on the official website and also communicated periodically on the Unity forum.

Personal life

Ryan and her husband Nicky have two daughters, Ebony and Persia, who contributed artwork and layout to Amarantine.

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enya</span> Irish singer (born 1961)

Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin known mononymously as Enya, is an Irish composer and singer-songwriter. Enya is the best-selling Irish solo artist, with an estimated 80 million albums sold worldwide, and the second-best-selling music act from Ireland overall, after the rock band U2. Her music has been widely recognised for featuring multi-layers of her own vocals and instrumentation, lengthened reverb, and interwoven elements of Celtic music. She has been composing her own repertoire for over four decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clannad</span> Irish folk band

Clannad were an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings Ciarán, Pól and Moya Ui Bhraonáin and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin (Duggan). They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginning as an acoustic folk group mainly performing rearranged traditional Irish songs in Irish, they expanded their sound with original songs in English, vocal harmonies, electronic keyboards, and elements of rock, Celtic, new age, smooth jazz, and Gregorian chant.

<i>Watermark</i> (Enya album) 1988 studio album by Enya

Watermark is the second studio album by Irish singer, songwriter and musician Enya, released on 19 September 1988 by WEA. After the release of her previous album Enya (1987), she secured a recording contract with Warner following a chance meeting with chairman Rob Dickins, who had become a fan of her music. Her contract allowed her considerable artistic and creative freedom, with minimal interference from the label and no deadlines. Enya recorded Watermark in ten months with her long-time collaborators: manager, producer and arranger Nicky Ryan and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan. It was initially recorded in Ireland in demo form before production relocated to London to re-record, mix, and master it digitally. Watermark features music in different styles, displaying Enya's sound of multi-tracked vocals with keyboards, percussion instruments, and elements of Celtic, ambient, and new-age music, though Enya believes her music does not belong in the latter genre.

<i>Shepherd Moons</i> 1991 studio album by Enya

Shepherd Moons is the third studio album by Irish singer, songwriter and musician Enya, released on 4 November 1991 by WEA. After the unexpected critical and commercial success of her previous album Watermark (1988), Enya embarked on a worldwide promotional tour to support it. At its conclusion, she wrote and rehearsed new material for her next album with her long time recording partners, manager, arranger and producer Nicky Ryan and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan. The album was recorded in Ireland and London and continued to display Enya's sound of multi-tracked vocals with keyboards and elements of Celtic and new-age music.

<i>The Memory of Trees</i> 1995 studio album by Enya

The Memory of Trees is the fourth studio album by Irish singer, songwriter, and musician Enya, released on 20 November 1995 by WEA. After travelling worldwide to promote her previous album Shepherd Moons (1991), and contributing to film soundtracks, Enya took a short break before she started writing and recording a new album in 1993 with her longtime recording partners, arranger and producer Nicky Ryan and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan. The album is Enya's first to be recorded entirely in Ireland, and covers themes that include Irish and Druid mythology, the idea of one's home, journeys, religion, dreams, and love. Enya continues to display her sound of multi-tracked vocals with keyboards and elements of Celtic and new age music, though Enya does not consider her music to be in the latter genre. She sings in English, Irish, Latin, and Spanish.

<i>Paint the Sky with Stars</i> 1997 greatest hits album by Enya

Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya is the first greatest hits album by Irish singer-songwriter Enya, released on 3 November 1997 by WEA. Following her worldwide promotional tour in support of her previous album The Memory of Trees (1995), Enya began selecting tracks for a compilation album in early 1997, as her recording contract with WEA permitted her to do so. The album contains songs from her debut album Enya (1987) to The Memory of Trees (1995) and two new tracks, "Paint the Sky with Stars" and "Only If...".

<i>Enya</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Enya

Enya is the debut studio album by Irish singer, songwriter, and musician Enya, released in March 1987 by BBC Records in the UK and by Atlantic Records in the US. It was renamed as The Celts for the 1992 international re-release of the album by WEA Records in Europe and by Reprise Records in the US. The album features a selection of music that she recorded for the soundtrack to The Celts, a BBC documentary series about the origins, growth, and influence of Celtic culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evening Falls...</span> 1988 single by Enya

"Evening Falls..." is a new-age song by Irish singer-songwriter Enya. It was released in December 1988 as the second single from her second album, Watermark (1988). It was written by Enya and her long-time collaborator Roma Ryan, and produced by Roma's husband Nicky Ryan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May It Be</span> 2001 single by Enya

"May It Be" is a song by the Irish recording artist Enya. She and Roma Ryan composed it for Peter Jackson's 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The song entered the German Singles Chart at number one in 2002, and Enya performed it at the 74th Academy Awards. "May It Be" was acclaimed by music critics and received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

The discography of Irish singer-songwriter Enya consists of eight studio albums, two compilation albums, twenty-one singles as lead artist and a number of other appearances. Enya achieved a breakthrough in her career in 1988 with the album Watermark, containing the big hit song "Orinoco Flow" which topped the UK Singles Chart and the European Hot 100 Singles. Three years later, the similarly successful Shepherd Moons followed, which debuted at the top of the charts in the United Kingdom and featured the moderately successful singles "Caribbean Blue" and "Book of Days", the latter was the theme of the film Far and Away. In 1992, a re-mastered version of the 1987 Enya album was released as The Celts with the title track as a single.

<i>Amarantine</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Enya

Amarantine is the sixth studio album by Irish singer-songwriter and musician Enya, released on 21 November 2005 by Warner Bros. Records internationally and by Reprise Records in the United States the next day. Following the release of her 2002 compilation box set Only Time – The Collection, Enya took a short break before she started work on a new album in September 2003, her first since A Day Without Rain (2000). Amarantine was recorded in Ireland with her longtime recording partners, arranger and producer Nicky Ryan and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan. It is Enya's first album not to include a song in Irish and her first to include songs sung in Japanese and Loxian, a fictional language created by Roma.

Loxian is a fictional artistic language and alphabet created by Irish poet and lyricist Roma Ryan. A longtime recording and business partner of Irish singer-songwriter and musician Enya, she created the language during the production of the latter's sixth studio album, Amarantine (2005).

Nicholas Dominick Ryan is an Irish music producer, recording engineer, and manager. He is best known as the longtime business and recording partner for the singer, songwriter and musician Enya alongside his wife, poet and lyricist Roma Ryan. Born and raised in Dublin, Ryan gained initial recognition in the 1970s and 1980s for his work with several artists including Gary Moore, Planxty, Christy Moore and Clannad.

<i>A Box of Dreams</i> 1997 box set by Enya

A Box of Dreams is a limited edition 3-disc box set by Irish singer-songwriter Enya, released on 1 December 1997 by WEA Records. The set was a companion release to her first compilation album Paint the Sky with Stars – The Best of Enya, released the previous month. A Box of Dreams contains 46 tracks from her 1987 debut album Enya to Paint the Sky with Stars across three discs, each thematically arranged: "Oceans" contains Enya's upbeat tracks, "Clouds" is a collection of her piano instrumentals, and "Stars" contains slow ballads and more atmospheric tracks. Four B-sides are included: "Oriel Window", "Morning Glory", "Willows on the Water" and "Eclipse". The calligraphy and design were done by Brody Neuenschwander.

<i>Sounds of the Season: The Enya Collection</i> 2006 EP by Enya

Sounds of the Season: The Enya Collection is the third extended play from the Irish singer, songwriter, and musician Enya, released on 10 October 2006 exclusively in the United States in Target stores by Rhino Custom Products and NBC Universal. The EP is a collection of six Christmas songs, four of which were included in the Special Christmas Edition of Enya's sixth studio album, Amarantine. It was renamed Christmas Secrets EP for its four-track Canadian release by Warner Bros. and Warner Music Canada on 28 November 2006. And on 6 December 2019, it was reissued as an album exclusively on music streaming platforms, including the tracks from the original EP and some from the album And Winter Came....

<i>Only Time: The Collection</i> 2002 box set by Enya

Only Time: The Collection is a box set from Irish singer, songwriter and musician Enya, released on 5 November 2002 in the United States and on 2 December 2002 in Europe. The set contains 51 tracks across four discs that spans her 1987 debut album Enya through her 2002 single "May It Be". A 48-page booklet with liner notes and lyrics by her longtime lyricist Roma Ryan is included. The video of "Oíche Chiúin " is also included on the fourth disc, the performance comes from the BBC programme Christmas Day in the Morning aired on 25 December 1996 and was recorded at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. In addition to this computer playable video, there is also a screensaver in the cover art motif and a slideshow of pictures from the booklet. This release was a limited worldwide release of 200,000, with US sales of over 60,000 copies. The selection of songs was made by Enya, Nicky and Roma.

<i>And Winter Came...</i> 2008 studio album by Enya

And Winter Came... is the seventh studio album by Irish singer, songwriter, and musician Enya, released on 7 November 2008 by Warner Bros. Records internationally and by Reprise Records in the United States on 11 November 2008. After recording new Christmas songs for her fourth EP Sounds of the Season: The Enya Collection (2006), Enya started work on a Christmas album of traditional carols and original tracks, but the idea was changed to a collection of songs with a Christmas or winter theme as it better suited the style of the new material. It was recorded with her longtime collaborators, arranger and producer Nicky Ryan and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan.

<i>The Very Best of Enya</i> 2009 greatest hits album by Enya

The Very Best of Enya is the second greatest hits album by the Irish singer, songwriter and musician Enya, released on 23 November 2009 by Warner Bros. Records.

<i>Dark Sky Island</i> 2015 studio album by Enya

Dark Sky Island is the eighth studio album by Irish singer, songwriter, and musician Enya, released on 20 November 2015 by Warner Bros. Records. After the release of her previous album, And Winter Came... (2008), Enya was unsure of her next career move, so she decided to take a break from music, which lasted three years. In the spring of 2012, she started to write and record new material for a new album with her longtime collaborators, producer and arranger Nicky Ryan, and his wife, lyricist Roma Ryan. Enya gained inspiration for the title track and the album from the 2011 designation of Sark in the Channel Islands as a dark-sky preserve and a collection of Roma Ryan's poems on islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echoes in Rain</span> 2015 single by Enya

"Echoes in Rain" is a single by Irish musician, composer, songwriter and singer Enya, the song is the lead single and final recording on her eighth studio album Dark Sky Island (2015), the song was released on 9 October 2015 through the record label Warner Bros. Records.

References

  1. ↑ "Roma Ryan biography". The Oscar Site. Archived from the original on 21 October 2004. Retrieved 19 February 2008.
  2. ↑ "Enya, the Invisible Star". Enya Book of Days. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  3. ↑ "Enya Expands Lyrical Language". Enya Book of Days. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  4. ↑ "Enya Official Biography" (pdf). wbr.com. press.wbr.com. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Official Discography". Discography.enya.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2007. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
  6. ↑ "Amarantine release information". Be Independent. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "New Loxian Site and Competitions". Northern Skyline. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.