Amarantine (2005)

Enya's mesmerizing sixth studio album, Amarantine, made its official debut on November 21, 2005 in Europe and November 22, 2005 in North America.

Recognizing its outstanding artistry, the record was honored with the prestigious Grammy Award for Best New Age Album in 2007, marking Enya's fourth career victory in that category.

A New Linguistic Path

Within the enchanting tapestry of Amarantine, a unique creative evolution unfolds across its 45-minute runtime.

While Irish Gaelic takes a backseat for the first time on an Enya album, she and lyricist Roma Ryan ventured into uncharted territory by weaving three tracks in an invented language known as Loxian.

The Creation of Loxian

Described by Enya and Roma Ryan as a futuristic language created for spacefarers on a distant planet, Loxian adds an ethereal touch to the album's lyrical landscape.

This ambitious endeavor grew out of their prior experiences crafting lyrics in J. R. R. Tolkien's Elvish languages, such as "May it Be" and "Aníron" for The Lord of the Rings.

Stream or download Enya songs

Production and Recording

Following the release of her comprehensive compilation box set Only Time – The Collection (2002), Enya took a brief hiatus before commencing work on new material in September 2003.

This project marked her first full-length studio release since her massive commercial success with A Day Without Rain (2000).

The album was recorded in Ireland alongside her longtime collaborators, producer and arranger Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan.

Production took place at Aigle Studio, located inside the Ryans' home in Killiney, County Dublin, where Enya followed a strict schedule working from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.

The completed album was dedicated to the memory of BBC producer Tony McAuley, who originally commissioned Enya to write the soundtrack for The Celts in 1986.

Announcement and Leaks

The official release date was first announced by Roma Ryan on September 23, 2005, via Enya's official forum.

Despite strict security measures around the project, the album's audio content was leaked to the Internet on November 11, 2005.

Promotional photography for the album was shot by photographer Simon Fowler over two days in June 2005 at Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, England.

Visuals and Launch Event

The surreal music video for the title single "Amarantine" was directed by Tim Royes.

The enchanting forest through which Enya walks was crafted by digital matte painter Charles Darby, renowned for his visual work on The Fifth Element, Titanic, and The Matrix.

The album was officially launched on November 27, 2005, at the historic Castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte in France.

Record label Warner Music hosted a lavish banquet where Enya wore a striking red gown designed by Maria Grachvogel, capped by a grand fireworks display synchronized to the new music.

Enya in "It's In The Rain" music video.

Special Christmas Edition

In November 2006, an expanded version titled Amarantine - Special Christmas Edition was released worldwide.

This re-release featured a bonus disc containing four holiday-themed tracks: "Adeste, Fideles", "The Magic of the Night", "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", and "Christmas Secrets".

Loxian Language Origins

The decision to invent Loxian arose when Roma Ryan struggled to write satisfying lyrics in English, Irish, or Latin for the track "Water Shows the Hidden Heart".

The phonetic foundation of the language was directly derived from the wordless vocal sounds sung by Enya during initial melody rehearsals at the studio keyboard.

The three Loxian tracks featured on the album are:

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

Explaining the concept behind the language, Enya noted that the Loxians represent a culture living in space, gazing out into the cosmos and questioning whether other life exists.

Companion Book Release

On December 5, 2005, Roma Ryan published a companion book titled Water Shows the Hidden Heart, detailing the mythology, poetry, and character scripts of the Loxian culture.

A second edition of this book was later bundled into the Deluxe Collector's Edition box set of Amarantine in late 2006.

Japanese Commercial Tie-Ins

In September 2004, the track "Sumiregusa (Wild Violet)" was premiered in Japan to support a major corporate advertising campaign for Panasonic.

The song featured prominently across national Japanese television broadcasts promoting Panasonic's "Viera" flat-screen televisions and "Diga" DVD recorders.

The opening bars of "Sumiregusa" were adapted from an arrangement of the classic hymn "Hark! The Vesper Hymn Is Stealing" by Irish composer John Andrew Stevenson.

Enya has stated in interviews that title track "Amarantine" and "If I Could Be Where You Are" remain her personal favorite pieces from this album.

Album Release Summary:

• Initial Release Date: November 21, 2005
• Physical Formats: CD, Cassette, and Vinyl LP
• Standard Running Time: 45:34

Singles

Jump to lyrics, videos list, liner notes, awards, charts and credits.

Lyrics list

1. Less Than a Pearl
2. Amarantine
3. It's in the Rain
4. If I Could Be Where You Are
5. The River Sings
6. Long Long Journey
7. Sumiregusa (Wild Violet)
8. Someone Said Goodbye
9. A Moment Lost
10. Drifting (Instrumental)
11. Amid the Falling Snow
12. Water Shows the Hidden Heart

Videos

• "Amarantine"
• "It's In The Rain"

More videos in EnyaTube »

Lyrics

Less than a pearl lyrics

Amarantine lyrics

It's in the rain lyrics

If I could be where you are lyrics

Long long journey lyrics

Sumiregusa (Wild Violet) lyrics

Someone said goodbye lyrics

A moment lost lyrics

The River Sings lyrics

Amid the falling snow lyrics

Water shows the hidden heart lyrics

Liner notes

Less than a Pearl

"...yet there is one sound that is not their own and which their hearts yearn to have. It is the sound of the Song of the Loxians."

"It is a sound that awakens in Valley-dwellers a strange feeling, one they cannot know yet one that is more familiar to them than their own heartbeat."

"And it awakens in the hearts of all the Valley-dwellers a longing that brings them to the edge of tears, because it is the song of both the beginning and the end..."

Amarantine

The word Amarantine was previously referenced in the song "Flora's Secret" on A Day Without Rain, where it was spelled as "amaranthine".

In that earlier track, the word signified the color purple and the eyes of a flower looking up toward the heavens.

Everlasting Love

In this title song, Amarantine takes on the ancient Greek definition meaning "everlasting" or "immortal".

It stands as a deeply personal composition centered entirely around the concept of eternal love.

It's in the rain

A small oasis. A harbour. A haven.

The soothing sound of falling rain calms the mind, opening quiet moments for reflection and imagination.

If I could be where you are

This is a song of profound sadness, capturing the sorrow of not knowing where a missing loved one is or how to find them.

It stands as a dedicated anthem for the missing throughout the world.

The River Sings

This track forms part of the Loxian trilogy originating from Roma Ryan's book Water Shows the Hidden Heart.

Sung in Loxian, it describes people sending their words out into the night sky, wondering if they will ever find other life in space.

Long Long Journey

Though one may travel to faraway places, wide oceans, and foreign lands, the heart desires nothing more than to return home.

Physical miles across the sea mean nothing to a heart that is on its journey home.

Sumiregusa

The lyrics are inspired by a classic hokku poem by Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō, written during his travels to Otsu.

In his verse, Bashō described how his heart leaped with delight upon discovering a wild violet along a rugged mountain road.

Epihanies in Nature

This track celebrates those intense moments when human beings feel deeply moved by an encounter with the natural world.

It represents a quiet personal epiphany and a joyful celebration of life.

Someone said goodbye

Everywhere across the globe, life unfolds for everyone in different ways.

When the day draws to a close, quiet reflection can bring the saddest moments back to mind, a feeling captured in this song.

A Moment Lost

Words written in the sand disappear as the ocean tide washes in and erases them completely.

However, harsh words spoken in anger by a loved one remain etched in the hidden corners of the heart.

Forgiveness and Healing

These painful words echo through the night until gentle words arrive to comfort, heal, and restore love.

It is a song of regret over words uttered in haste, and a celebration of words that bring forgiveness.

Amid the falling snow

"And the air was filled with feathers..."

This song recalls the childhood enchantment of watching falling snow for the first time during Christmastide.

It honors those who retain their sense of wonder and magic as they grow older.

Water shows the hidden heart

This composition tells the story of a man searching across symbolic cities, islands, and valleys for the love he has lost.

His emotional journey takes on physical forms, adapted from Roma Ryan's book of the same title.

Reflections of the Soul

"...he looks into the eyes of the water and sees his own eyes, looking."

"They reflect everything, these waters, even the hidden heart."

Awards

Charts

Credits

Music & Performance:

• Composed & Performed by: Enya (All instruments and vocals)
• Lyrics & Loxian Language Creation: Roma Ryan
• Arranged & Mixed by: Enya and Nicky Ryan

Production & Engineering:

• Produced & Engineered by: Nicky Ryan
• Recording Location: Aigle Studio, Killiney, County Dublin
• Mastering Engineer: Dick Beetham (360 Mastering, London)
• Digital Technical Advisor & Engineer: Daniel Polley
• Publishing: EMI Music Publishing Ltd

Design & Visuals:

• Photography: Simon Fowler
• Conceptual Cover Design: Nicky Ryan and Ebony Ryan
• Inner Sleeve Design & Layout: Ebony Ryan and Roma Ryan
• Inner Sleeve Artwork: Roma Ryan and Persia Ryan
• Print Production: Intro

Acknowledgements & Dedication:

Special thanks to Edgar Bronfman, Nick Phillips, Paul-Rene Albertini, Korda Marshall, John Watson, Joanne Carrigan, and Warner Music staff.

Thanks also to Guy Moot and Fran Malyan of EMI Music Publishing, as well as Robert Mahon, Derek Hobbs, Berry Klein, Glen Pratley, and SSL.

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