She began her musical education at a French conservatory at seven years old. By age 18, she was studying Musicology at the University in Montpellier, France, and then obtained her Master in Musicology at the Sorbonne in Paris. Émilie was intrigued by the idea of combining her traditional musical education with new music technologies and studio experimentations. She developed these interests into unique skills at the cutting edge new technology music school, the IRCAM in Paris, which to this day remains the only center in the world dedicated to contemporary musical research and production, bringing science and art together in order to widen instrumentation and rejuvenate musical language.
Here she met Cyrille Brissot who she still works with today to develop and build specific instruments adapted to Émilie’s needs, both in the studio and on stage, including the “Brissot” - a breathtaking arm controller that allows her to remotely control, modulate and transform her live voice through a series of controlled effects. Émilie uses a variety of other new technology devices including Yamaha’s “Tenori-on” and a variety of other new hardware and software. Émilie uses this technology to give herself a wide range of versatility on stage, including being able to control everything – from beats to multiple instruments to vocal harmonies and modulation simultaneously while alone on stage.
Shortly after Ircam, Émilie Simon signed a record deal with Barclay/Universal France. Since then, she has written, arranged, performed and produced her two records and the original music for the French (original) version of March of the Penguins. There, Émilie used many diverse and inventive techniques including rubbing pieces of ice together to produce beats and sounds, and blended them with her electronic machinery and inviting lyrics.
Despite garnering best album honors in the electronic category at France’s
“Victoires de la Musique” Awards for her debut, and being touted as one of the most promising female artists, the Montpellier-bred chanteuse is quick to champion her independence as an artist over such acclaim. “[Awards] are nice, but it’s like a cherry on top, really,” the singer/songwriter insists. “It’s great when you have the feeling you are doing something important or that you’re understood. But it doesn’t alter the way I work in any way. I’m always thinking back on what I have done, because I don’t want to be redundant. I want to make music without rules, without anybody telling me what I have to do.”
Émilie Simon first made her mark on the U.S. in the fall of 2006 with her debut U.S. release, The Flower Book on Nov. 7, 2006. Her plush, artful soundscapes had already yielded her significant praise and awards in her French homeland, as well as acclaim across the rest of Europe and Japan. Singing in both French and English, Émilie allows her music to flow naturally, rewarding her with devoted fans worldwide. A year and a half after The Flower Book’s release, Émilie is currently residing in New York City and writing her next record. She will be performing shows in NYC this Fall to preview her new material. Having always begun the creative process in the recording studio, and then following with live performances, Émilie is trying a new approach. For the new record, she will let the songs breathe and evolve in a live environment before heading into the studio.
Dame de lotus
Émilie Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Contente de moi
Au-dessus des eaux stagnantes
Contemple, contemple-moi là
Dame, dame, dame de lotus
Dame, dame, dame de lotus
Dame, dame, dame, dame, ah, ah
Je suis enterrée vivante
Contente de moi
Entre deux roseaux tu penches
Étanche, regarde-moi là
Qu'importent les dames de lotus
J'effeuille les dames de lotus
Qu'importent les dames, dames, ah, ah
Ni moins, ni plus qu'une dame de lotus
Ni moins, ni plus qu'une dame de lotus
Ni moins, ni plus qu'une dame de lotus
Ni moins, ni plus, dame, dame de lotus
Je suis enterrée vivante
Contente de moi
Au-dessus des eaux stagnantes
Contemple, contemple-moi là
Dame de lotus sous les roseaux
Dame de lotus penche sur l'eau
Ni moins, ni plus qu'une dame de lotus
Ni moins, ni plus qu'une dame de lotus
Dame, dame, dame de lotus
Dame, dame, dame de lotus
Dame, dame, ah, ah
Dame, dame de lotus
The lyrics to Emilie Simon's song, "Dame de Lotus," tell the story of a woman who is buried alive and content with her solitude as she watches the stagnant waters above her. She refers to herself as a "dame de lotus," meaning she is no less and no more than a lotus flower, which is typically associated with rebirth and enlightenment in Eastern cultures. The repetition of "dame de lotus" throughout the song emphasizes her connection to this symbol and her acceptance of her current state of being.
As the song continues, she acknowledges other "dames de lotus" around her and the fact that she is just like them, no more and no less. She is content with this realization and continues to "effeuille" or "pluck at" the lotus flowers around her. This could be seen as a metaphor for her trying to understand her own existence and place in the world.
The final repetition of "dame de lotus" emphasizes the idea that the woman has fully embraced this identity and is at peace with her solitude and existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Je suis enterrée vivante
I feel trapped in life, but I am content with who I am
Contente de moi
I am satisfied with myself
Au-dessus des eaux stagnantes
I am above still waters
Contemple, contemple-moi là
Look at me, observe me here
Dame, dame, dame de lotus
I am a lotus lady
Je suis enterrée vivante
I feel trapped in life, but I am content with who I am
Entre deux roseaux tu penches
I lean between two reeds
Étanche, regarde-moi là
Waterproof, watch me here
Qu'importent les dames de lotus
What do lotus ladies matter?
J'effeuille les dames de lotus
I pluck the lotus ladies
Qu'importent les dames, dames, ah, ah
What do the ladies matter? Ah, ah
Ni moins, ni plus qu'une dame de lotus
Not more, not less than a lotus lady
Dame, dame, dame de lotus
I am a lotus lady
Dame de lotus sous les roseaux
Lotus lady under the reeds
Dame de lotus penche sur l'eau
Lotus lady leans over the water
Dame, dame, ah, ah
Lady, lady, ah, ah
Dame, dame de lotus
I am a lotus lady
Contributed by Brooklyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Luna M
Je suis enterrée vivante
Contente de moi
Au-dessus des eaux stagnantes
Contemple
Contemple-moi là
Dame dame, Dame de Lotus
Dame dame, Dame de Lotus
Dame dame, dame dame, ahaaa
Je suis enterée vivante
Contente de moi
Entre deux roseaux tu penches
Etanche, regarde moi là
Dames, dames (Qu'importe les)
Dame de Lotus
Dames, dames (J'ai feuillé)
Dame de Lotus
Dames, dames (Qu'importe les)
Ahha
Ni moins, ni plus
Qu'une Dame de Lotus
Ni moins, ni plus
Qu'une Dame de Lotus
Ni moins, ni plus
Qu'une Dame de Lotus
Ni moins, ni plus
Dame Dame de Lotus
Je suis enterrée vivante
Contente de moi
Au dessus des eaux stagnates
Contemple, contemple moi là
(Ahhaaa Dame de Lotus
Ahahaa Dame de Lotus
Dame de Lotus, sur les roses
Dame de Lotus, penche sur ma rose)
Ni moins, ni plus
Qu'une Dame de Lotus
Ni moins, ni plus
Qu'une Dame De Lotus
Dame, Dame, Dame De Lotus,
Dame, Dame, Dame De Lotus
Dame, Dame
Dame, Dame De Lotus
Gyaaa Orang
This music sounds cool even after 13 yrs later
Fabienne Gauthier
on l'écoute sans fin, cet album "Végétal" a été pour moi la plus belle surprise musicale de ma vie. Presque 20 ans après, la magie opère toujours.
Maya Zalbidea
Émilie Simon es la prueba de que hay música actual de calidad
Sergio Zared Wall Guzmán
Emilie es fantástica! ¡No me canso de ver este video una y otra vez, me encanta!
Pierre ANDRE
Belle, une voix d'ange, un nivers où l'on voudrait plonger... Bravo Emilie, continue à nous enchanter !
María S.
Con todas las hermosas canciones de Émilie es dificil elegir una, pero AMO "Dame de Lotus". Los músicos son maravillosos, y obvio Émilie es genial. ---- Is very difficult to choose one of all great Émilie's songs, but I love "Dame de Lotus". The musicians are wonderful.
Armegaz2
Love her tone of voice.
Lola Else
Força e energia.
Clo G
Énorme! Cette chanson apparaît dans le 1er épisode d'une série coréenne!!! (Emergency Couple)
Le talent se reconnait à l'international ! ;)
Félicitations !!! \o/
Amandelune
moi aussi j'ai découvert cette artiste francophone (française? ) en regardant Emergency couple c'est fou !
PS depuis j'ai vu que CITROEN et PEUGEOT parrainent des dramas coréens (witch love de mémoire)