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
Life Saver
Emilíana Torrini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your timing's really strange
Catch me later
But can you please be late
And it's funny how your thoughts think they're right at all
And it's funny how your cause makes no sense at all
Let's play a little game
Catch me later
But make sure you'll be there late
And it's funny how it seems you're doing things
And its funny how you find your peace of mind
Lifesaver
I'm canceling our date
Lifesaver
It's time you had a break
Lifesaver
I'm canceling our date
Lifesaver
My saver
These lyrics suggest a clear power dynamic taking place in a relationship. The singer is addressing someone who they refer to as a "lifesaver". Perhaps this person previously helped them in some way, but now the singer seems to be growing tired of their presence. The repeated phrase "catch me later, but can you please be late" displays a feeling of annoyance towards this person's insistence on spending time with the singer. The singer seems to want to distance themselves from this person, but they can't seem to do so without hurting their feelings.
The second verse suggests that the singer finds this person's behavior and thoughts to be nonsensical. It's unclear what specific actions or beliefs the singer is referring to, but it's clear that they find them frustrating. The line "let's play a little game" sounds almost sarcastic, as if the singer is poking fun at the idea of spending time with this person.
The final verse brings the song to a close with the singer finally canceling their plans with the "lifesaver". It's possible that the singer feels guilty for wanting to distance themselves from this person, which is why they use the term "lifesaver" in a somewhat sarcastic way. By the end of the song, the singer seems to have finally made the decision to prioritize their own well-being over that of the "lifesaver".
Line by Line Meaning
Lifesaver
This song is about someone who is unreliable, but the singer pretends they are a lifesaver to make themselves feel better.
Your timing's really strange
The unreliable person always shows up at odd times.
Catch me later
The singer is willing to see the unreliable person later, but not right now.
But can you please be late
The artist wants the unreliable person to be late, so they have an excuse not to see them.
And it's funny how your thoughts think they're right at all
The unreliable person believes they are always right, even if they are not making sense.
And it's funny how your cause makes no sense at all
The unreliable person is hard to understand because their motives are unclear.
Let's play a little game
The singer is trying to keep things light-hearted, even though the unreliable person is frustrating.
But make sure you'll be there late
Again, the artist is hoping the unreliable person will be late, so they don't have to deal with them.
And it's funny how it seems you're doing things
The unreliable person appears to be doing things, but it's unclear what those things are or if they are helpful.
And its funny how you find your peace of mind
Despite being unreliable, the person seems to have found some inner peace.
I'm canceling our date
The singer has had enough of the unreliable person and is canceling plans.
It's time you had a break
The artist thinks the unreliable person needs a break from their responsibilities.
My saver
The singer realizes that they, not the unreliable person, are their own savior and can take control of their own life.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL DE MUSSENDEN CAREY, EMILIANA TORRINI, SIGGI BALDURSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind