And Winter Came...

Twenty years after emerging with the landmark 'Watermark' album, Enya releases her seventh studio album. 'And Winter Came' is the latest instalment in a phenomenally successful career that has encompassed 70 million album sales and four Grammy awards.

Two years in the making, 'And Winter Came...' was recorded at Aigle Studios near Dublin. Once again the result of Enya's longstanding creative triumvirate alongside producer Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan, 'And Winter Came...' was originally envisioned as a Christmas themed album. As recording progressed, it became apparent that a broader seasonal theme had emerged; beguiling songs such "Trains and Winter Rains" sit comfortably alongside the festive "Journey of the Angels".

"I always wanted to do a Christmas album" explains Enya "but as we began recording I didn't feel it was right to impose a Christmas theme on certain songs." There is a new version of "Oiche Chiuin" (Silent Night) on the album. Nicky Ryan describes the new rendering as 'a choir of one'. "This is something I have wanted to do since 'Watermark'" says Nicky "In fact I had wanted to call 'Watermark' "A choir of one." I'm really happy that we have achieved the "choir" with "Oiche Chiuin (chorale)".

'And Winter Came...' is the latest release in a catalogue of work that has seen Enya sell 70 million albums. Each album since 'Watermark' has been a multi-million selling release: 'Shepherd Moons', 'The Memory of Trees', 'A Day Without Rain', 'Amarantine' and the compilation 'Paint the Sky With Stars' have all ensured that Enya is one of the world's biggest selling female solo artists. 'A Day Without Rain' earned multi-Platinum status in ten countries and made Enya the world's biggest selling artist in 2001.

Enya's musical creativity has also yielded continued recognition from a number of the world's most authoritative awards organisations. She has collected four Grammy Awards, winning Best New Age Album for 'Shepherd Moons', 'The Memory of Trees', 'A Day Without Rain' and 'Amarantine', as well as three World Music Awards in 2002 for Best Selling Female Artist, Best Selling Irish Artist and Best Selling New Age Artist.