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.
En cendres
Émilie Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Avec un regard morne un tantinet hautain
J’avance à l’aveuglette et je suis mal lunée
Une pièce sans fenêtre avec vue sur mes pieds
À force de malentendus je suis malentendant
Et c’est déjà-vus me rendent malveillant
Je ne fume plus mais je pars en cendres
Je l’entends bien souvent le soir murmurer
Prendre à témoin le silence des murs abîmés
Il leur promet du beau mais il se sent bien laid
En face de sa photo sur la table de chevet
À force de malentendus je suis malentendant
Et c’est déjà-vus me rendent malveillant
Je ne fume plus mais je pars en cendres
Combien de temps me faudra-t-il encore t’attendre
Je ne fume plus mais je pars en cendres
The lyrics of Émilie Simon's song "En cendres" depict a person who feels lost, uncertain, and misunderstood. The opening lines say "Je ne suis qu’une forme aux contours incertains" which means "I am merely a form with uncertain contours." This line suggests that the person is unsure of their identity and feels undefined. The next lines describe the person's demeanor as "un regard morne un tantinet hautain" meaning "a morose and somewhat haughty look." This discrepancy between an uncertain identity and an arrogant appearance suggests that the person is masking their insecurity with a façade of confidence.
The song continues to paint a picture of someone who feels trapped, lacking direction, and disconnected from others. The line "Je suis malentendant" means "I am hard of hearing" which suggests an inability to communicate effectively with others. The person's past experiences color their current perspective as "c'est déjà-vus me rendent malveillant" which translates to "deja-vus make me malicious." This line suggests that the person is trapped in a cycle of negative experiences and feels resentful of it.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "Je ne fume plus mais je pars en cendres" which means "I no longer smoke but I still turn to ashes." This line serves as a metaphor for the person's sense of being consumed by their emotions and experiences. The final line "Combien de temps me faudra-t-il encore t’attendre" meaning "How much longer do I have to wait for you" hints at a longing for an absent presence, perhaps a loved one who is not there to provide support.
Line by Line Meaning
Je ne suis qu’une forme aux contours incertains
I am uncertain of my shape and form.
Avec un regard morne un tantinet hautain
I am gloomy with a slightly arrogant gaze.
J’avance à l’aveuglette et je suis mal lunée
I move blindly and with a bad mood.
Une pièce sans fenêtre avec vue sur mes pieds
I am in a windowless room with a view of my own feet.
À force de malentendus je suis malentendant
I have become deaf due to misunderstandings.
Et c’est déjà-vus me rendent malveillant
The feeling of déjà-vu makes me aggressive.
Je ne fume plus mais je pars en cendres
I no longer smoke but I feel like I am burning to ashes.
Combien de temps me faudra-t-il encore t’attendre
How much longer will I have to wait for you?
Je l’entends bien souvent le soir murmurer
I often hear him whisper in the evening.
Prendre à témoin le silence des murs abîmés
He takes the damaged walls' silence as proof.
Il leur promet du beau mais il se sent bien laid
He promises them beauty but feels ugly himself.
En face de sa photo sur la table de chevet
In front of his photo on the nightstand.
Contributed by Kayla G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.