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.
Song Of The Storm
Émilie Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stones falling onto you
Can't you feel the earth shaking?
Big, black clouds forming now
Can't you hear my sky shouting?
Close, chasing after you
Deep, dark fear building up
And I hope you're satisfied
And I hope you're satisfied
I hope you're satisfied
To see the wind blow over me
Can't you hear my snow crying?
Under your feet, the ice breaking
Can't you hear me? I'm here
I'm whistling in your ear
And I hope you're satisfied
I hope you're satisfied
I hope you're satisfied
To see the wind blow over me
Can't you hear my storm coming?
Stones falling
Big, dark clouds forming now
Can't you hear my storm coming?
Stones falling
Big, dark clouds
And I hope you're satisfied, ohh
And I hope you're satisfied
To see the wind blow over me
Over me...
"Song of the Storm" by Émilie Simon encompasses powerful emotions that depict the enraged feelings of someone who has been wronged. The singer calls out to her oppressor, asking whether they can hear the storm that she's bringing. The storm is a metaphor for her anger and frustration. She points out how stones are falling on them and the earth is shaking because of the impact of her emotions.
The chorus implies that the oppressor has been waiting for the storm all along because she hopes that they are satisfied now that they've gotten what they wanted. The last line of the chorus is a powerful statement as she asks if they are happy to see the wind blow over her. This line symbolizes how the oppressor has been waiting for the moment when the singer falls apart and the "wind blows over" her.
The second verse of the song implies that the singer is still present and alive even after the storm has moved on. She mentions how the snow is crying as she walks and how she's whistling in the oppressor's ear. These lines provide comfort to the singer, implying that she's still alive and well even though the oppressor might have thought otherwise.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't you hear my storm coming?
Can't you sense the turmoil I'm about to bring?
Stones falling onto you
My fury will disturb the peacefulness in your life
Can't you feel the earth shaking?
It's just the beginning of the chaos I'm about to wreak
Big, black clouds forming now
The darkness of my anger is now visible to you
Can't you hear my sky shouting?
My wrath is so loud that the sky itself is screaming
Close, chasing after you
It's coming nearer and nearer, you cannot escape
Deep, dark fear building up
I want you to feel the terror I feel when I'm angry
It's too strong for you
You cannot handle the intensity of my rage
And I hope you're satisfied
I want you to know that your actions have consequences
To see the wind blow over me
You wanted to see me crumble, but I won't give you the satisfaction
Can't you hear my snow crying?
Even the most delicate things can be affected by my anger
Under your feet, the ice breaking
I'm destroying what was once firm and stable
Can't you hear me? I'm here
You cannot ignore me, my presence is hard to miss
I'm whistling in your ear
My wrath is like a constant reminder of your mistakes
And I hope you're satisfied, ohh
I won't let you forget about what you've done to me
To see the wind blow over me
You thought I was weak, but I won't let you blow me away
Can't you hear my storm coming?
I'm not done yet, the worst is still to come
Stones falling
I won't stop until everything that was built falls apart
Big, dark clouds forming now
The darkness of my anger is still upon you
And I hope you're satisfied
Your actions will have long-lasting repercussions
To see the wind blow over me
You wanted to see me fail, but I won't let you win
Over me...
I'll keep fighting, even in the face of your vengeful storm
Contributed by Adam P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.