Amarantine

Amarantine, Enya’s sixth solo album was released on November 21, 2005 after 2 years of recording. The title track was aired for the first time on October 10, 2005 on BBC 2 Terry Wogan’s show. A special edition including four new Christmas songs was released the following year.

We called the album ‘Amarantine’ to mean everlasting. Poets use the word to describe an everlasting flower and I loved the image of that.Enya

Tracklist

01	Less Than A Pearl	3:44	Loxian
02	Amarantine	3:20	English
03	It’s In The Rain	4:08	English
04	If I Could Be Where You Are	4:01	English
05	The River Sings	2:50	Loxian
06	Long Long Journey	3:16	English
07	Sumiregusa (Wild Violet)	4:42	Japanese
08	Someone Said Goodbye	4:00	English
09	A Moment Lost	3:09	English
10	Drifting	4:11	Instrumental
11	Amid The Falling Snow	3:38	English
12	Water Shows The Hidden Heart	4:41	Loxian

Visuals

Album artwork

Amarantine was the first and only Enya album with the album artwork designed in-house. Nicky and Ebony Ryan are credited for the cover concept, Roma, Ebony and Persia Ryan are credited for the inner booklet.

The first published draft of the cover included a different font, the final version uses Aquiline for the title.

Photography

The promotional photography was shot by Simon Fowler during two days in June 2005 at Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, England.

Music Videos

Tim Royes directed two music videos for the album: ‘Amarantine’ and ‘It’s in the rain.’ Both feature Enya walking through a digitally painted fantasyland.

Promotion

Album launch

We wanted to launch the Enya’s new album in a city that is as beautiful as possible –and Paris is one of Enya’s favourite cities.Nicky Ryan

The album was launched on October 27, 2005 at the Castle of Vaux Le Vicomte near Paris. The banquet started with fireworks set to the new music.

Red, red, red…

Enya stayed true to the amaranth colour and wore red dresses throughout the entire promotional tour. The Paris launch party backless gown was designed by Maria Grachvogel.

Performances

Venue	Song	Date	Details
Happy Xmas Show (Japan)	Only Time Adeste Fideles	Dec 23, 2007	Lip-synced
Christmas in Rockefeller Center (USA)	The Magic of the Night It’s in the Rain	Nov 29, 2006	Lip-synced
Che Tempo Che Fa (Italy)	Adeste Fideles	Dec 16, 2006	Lip-synced
Late Late Show (Ireland)	Adeste Fideles	Dec 8, 2006	Lip-synced
Loose Women (UK)	It’s in the Rain	Nov 16, 2006	Lip-synced
GMTV (UK)	It’s in the Rain	Nov 16, 2006	Lip-synced
World Music Awards (London)	It’s in the Rain	Nov 15, 2006	Lip-synced
Catherine & MAX Show (Netherlands)	Amarantine	Apr. 4, 2006	Lip-synced
Late Late Show (Ireland)	Amarantine	Mar 24, 2006	Lip-synced
The Saturday Early Show (USA)	Amarantine	Mar 11, 2006	Live
Live! With Regis and Kelly (USA)	Amarantine	Jan 26, 2006	Live
Verstehen Sie Spaß (Germany)	Amarantine	Jan 21, 2006	Lip-synced
Happy Xmas Show (Japan)	Amarantine	Dec 24, 2005	Lip-synced
Music Fair (Japan)	Amarantine	Dec, 2005	Lip-synced
Unknown Show (Japan)	Sumiregusa	Dec, 2005	Lip-synced
Top of the Pops (UK)	Amarantine	Dec 4, 2005	Live

Awards

‘Amarantine’ brought Enya a Grammy award in the ‘Best new age album’ category. ‘Drifting’ was nominated for the ‘Best pop instrumental performance’ but didn’t win.

The award ceremony was held in Los Angeles on February 11, 2007. Enya attended the event but didn’t collect the award in person because she missed her cue: "I was actually on the red carpet. But the news was wonderful when I heard it." Although this was Enya’s fourth Grammy, it was the first time she travelled to the presentations.

Loxian

New language

I’ve sung in Gaelic, Latin and Japanese, so we thought, let’s try something completely new.Enya

Three songs on ‘Amarantine’ are sung in a fictional language Loxian created by Enya’s lyricist Roma Ryan. The idea arose after Roma wrote lyrics in Elvish for ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ movie. The main influence comes from the sounds that Enya sings while the songs don’t have actual lyrics yet.

The first piece recorded in Loxian was ‘Water Shows the Hidden Heart’ after it didn’t work in English, Gaelic and Latin. At the time, the language was called Errakan, what in Gaelic means more-less ‘the people that come from the Moon’, but Roma and Enya found the name Loxian more appealing.

Etymology

The name Loxian comes from the Greek god of the Sun, Apollo. In his role as god of prophecy and truth, one of Apollo’s epiphets was ‘Loxias’.

In the collector’s edition of ‘The very best of Enya’ Roma explained the play on words behind the name: "A god of the sun whose name we have given to those who travel to the moon. It is a subtle irony."

Loxian songs

Less Than A Pearl – Heah Viiya
The River Sings – Ea Hymm Llay Hey
Water Shows The Hidden Heart – Syoombrraya

Story of the Loxians

The Loxians, are much like us. They’re in space, somewhere in the night. They’re looking out, they’re mapping the stars, and wondering if there is anyone else out there. It’s to do with that concept: are we alone in the universe?Enya

Roma developed the Loxian story in her book ‘Water Shows the Hidden Heart’ published shortly after the release of the album. The book was later re-released as a part of the ‘Amarantine’ deluxe collector’s edition.

Loxian Games

The Loxian songs and story inspired a series of treasure hunts hosted by the official Enya website. They were created by Roma Ryan and take place in the Loxian universe.

Discography

Album Editions

2005 Amarantine

Less than a pearl – Amarantine – It’s in the rain
If I could be where you are – The river sings – Long long journey
Sumiregusa – Someone said goodbye – A moment lost
Drifting – Amid the falling snow – Water shows the hidden heart

2006 Amarantine – Special Christmas Edition
(Canada, Europe, Japan and Taiwan)

– standard album
– additional disc with four Christmas songs:
Adeste, Fideles – The Magic of the Night
We wish you a Merry Christmas – Christmas Secrets

 

2006 Amarantine – Special Limited Edition (USA)

– standard album
– ‘Water Shows the Hidden Heart’ book by Roma Ryan
– three exclusive photocards
– all packaged in a red velvet box

Commercial singles

2005 Amarantine (worldwide)

01 Amarantine (single version)
02 The Comb of the Winds
03 Spaghetti Western Theme from The Celts

 

2006 It’s In The Rain (Europe)

01 It’s in the Rain (single version)
02 A Moment Lost
03 Drifting

 

2006 It’s in the Rain / Adeste, Fideles (Europe)

01 It’s in the Rain
02 Adeste, Fideles

Commercial EPs

2006 Sounds of the Season (USA)

01 Adeste, Fideles
02 The Magic of the Night
03 We Wish You A Merry Christmas
04 Christmas Secrets
05 Amid the Falling Snow
06 Oíche Chiúin (Silent Night)

2006 Christmas Secrets (Canada)

01 Adeste, Fideles
02 The Magic of the Night
03 We Wish You a Merry Christmas
04 Christmas Secrets

Promo-only singles

2006 If I Could Be Where You Are (Japan)

01 If I Could Be Where You Are

 

2006 Someone Said Goodbye (USA)

01 Someone Said Goodbye (album version)
02 Someone Said Goodbye (remix)

 

2006 The Magic of the Night (Japan)

01 The Magic of the Night

Credits

Produced by Nicky Ryan

All titles composed by Enya
Lyrics by Roma Ryan
Prodiced by Nicky Ryan

All instruments and vocals
performed by Enya
Arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
Mixed by Enya and Nicky Ryan
Recorded at Aigle Studio
Engineered by Nicky Ryan

Mastered by Dick Beetham
of 360 Mastering, London
Digital technical advisor
and Engineer: Daniel Polley

Loxian language and font by Roma Ryan
All titles published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd
website: www.enya.com
enya is a registered trademark

Photography by Simon Fowler
Conceptual cover design by
Nicky Ryan and Ebony Ryan
Inner sleeve design and layout by
Ebony Ryan & Roma Ryan
Inner sleeve artwork by
Roma Ryan and Persia Ryan
Cover and inner sleeve
Production by Intro

Enya, Nicky & Roma would like to thank Edgar Bronfman,
Nick Phillips, Paul-Rene Albertini, Korda Marshall,
John Watson and all their friends, both old and new,
at Warner Music, with very special thanks to Joanne Carrigan.

We would also like to thank Guy Moot and Fran Malyan
of EMI Music Publishing Ltd.

Thanks also to Robert Mahon, Derek Hobbs,
Berry Klein, Glen Pratley and SSL for their support.

Enya, Nicky and Roma would like to dedicate this album
to the memory of their friend, BBC Producer, Tony McAuley.