Corneille developed an interest in music early on, and it was an interest his father supported and encouraged. His influences included Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole as well as Prince and other artists.
At 16 years old Corneille made his first recording, and was selected as a finalist in a music contest sponsored by the state run television station in Kigali. Corneille's childhood could be characterized as normal for a somewhat privileged youth brought up in a family with caring, highly educated parents.
Daily life in Kigali changed dramatically in 1994, when former President Habyarimana was assassinated, and the largest, most horrific genocide in modern history claimed over 800,000 victims.
Corneille managed to escape first to Kinshasa, and then to Germany, where he was adopted by friends of his parents. He stayed in Germany for three years completing his baccalaureate studies, before arriving ultimately in Montréal. Corneille enrolled in University when he landed in Montréal, but his focus was immediately diverted to music.
In Montréal at 20 years old, Corneille formed a band called O.N.E., meaning Original New Element. O.N.E. achieved modest success, thanks in part to a Ms. Jodi Richards, who supported and advised the band. When O.N.E. disbanded in 2001, Corneille again turned to Ms. Richards for advice. Ms. Richards imparted the belief that you are only an artist when you know what your art means, which became a guiding principal for Corneille.
In 2002 Corneille released his first studio album, 'Parce Qu'on Vient de Loin.' Initially, 'Parce Qu'on Vient de Loin' went for the most part unnoticed in Canada, but due in large part to promotional efforts made by Wagram, Corneille's label in France, Corneille's first album's sales skyrocketed. 'Ensemble' and 'Sans Rancunes,' were the first two hit singles from the album. Sales of 'Parce Qu'on Vient de Loin' gathered powerful momentum, but the album was still virtually unnoticed in Canada. DKD's (now DEJA Musique CEO) Janie Duquette completely re-released the album, with 'Rêves de Star' as the first single. By 2004 sales of 'Parce Qu'on Vient de Loin' on both sides of the Atlantic were booming. With sales reaching Platinum status in Canada, Corneille received his first Felix Award for Best Male Artist selected by the public at the 'Gala de la Disque' in Montréal. Meanwhile in France sales of the album reached over 500,000 copies.
In 2005 Corneille's ascent continued, as he recorded a song with Senegalese superstar Youssou N'Dour, in support of Unicef and the fight against AIDS. Corneille is a Red Cross Canada spokeperson, has been made a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, and continues to be active in those and other humanitarian roles.
In 2005 Corneille's second studio album, 'Les Marchands de Rêves' was released to rave critical reviews.
In 2007, Corneille earned and signed contracts with Sony Music Japan, and with UniversalMotown for the World ex-Japan (SMJI), France (Wagram) & Canada (DEJA). With these partners, as well as Universal Music Group partners in the UK and elsewhere, and with help from all of you at corneille.ca, Corneille's fanbase is becoming truly global.
On November 20, 2007, Corneille was given the award for best International Singer-songwriter by SOCAN. Look for 'The Birth of Cornelius' US' release on UniversalMOTOWN in Spring 2008. Corneille, a man of this world, and an artist whose time is now...
Overjoyed
Corneille Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My castle of love
Just for two, though you never
Knew you were my reason
I've gone much too far for you
Now to say
That I've got to throw my
Castle away
Over dreams, I have picked out
A perfect come true
Though you never knew it was
Of you I've been dreaming
The sandman has come from
Too far away
For you to say come back some
Other day
And though you don't believe
That they do
They do come true
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you
Would believe
You too might be
Overjoyed, over loved, over me
Over hearts, I have painfully
Turned every stone
Just to find, I had found what
I've searched to discover
I've come much too far for me
Now to find
The love that I sought can never
Be mine
And though you don't believe
That they do
They do come true
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you
Would believe
You too might be
Overjoyed, over loved, over me
And though the odds
Say improbable
What do they know
For in romance
All true love needs is a chance
And maybe with a chance you
Will find
You too like I
Overjoyed, over loved, over
You, over you
The song "Overjoyed" by Corneille is a heartfelt declaration of love that the singer has been building over time. The lyrics reveal how the singer has been working hard to build a "castle of love" that was meant for two, but the person he was building it for didn't know she was the reason. He acknowledges that he has gone too far for her and he cannot just throw his castle away. With dreams in his heart, he had already envisioned a perfect life with this person, but all those dreams were shattered when reality hit hard. As he was searching for love, he has painfully turned every stone just to find out that the love he sought cannot be his.
The chorus of the song is hopeful, indicating that the singer still has hope for love. Despite all the odds against him, he still believes in love's power to come true. He tells his beloved that his dreams came true once he laid his eyes on her, and she too could feel the same way if she believed. The song implies that despite the heartache and disillusionment he has faced, the singer still has faith in love and that with a chance, he could find the love he desperately seeks.
Overall, the song is about the power of hope and how it can make a person feel overjoyed and over loved. It's a heartfelt declaration of love that is both desperate and hopeful, revealing the singer's deep yearning for his beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Over time, I've been building
My castle of love
Just for two, though you never
Knew you were my reason
I've spent a long time creating a loving environment for us, even though you didn't realize that you were the spark that started it
I've gone much too far for you
Now to say
That I've got to throw my
Castle away
I've invested too much into this relationship to walk away now, but it seems like I'll have to
Over dreams, I have picked out
A perfect come true
Though you never knew it was
Of you I've been dreaming
I've had a dream that was perfect for me, but you didn't know that it was you I wanted in it
The sandman has come from
Too far away
For you to say come back some
Other day
I'm dreaming a long-term dream that can't be realised any time soon, so you can't say 'let's wait and see'
And though you don't believe
That they do
They do come true
Even though you don't have much hope in our relationship working out, I still believe it can
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you
Would believe
When I saw you, I knew you were the one for me, maybe if you look deep inside, you'll find that you feel the same
You too might be
Overjoyed, over loved, over me
You could feel the joy and love I have for you, and feel the same for me
Over hearts, I have painfully
Turned every stone
Just to find, I had found what
I've searched to discover
I've searched high and low to find the love I need, finally, I did find it
I've come much too far for me
Now to find
The love that I sought can never
Be mine
I've come a long way, only to realise that the love I've been chasing can never belong to me
And though the odds
Say improbable
What do they know
For in romance
All true love needs is a chance
And maybe with a chance you
Will find
People say that it's impossible for our love to work, but what do they know? Love is all about having a chance, and maybe with that chance, we'll find happiness
You too like I
Overjoyed, over loved, over
You, over you
Just like me, you too can feel an overwhelming sense of joy and love for each other
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVIE WONDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JOSÉ MACIEL DA SILVA RAMOS
TRÊS MARAVILHAS JUNTAS - UMA BELÍSSIMA MÚSICA - UM ESPETACULAR CANTOR / INTERPRETE (CORNEILLE) E O GRANDE STEVIE WONDER - DESSE JEITO NÃO TEM PRÁ NINGUÉM!!!!
Marie-Irma Biboutou
Love youuuuuuuuuu
barattiamo81
Cosa c'è di peggio quando la persona che ami ti distrugge quel castello che credevi di aver costruito insieme a lei con i vostri sogni ed in realtà eri solo tu a sognare?!
Aziz Tiokampobet
T'es mon meilleur