Moya Brennan

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Moya Brennan

Background information
Birth name Máire Ní Bhraonáin
Also known as Máire Brennan
'The Voice of Clannad'[1]
'First Lady of Celtic Music'[2]
Born August 4, 1952 (1952-08-04) (age 55)
Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland
Genre(s) Celtic
Folk
New Age
Occupation(s) Singer
Songwriter
Songwriter
Producer
Harpist
Years active 1970 – present
Label(s) Atlantic Records
BGM
Word Records
Website Official site
Official Myspace site
Notable instrument(s)
Harp

Máire Ní Bhraonáin, pronounced [mˠaːrʲə nʲiː vɾˠiːn̪ˠaːn] better known as Máire Brennan or Moya Brennan (born August 4, 1952, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland), is a Grammy Award-nominated[3] Celtic folk singer, songwriter and harpist. She began her singing career when her family formed the band Clannad in 1970.

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[edit] Musical upbringing

Brennan grew up as the eldest in a very musical family in the remote parish of Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), in the northwest of Ireland, a place where the Irish language and tradition continues to flourish. Her mother Máire (or Baba) was a music teacher and her father was a member of a cabaret band with whom she performed as a child. She sang along with her siblings in the family pub, Leo's Tavern, in the village of Crolly. She also took part in many pantomimes in Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair, the local theatre, usually dancing and singing. After leaving secondary school Brennan spent a few years at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin studying the harp, the piano and singing. She later taught music at Holy Cross College in Falcarragh, County Donegal.

[edit] Years with Clannad

Main article: Clannad

It was during this time in 1970 that Brennan joined her two brothers Pól and Ciarán and their mother's two twin brothers Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin and eventually formed Clannad. After enjoying a decade of being the world's foremost traditional Irish act, Clannad graduated to chart success in 1982 with the album Magical Ring. Brennan was at the forefront of the group's success and her voice suddenly became synonymous with celtic music and Irish music at the time. Brennan recorded 17 albums with Clannad and has won a Grammy, a BAFTA and an Ivor Novello award with the quintet. Her sister Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, who spent a while with Clannad, also pursued a very successful solo career under the name Enya.

Moya performing with Clannad at a reunion in Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal, in 2005.
Moya performing with Clannad at a reunion in Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal, in 2005.

[edit] Solo career

Brennan released her first solo album in 1992, Máire, on Atlantic Records. Misty Eyed Adventures on BGM followed three years later. In 1998, Brennan signed with Word Records and released Perfect Time, and Whisper To The Wild Water a year later. The album was nominated in the Grammy Awards of 2001 for Best New Age Album. Brennan is managed by her husband Tim Jarvis and her brother Leon Ó Braonáin. Her music is usually classified as New Age or Celtic. She accepts the Celtic label, but has at times indicated a slight discomfort with being seen as "New Age" as much of her music is strongly Christian, with several of her songs centering on maintaining a relationship with Jesus Christ.[4] Some of her songs show influences from her Catholic upbringing or seem relational due to her own views concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary.[5]

In 2000, she wrote an autobiography called The Other Side of The Rainbow. The same year she performed her song "Perfect time" live at World Youth Day in Rome in front of crowds of pilgrims and Pope John Paul II. There were 2.1 million people present, making it the largest crowd ever gathered in the Northern Hemisphere. She considered it an honor as she believes in mutual respect among Christians.[6]

In film, she was featured vocalist on King Arthur (2004), co-writing the title theme "Tell Me Now (What You See)" with Hans Zimmer and wrote additional music score for To End All Wars (2001). In 1995 she duetted with Shane McGowan with "You're The One" for the movie Circle of Friends. Brennan has collaborated with many other musicians, including Alan Parsons, Bono, Robert Plant, Van Morrison, Michael McDonald from the Doobie Brothers, Bruce Hornsby, Def Leppard, The Chieftains, Paul Young, Paul Brady, Michael Crawford, Joe Jackson and Ronan Keating.

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In total Brennan has recorded 25 albums, and has sold over 20 million records. Since 2002, she has promoted herself as Moya Brennan — a spelling closely resembling the phonetic pronunciation of her name for those not familiar with the Irish variant of the spelling. Under this moniker she released an album entitled Two Horizons in 2003 under her new label, Universal. She has also collaborated with dance artist Chicane for performing the vocals on the single "Saltwater", which was also featured in the VisitScotland advertising campaign, as well as having been used by Fáilte Ireland to promote Ireland, and by Belfast city council, both in television adverts.

On March 17, 2004 she performed at the Speaker's Luncheon on Capitol Hill in front of President George W. Bush and Irish dignitaries.[7]

During the world youth day 2005 in Cologne she performed with Pope Benedict XVI in the Vigil in front of million of people and was also part of the official WYD CD Building On World.[8]

[edit] Legacy

Brennan and Clannad are credited with the creation of contemporary celtic music and are held in high esteem for their vast contribution to bringning new life to old Irish songs. They have been compared to Seán Ó Riada, in that they brought the Irish language into popular culture through their music. One critic said "Clannad's music offers a terrific fusion between traditional and modern influences". It is Brennan's haunting voice that has left the most lasting legacy, it has become synonymic with Clannad's work and with Irish music in general. Her ethereal vocalization is considered the archetypal sound of Ireland and strains of her style have been acquired in the soundtracks to Titanic and Riverdance. Bono said of her voice, "I think Moya has one of the greatest voices the human ear has ever experienced". Brennan is also famous for her harp playing, she has featured it on many Clannad records and her album Two Horizons is based on the discovery of the harp.

Moya performing at Self Aid with Bono, Bob Geldof and Chris de Burgh, Dublin, 1986.
Moya performing at Self Aid with Bono, Bob Geldof and Chris de Burgh, Dublin, 1986.

[edit] Personal life

In 2000, she wrote an autobiography called The Other Side of The Rainbow (Hodder & Stoughton), which was also translated into German (Mein Irisches Leben, Brunnen-Verlag).

In it Brennan recalls her upbringing as the eldest of nine siblings in rural County Donegal, Ireland. Along with the highs of success in the music business she also recounts low periods where alcohol, drugs and an abortion made her re-evaluate her life. She emerged from dark years as a committed Christian with rekindled faith. She remarried in 1991 (having previously been married to a Dublin musician) and now lives in Dublin, Ireland with husband, photographer Tim Jarvis, and children, Aisling and Paul.

Moya is Goodwill Ambassador for the international charity, Christian Blind Mission, and travels worldwide with the organisation.[9]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Chronological listing

Also featuring on:

  • Sanctuary, Various Artists, Independent 2008

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1166646/?search_redirect=Moya%20Brennan%20'The%20Voice%20of%20Clannad'
  2. ^ Moya Brennan Releases EMI Signature CMG Sparrow Celtic Music | Christian Music | ChristianMusicPlanet.com
  3. ^ Beliefnet.com
  4. ^ Moya Brennan - Two Horizons Interview
  5. ^ Beliefnet.com
  6. ^ Moya Brennan : Books
  7. ^ Whats On at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall
  8. ^ Various, The XX World Youth Day Compilation: Building One World - music review - word-on-the-web - Church Army
  9. ^ Moya Brennan visits South America as goodwill ambassador :: Inspire Magazine

[edit] External links