Emilíana Torrini (Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir, born on 16 May 1977 in Kóp… Read Full Bio ↴Emilíana Torrini (Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir, born on 16 May 1977 in Kópavogur, Iceland) is an Icelandic singer-songwriter.

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

Elisabet
Emilíana Torrini Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh beneath the waves
Songs surround me
Heaven binds me to a place we lost
Inside a plane thoughts deceive me
Your truths with me
Time and time and time and time and

Elísabet we're calling out to another

when all is said
Oh world give silence silence silence

Come out from the dark
Nights a whisper
Faces flicker n'anchored by your fire
Sleeping on the sand
Night surrenders
Shadows cower
In wait in wait in wait in wait and

Elísabet the distance sounds of bells
Surround you

When all is said
Oh mind give silence silence silence silence

Overall Meaning

The song "Elisabet" by Emilíana Torrini is a haunting and introspective portrayal of the singer's thoughts and emotions as she contemplates the world around her. The opening lines "Oh beneath the waves, songs surround me" suggests a deep sense of immersion and entrapment, where the singer is being pulled in by the surrounding sounds and forces of life. The following lines "Heaven binds me to a place we lost, inside a plane thoughts deceive me" are deeply existential, suggesting a sense of loss and disconnection from the world, and a lack of clarity and understanding about her place in it.

The chorus "Elísabet we're calling out to another, when all is said, oh world give silence, silence, silence" is a plea for a deeper understanding and a sense of peace in a world that can be overwhelming and chaotic. The verses that follow continue this theme, with lines like "Come out from the dark, nights a whisper, faces flicker n'anchored by your fire, sleeping on the sand, night surrenders" painting a vivid picture of a journey towards understanding and a deeper sense of self-awareness.

Overall, "Elisabet" is a deeply personal and introspective song that speaks to the universal desire for understanding and a deeper connection with the world around us.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh beneath the waves
I am underwater, where songs and sounds are all around me.

Songs surround me
I am in the midst of a musical experience, immersed in the sounds of the ocean.

Heaven binds me to a place we lost
I feel both consoled and trapped by memories of a place and time that have passed, and long for the comfort of heaven in this loss.

Inside a plane thoughts deceive me
As I am flying in a plane, my thoughts are confused and disorienting, making it hard for me to distinguish reality from my inner dreams and visions.

Your truths with me
Nevertheless, your truths are still with me, even as I try to navigate through the world of my own mind.

Time and time and time and time and
This phrase emphasizes how time seems to drag on and on, as I struggle with my thoughts and memories.

Elísabet we're calling out to another
I am reaching out to someone named Elísabet, looking for some kind of connection or reassurance.

when all is said
By the end of it all, after everything has been said and done, I hope for some kind of resolution or clarity.

Oh world give silence silence silence
I long for peace and quiet in a noisy and chaotic world, a space where I can calm my inner turmoil.

Come out from the dark
I want to emerge from a place of darkness and confusion, and find light and clarity in the world and within myself.

Nights a whisper
In the quiet of the night, I hear a whisper of hope and possibility.

Faces flicker n'anchored by your fire
As I imagine your power and strength, I see faces flicker around me, and feel anchored by the warmth and light of your inner fire.

Sleeping on the sand
As I lie down on the beach, I feel at peace and rest, even as my mind is still in motion.

Night surrenders
As the night turns to day, I feel a sense of surrender and release, a letting go of my inner struggles and fears.

Shadows cower
Even as I face my fears and confront the shadows within me, they begin to shrink and cower, as I become stronger.

In wait in wait in wait in wait and
As I wait for whatever may come next, I hold onto hope and strength, even in the face of uncertainty.

Elísabet the distance sounds of bells
Once again, I am calling out to Elísabet, but this time I hear the sounds of bells ringing from a distance, adding to the mystical, otherworldly feel of the song.

Surround you
These bells surround Elísabet, perhaps symbolizing her power and strength.

When all is said
Again, I am searching for some kind of resolution or clarity, even as I face the unknown.

Oh mind give silence silence silence silence
Once again, I long for inner peace and quiet, even as my mind is in motion.

Contributed by Annabelle N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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