Her father is Italian and her mother Icelandic. Emilíana grew up in Kópavogur where, at the age of 7, she joined a choir as a soprano. She continued with the choir until she went to opera school at the age of 15. Later she worked as waitress at her father's restaurant. In 1994, Emilíana became well-known at the age of 17 after winning the song competition for junior college students (Icelandic: Söngkeppni framhaldsskólanna), singing "I Will Survive".
Prior to her appearance on the worldwide stage, she released 3 other albums in Iceland: Spoon in 1994, Crouçie D'où Là in 1995, and Merman in 1996. Emilíana also worked with trip-hop group Gus Gus on their debut Polydistortion (1997) on two songs: Is Jesus Your Pal? and Why?.
Later Torrini continues to collaborate with other artists, notably composing Kylie Minogue's international #1 track Slow with Dan Carey in 2003, and providing the voice for Gollum's Song, the closing theme for the film "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers". Also in 2002, she sang vocals on Paul Oakenfold's song Hold Your Hand taken from his Bunkka album.
In 2003 she collaborated with Thievery Corporation on two songs Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes and Until the Morning from The Richest Man in Babylon (2005), and Slovo's debut album, Nommo.
Emilíana Torrini released her international debut album, Love In The Time Of Science in November 1999. This trip-hop album was produced by Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears. Four singles were issued: Dead Things, Baby Blue, To Be Free, and Unemployed in Summertime.
Working with Dan Carey, her second major album release released in 2005, Fisherman's Woman, signified a departure from her earlier electronic roots to an acoustic-folk sound; applying the ethereal beauty of her voice in a much more intimate setting, reminiscent of the work of Nick Drake and fellow Icelanders múm. The singles Lifesaver, Sunnyroad, and Heartstopper supported the album.
Her third album, Me and Armini was released on 8 September 2008, to generally good reviews. The album was promoted by three singles: Me and Armini, Big Jumps, and Jungle Drum. The single Jungle Drum became Emilíana's most successful song, reaching #1 in Iceland, Austria, Belgium, Germany, #5 on Finland, and #11 in Switzerland.
Her fourth international studio album, Tookah was released in 2013.
http://www.emilianatorrini.com/
Torrini has lately worked with Canada's Kid Koala, providing vocals on the ambient album Music To Draw To: Satellite, released in January 2017.
The album is described as "...his first non sample-based album, with all the instruments and effects being manipulated by him and him alone) and lyricist (a collaboration with Icelandic vocalist Emilíana Torrini, who somehow makes this sometimes stark, often celestial-sounding record even more chilling with her captivating performances on tracks like "Collapser" and "Adrift") — is able to transport listeners to the depths of space, or wherever their imagination wills them, with ease."
http://exclaim.ca/music/article/kid_koala-music_to_draw_to_satellite
Baby Blue
Emilíana Torrini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the company I keep
The perfect exercise
As I grow older
I can't believe what God has done
He took the heat out of the sun
And now it seems the world
Between the pleasure and the pain
Wishing your life away
No more sinister than sane
Briefing your life away
Between the flicker and the flame
No one can explain
Baby blue is born again
I'm looking for some place to go
Sucking out screams in stereo
Before my bare eyes
I saw her drowning
Keep my daughter in a jar
She can't get out she won't go far
My heart is in my mouth
But still keep pounding
Between the pleasure and the pain
Wishing your life away
No more sinister than sane
Briefing your life away
Between the flicker and the flame
No one can explain
Baby blue is born again
Between the pleasure and the pain
Wishing your life away
No more sinister than sane
Briefing your life away
Between the flicker and the flame
No one can explain
Baby blue is born again
In Emiliana Torrini's song "Baby Blue", there are a lot of metaphors and symbols that make it slightly challenging to interpret. The opening lines "boxing shadows in my sleep, it's the company I keep, the perfect exercise as I grow older" implies that the singer is constantly trying to tackle their inner demons, which is a difficult and possibly unattainable task. The boxing of shadows could be interpreted as a form of self-defense, trying to protect one's self from darkness or negative thoughts. The singer acknowledges that fighting with oneself is a good exercise as they grow older as it helps them gain endurance and strength. The following lines "I can't believe what God has done, he took the heat out of the sun, and now it seems the world is growing colder" hints towards the climate change and global warming that is affecting the world, and the singer blames God for the current state of affairs.
The chorus of the song talks about the conflict between pleasure and pain and how wishing away one’s life to escape discomfort is not healthy. It is also about how sometimes the sinister and the sane can be indistinguishable from each other. It is about the struggle to find meaning in life and to understand the things that are out of our control. The line "baby blue is born again" suggests that the singer has found a way to look at life with a fresh perspective and to find hope in difficult situations.
Overall, "Baby Blue" appears to be a song about the human experience, how we all experience pain and conflict differently, and how it is vital not to give up and to find hope in moments of darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Boxing shadows in my sleep
I am restless and haunted by my thoughts at night.
It's the company I keep
My own mind is the source of my struggles and anxieties.
The perfect exercise
This mental turmoil is something I have become accustomed to.
As I grow older
It seems that these struggles are not something that I simply grow out of.
I can't believe what God has done
The world feels like it is changing in unrecognizable ways.
He took the heat out of the sun
Things that were once constants are no longer predictable.
And now it seems the world
Everything around me is becoming colder and less familiar.
Is growing colder
Making sense of it all seems increasingly difficult.
Between the pleasure and the pain
Life is a constantly shifting balance of good and bad experiences.
Wishing your life away
It is easy to get caught up in the idea of a perfect life, rather than living in the present moment.
No more sinister than sane
The line between what is normal and what is not is blurry and subjective.
Briefing your life away
The moments and memories that truly matter can easily be lost in the blur of everyday life.
Between the flicker and the flame
Life is full of fleeting moments that quickly disappear into the past.
No one can explain
Despite our best efforts, some things simply cannot be understood or rationalized.
Baby blue is born again
Change can bring about new beginnings and fresh opportunities.
I'm looking for some place to go
I am searching for a sense of direction or purpose.
Sucking out screams in stereo
I am surrounded by chaos and noise.
Before my bare eyes
I am witnessing something that deeply impacts me.
I saw her drowning
Someone or something I care about is struggling and I feel unable to help.
Keep my daughter in a jar
I want to protect those I love from harm, even if it means keeping them close.
She can't get out she won't go far
This desire to protect can also become suffocating or limiting for those I love.
My heart is in my mouth
I am deeply affected and emotional about what is happening around me.
But still keep pounding
Despite the challenges and struggles, I keep pushing forward and persevering.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALAN GRIFFITHS, ROLAND ORZABAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paperdreamshandmade
I remember seeing this on MTV and I got immediately hooked. Her voice, her face, her style... So different from today's homogenisation. I miss that era so much. Or maybe I'm just getting older, and pointlessly nostalgic.
@mythirdchannel
visceral. her music and singing are just so exposed and present I'm in awe.
@bluedahliacharles
This song means so much to me I can't put it into words but I can definitely say it kept me holding on
@josifvarsanov9819
Great of the greatest voice ever heard❤❤
@derhenri
Hi Emiliana
my little daughter Emiliana
want to say Hello to You.
She loves your Music at least as much than her Daddy
Please come back to Germany soon.
Thank you for the Music ....
@spotflydog2794
one of the song i love. from years
@RaFilio
Emiliana is so spontaneous that I felt in love with her the first time I saw her...Greetings and hugs from Venezuela! You're so cute!!!
@helmuthanning
Love it.. and need it.
@taniahermen
Hay veces en que todos nos sentimos como Emiliana lo hizo en este vídeo...
@Ottavio_Farnese
Mamma mia
quanta nostalgia