Why Enya Turned Down James Cameron's Titanic Soundtrack Offer
The Irish singer rejected one of Hollywood's biggest directors when he wanted her to score the blockbuster film, choosing artistic independence over commercial success.
Making tough choices becomes even harder when you know you might be walking away from something incredible. Your instincts might be telling you to pass, but the possibility of opening doors to amazing opportunities can cloud your judgment and make you second-guess yourself. For Enya, though, when James Cameron came calling about working on Titanic, her answer was crystal clear.
The Irish musician turned down Cameron's request to compose music for his epic disaster film. She didn't hesitate, and she stuck to her guns even when he kept asking. This puts her in a completely different category from almost everyone else connected to the movie.
Cameron's Magic Touch
It wasn't like everyone involved was automatically sold on the project. When Cameron pitched his idea to 20th Century Fox executives as "Romeo and Juliet on the Titanic," they weren't exactly jumping out of their seats with excitement. But they were willing to listen, mainly because of who was doing the talking. Cameron had already proven himself as a director who could deliver massive hits, so even though the studio would have preferred another action flick, they gave him the green light just to keep him in their corner.
The filmmaker has this incredible ability to get people excited about his wildest ideas. He convinced studios to back Avatar when the technology to make it properly didn't even exist yet. He talked them into paying for his crew to actually dive down and film the real Titanic wreck. Since Cameron was already fascinated by sunken ships, he basically got Hollywood to bankroll his ultimate underwater adventure.
A String of Yes Answers
The approvals kept rolling in. Financial executives signed off on a $200 million budget, making it the priciest film production in history at that point. The original shipbuilders opened up their secret archives and shared blueprints that had never been seen publicly before. Kate Winslet, who was becoming one of the hottest young actresses around, actually picked up the phone and called Cameron directly, practically begging him to cast her. Time and again, people seemed unable to resist whatever Cameron was selling.
Cameron had been listening to Enya's music while writing the screenplay, so bringing her on board for the soundtrack felt like a natural fit in his mind. But she became one of the rare individuals who said no to his pitch.
Creative Control Clash
"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," Enya explained. Cameron, known for wanting his fingerprints on every aspect of his films, expected to have input on whatever music she created. This would likely have worked similarly to how 'My Heart Will Go On' eventually came together, with composer James Horner writing the melody and Celine Dion providing the vocals.
"I get to write the song, I sing," Enya said about how she prefers to work. "I've always written the melodies, so I find it kind of strange," she continued, adding, "and I was working on an album, so I just said it wasn't going to happen if it was a collaboration."