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.
Swimming
Émilie Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Clouds and angels by my side
Then I realized that I was lonely
And it wasn't such a good thing
I was flying in Paradise
In that ocean of dead lights
I was looking for your smile in the wind
I was swimming across the sky
Clouds and angels by my side
Then I realized that I was lonely
And it wasn't such a good thing
I believe in your smile every day
But I know that you're far from my way
When I talk to the moon I can hear you
In the dark I can see, I can feel your light
I was swimming across the sky
Clouds and angels by my side
Then I realized that I was lonely
And this wasn't such a good thing
I was flying in Paradise
In that ocean of dead lights
I was looking for your smile in the wind
But there was nobody there this morning
I believe in your smile every day
But I know that you're far from my way
When I talk to the moon I can hear you
In the dark I can see, I can feel your light
The lyrics of Émilie Simon's song "Swimming" seem to be about someone who is alone despite being in a beautiful and peaceful place. The first stanza describes the singer swimming in the sky, surrounded by clouds and angels. At first, they seem content, but they soon realize that they are actually lonely. The second stanza describes the singer in what appears to be paradise, surrounded by light. However, they cannot find the person they are looking for, and the morning is empty. In the third stanza, the singer talks about believing in someone's smile every day, but knowing that person is far away. However, they still feel connected in some way, able to hear and see that person's light in the darkness.
Overall, the lyrics seem to be about the fleeting nature of happiness and contentment. Even in beautiful, peaceful places, the singer is still lonely and longing for connection. They believe in the idea of someone, but that person is not physically present. The lyrics also touch on the idea of connection beyond physical presence, as the singer can still feel the person's presence in the dark.
Line by Line Meaning
I was swimming across the sky
I felt like I was floating in the sky, weightless and free.
Clouds and angels by my side
I had a sense of otherworldly presence surrounding me, as if spiritual beings were at my side.
Then I realized that I was lonely
I suddenly became aware that I was completely on my own.
And it wasn't such a good thing
It was a negative feeling that made me uncomfortable.
I was flying in Paradise
I was experiencing a heightened sense of joy that felt like being in a heavenly place.
In that ocean of dead lights
Despite my bliss, I was surrounded by a lot of lifeless things around me.
I was looking for your smile in the wind
I was searching for a sign of your presence in the world around me.
But there was nobody there this morning
To my disappointment, I found no trace of you or anyone else for that matter.
I believe in your smile every day
I have faith in the positivity and warmth of your personality, even if you're far away.
But I know that you're far from my way
I am acutely aware of the distance between us, both physically and emotionally.
When I talk to the moon I can hear you
Sometimes, when I whisper my thoughts to the moon, I feel like you can hear me too.
In the dark I can see, I can feel your light
Even in the darkness, I can sense the brightness and energy of your spirit guiding me forward.
And this wasn't such a good thing
Despite the beautiful sensations I felt, the absence of human connection weighed heavily on me, dampening the mood.
Contributed by Jack J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.