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.
The Devil At My Door
Émilie Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw the devil" she said
"I can give you more"
She was walking by my side
She said "Babe, if you trust me
You will never die"
No one knows which way to go
Do you really want to know
She stole my soul and ran away
I try to fix it every day
Well, she stole my soul what can I do
I'll take it back, and so will you
Mon âme et mon amour
"I saw the devil at my door
I saw the devil" she said
"I can give you more"
But deep inside behind the door
No one knows which way to go
Do you really want to know
She stole my soul and ran away
I try to fix it every day
Well, she stole my soul what can I do
I'll take it back, and so will you
Mon âme et mon amour
J'ai donné mon âme, mon âme et mon amour
Mon âme et mon amour
J'ai donné mon âme, mon âme et mon amour
She stole my soul and ran away
I try to fix it every day
Well, she stole my soul what can I do
I'll take it back, and so will you
Mon âme et mon amour
J'ai donné mon âme, mon âme et mon amour
She stole my soul and ran away
She stole my soul and ran away
She stole my soul and ran away
She stole my soul and ran away
The lyrics of Émilie Simon's "The Devil At My Door" are filled with symbolism and metaphor, leaving the interpretation of its meaning open to discussion. The chorus "I saw the devil at my door, I saw the devil she said, I can give you more" can be interpreted as a temptation coming from someone who has been to the darkest corners of life and has returned with the knowledge of how to fulfill our greatest desires. This person appears to be offering the singer more than what life has given her, but deep inside behind the door, nobody knows if this is what she really wants.
The following verse, "She stole my soul and ran away, I try to fix it every day," is an allusion to the classic story of Faust, who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and worldly pleasure. The singer may have fallen to the temptation, and now she is struggling to recover what she has lost. The repetition of "mon âme et mon amour" (my soul and my love) reinforces this idea, highlighting that the singer has given away not only her soul but also her love.
The song seems to be about the dangers of temptation and the consequences of indulging in our desires blindly. It suggests that we should be careful with what we wish for, and that sometimes the things we want the most can cause us irreparable harm.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw the devil at my door
The singer saw an ominous figure on the threshold.
I saw the devil" she said
Someone else confirmed seeing the devil.
"I can give you more"
The devil offered a tempting proposition.
She was walking by my side
The artist was in the company of an accomplice.
She said "Babe, if you trust me
You will never die"
The accomplice offered a false sense of security.
But deep inside behind the door
No one knows which way to go
Do you really want to know
The singer questions the true intentions of their companion and fear the even greater unknown lurking beyond.
She stole my soul and ran away
I try to fix it every day
The singer's soul was lost and they are struggling to recover from the loss.
Well, she stole my soul what can I do
I'll take it back, and so will you
The artist and the listener are determined to reclaim their souls from the thief.
Mon âme et mon amour
My soul and my love (repeated phrase)
J'ai donné mon âme, mon âme et mon amour
I gave my soul, my soul and my love.
Contributed by Lincoln B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.