Celtic Woman

The phenomenon that is Celtic Woman was originally envisioned — by Riverdance music director David Downes — as a one-time, single-release extravaganza. Yet, when the lilting-vocal and traditional-fiddle mélange of the six Irish beauties made its spectacular 2005 debut on PBS — spotlighting atmospheric arrangements of everything from an inspirational "You Raise Me Up," to the intricate harmonies of "Orinoco Flow" — Celtic Woman were catapulted to international acclaim. Several albums and world tours later, the ladies are still making beautiful music, reveling in the traditional tones of "Danny Boy" and a stunning "Carol of the Bells."

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Yes, the ladies of Celtic Woman are gorgeous, and the stage show, with its lively choreography and stirring orchestrations, is grand. It wouldn't mean a thing, though, if it weren't for the extraordinary talent of the group itself — it lives and breathes in the soaring strains of a sacred "Ave Maria," in the way the fiddle paints a picture of a glorious morning on "The Sky and the Dawn and the Sun," or how a single voice can tingle the spine on the haunting folk tune "She Moved Thru' the Fair."

Celtic Woman may have sprung from the mind of Riverdance music director David Downes, but the one-of-a-kind group has an alchemy all its own. An all-female ensemble featuring five lovely Irish singers and their traditional-fiddle accompanist, Celtic Woman breathes new life into old songs — the drum-driven "Dúlaman," the bittersweet folk song "Carrickfergus" — and transforms contemporary tunes (Sting's melancholy "Fields of Gold," Andrew Lloyd Weber's sacred "Pie Jesu") into modern classics. The group's success has given birth to numerous albums, TV specials, and worldwide tours, but our Celtic Woman Essentials offers the chance to travel through the best of their singular sound — from a spirited live rendition of "Spanish Lady," to the lyrical U.S. shout-out "O, America!" — in one easy download.