Despite her relatively low profile in the world of mainstream music, Dillon’s voice has been acclaimed by notable artists such as Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith[5] and Ellie Goulding.

[6] As of 2023, Dillon continues to tour regularly and work with her husband, Sam Lakeman, who backs her on piano and guitar.

In 2024, Dillon released a new album, Coming Home, that "[blurs] the lines between spoken word and song, featuring her original poetry and music, inspired by the daily lives of the people, places and ancestry she holds closest to her heart".

Dillon left Óige in 1995 after being asked to replace Kate Rusby in a so-called folk supergroup Equation; however, she guests on their second studio album, Bang On, playing fiddles on the last track, "Maids of Mitchelstown".

Dillon left Equation with original band member Sam Lakeman because of musical differences and together they immediately signed a separate deal with the same label.

Dillon provided the vocals to the song "Man in the Rain" on Mike Oldfield's 1998 album Tubular Bells III, where she was credited as "Cara from Polar Star".

Circa summer 2000, Dillon and Lakeman ended their five-year relationship with Warner Music Group and signed to Indie label Rough Trade Records.

The album was produced and recorded by Lakeman and mixed by John Reynolds (Sinéad O'Connor and Damien Dempsey).

The track was given a more modern arrangement by Lakeman with Hammond organs and bass playing combined with a piano riff.

Throughout 2001 and 2002, Dillon toured the album extensively in the UK, Ireland and Europe and her fan base grew steadily.

Sales were helped by the inclusion of Dillon's popular version of "There Were Roses" (notably featured on the BBC series Billy Connolly's World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales).

The album also had a more balanced mix of traditional and original material, including another Kate Bush-esque track, "Falling Like a Star" and "Broken Bridges".

The album was again produced by Lakeman and mixed by John Reynolds and Alan Branch and was recorded "at home in Somerset".

The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra recorded for two tracks on the album, Garden Valley & The Snows They Melt The Soonest; Martin Simpson, the acclaimed blues guitarist featured on Grace; two of Ireland's finest traditional musicians Mairtin O'Connor and Cathal Hayden perform on Bold Jamie and Cara duetted with Paul Brady on album highlight The Streets of Derry.

[13] In January 2008, Cara and her band recorded a DVD The Redcastle Sessions in County Donegal which led to an extensive tour starting in the May and continuing through the folk festival season to the winter of 2008/9.

The album contains traditional songs (including two sung in Irish Gaelic) as well as two modern covers, "Shotgun Down the Avalanche" by Shawn Colvin and "River Run".

Dillon’s sixth solo album was 2016’s Upon a Winter's Night, featuring eight arrangements of traditional carols and three original compositions.

[16] The release of the Wanderer in 2017 saw Dillon returning to Irish folk ballads, especially the themes of emigration, both historical and contemporary.

The record saw a stripped back approach with it chiefly just being Dillon on vocals with producer / husband Sam Lakeman on keyboards or guitar.

In 1998, she was guest vocalist (credited as "Cara from Polar Star") for Mike Oldfield on the single from his Tubular Bells III album, "Man in the Rain".

Cara sang on the tracks "Faith in Love" and "Sacred Touch of Beauty", the former being the album's lead single.

[citation needed] The year 2006 Dillon was honoured with the invitation to perform at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Ryder Cup at the K Club in Ireland.

In 2006, Judge Jules released his debut album, to which Cara provided vocals on the lead UK single Ordinary Day.

The live recording of "The Hill of Thieves" was also used by Bowers & Wilkins as a demonstration song in-store throughout the world on their Zeppelin Air iPod Speaker.

It reached the Box Office Top 10 upon its national cinema release in the UK in August 2010 and is the third instalment of Disney's highly successful franchise.