Celtic Woman's plucky performers show range

They came. They sang. They stayed.

Celtic Woman began life as a PBS television special. The show was, to say the least, popular. Five US tours, three chart-topping albums per author, and one Brian Boitano skating spectacular later, Celtic Woman is a bona fide phenomenon. It has a chairman and CEO. Celtic Woman’s new theatrical production, which stops in Boston for two shows at the Wang Theatre tonight and tomorrow, features elaborate sets, designer costumes, and a set list that spans Irish standards, light classical songs, and American pop — not to mention ‘‘Riverdance’’-caliber Celtic pageantry. In town last month for a promotional visit, singers Chloe Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Orla Fallon, and Meav Ni Mhaolchatha, and fiddler Mairead Nesbitt, sat down in their hotel suite to chat about shopping, Green Day, and Celtic ManMen.

Q ‘‘Celtic Woman’’ was supposed to be a one-night fund-raising concert for public TV. Do you understand why it became a global sensation?

Orla: The world today is like a rat race, and the music we’ve chosen is quite spiritual and uplifting. It seems to touch people’s hearts.

Q How do you choose your material?

Meav: We all came to the show with musical identities of our own, and that’s part of the show as well as coming together as an ensemble. David Downes [Celtic Woman’s musical director] had a broad love of all kinds of music and seems to know what suits each of us.

Q Have you ever fought over a song?

Chloe: There’s no competition because we all do something different.

Q No catfights?

Mairead: As much as people want them, no. It’s not always easy-peasy.

Chloe: But we respect each other and help each other.

Orla: You’re away from your family for a long time, so you have to create a family atmosphere.

Q So how do you blow off steam?

Everyone: Shopping!

Chloe: We watch movies sometimes, too.

Orla: But we’re really deep, as well.

Mairead: We’re extremely philosophical, too.

Q ‘‘A New Journey,’’ your current CD, comes with a Claddagh charm. You’re not just selling music, you’re selling an Irish fantasy.

Orla: We are an Irish group, and we put our Celtic stamp on whatever we do.

Chloe: It is a whole package. We filmed the DVD in Slane, with the castle as a backdrop.

Orla: We can’t take the castle with us, but the atmosphere of that place informs the stage show.

Q What do you say to critics who claim that Celtic Woman isn’t authentic, that you present a watered-down, new age version of Irish music and culture?

Chloe: We always say that we are who we are and we do what we do best, and we’re lucky we have people who do like us.

Mairead: The concept of Celtic Woman is to give a contemporary vision of five young women in the world, to keep with tradition but also give a modern approach as well. It was never ever portrayed as a traditional show.

Meav: Music changes to stay alive. You can find a hundred different versions of the same song in Ireland.

Q You recorded a handful of American songs for the new album.

Mairead: It’s an homage to the experiences that we’ve had here, taking on some American music. This has been a second home for us, and you’re bound to be influenced by the music that surrounds you.

Orla: We grew up listening to Bobby Darin sing ‘‘Beyond the Sea,’’ but [on the album] we have our own harmonies and the fiddle. It’s very Celtic-sounding. And of course there’s only one Judy Garland, but when you hear ‘‘Over the Rainbow,’’ it’s Celtic Woman.

Q What do you listen to for fun?

Chloe: Green Day! I’m a total rock chick, a typical teenager [she’s 17]. I love whatever is on the charts.

Lisa: Chloe keeps us up to date.

Q If you could put together Celtic Man, Men, who would you cast?

Chloe: Billy Joe Armstrong! Armstong! Oh, he’s not Irish.

Orla: Liam Neeson.

Mairead: I have three. John Cusack, Aidan Quinn, and Patrick Swayze. And Dermot Mulroney. OK, four.

Lisa: Obviously my husband. And Colin Farrell.

Meav: There’s already been a lot of boy groups. It’s time for the girls.

Joan Anderman can be reached at anderman@globe.com. For more on music go to boston.com/ae/music/blog.