Why Enya Turned Down the Titanic Soundtrack Offer
Enya was approached to compose the soundtrack for Titanic but declined, choosing creative independence over collaboration. Her decision stands out among the many who joined the film’s production.
Big decisions can leave anyone second-guessing, especially when there’s a chance of missing out on something massive. Even when your instincts are telling you to walk away, the thought of what could be is enough to make anyone hesitate. But for Enya, when the opportunity to work on Titanic came up, she didn’t waver. She was clear from the start—she wasn’t interested, and she stuck to her guns, which was a rare move compared to everyone else who jumped on board the project.
Everyone Else Said Yes
Not everyone involved in the production was convinced from the get-go. When James Cameron pitched the idea to 20th Century Fox as “Romeo and Juliet on the Titanic”, the studio wasn’t exactly sold. Still, they were open to giving it a go, mostly because Cameron already had a reputation for delivering box office hits. The studio was hoping for another action-packed blockbuster, but they agreed anyway, keen to keep Cameron in their corner. He’s got a knack for getting people to back his wild ideas—whether it’s making Avatar before the tech was ready or convincing the studio to let the crew film at the actual Titanic wreck. Cameron’s fascination with shipwrecks meant he was basically getting someone else to pay for his dream trip.
The green lights didn’t stop there. He managed to secure a record-breaking $200 million budget, making it the priciest film ever at the time. He even got the original Titanic builders to open up their archives and share blueprints. Kate Winslet, who was on the rise, rang him up herself, desperate to land a role. Cameron seemed to have a magic touch—everyone wanted in. Except Enya.
Enya’s Reluctance to Collaborate
Cameron wrote the script while listening to Enya’s music, so it was only natural he’d want her to handle the soundtrack. But she was one of the few to turn him down.
“James Cameron, he approached and sent the script, but what happened was when we were talking about the end song, it was to be a collaboration, and that’s something that I’ve actually never done,”
she explained. Cameron, known for wanting a say in every detail, seemed to want some creative input on the music. That’s how things ended up with ‘My Heart Will Go On’—James Horner wrote the tune, and Celine Dion came in to sing.
Enya, though, wasn’t keen on that arrangement.
“I get to write the song, I sing,”
she said about her usual process.
“I’ve always written the melodies, so I find it kind of strange,”
she added.
“And I was working on an album, so I just said it wasn’t going to happen if it was a collaboration.”