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

Today Has Been OK
Emilíana Torrini Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Friends tell me it's spring
My window show the same
Without you here the seasons pass me by
I know you were not new
That loved like me and you
All the same I miss you
Today has been OK
Today has been OK

The preacher lost his son
He's known by all in town
He found him with another son of God
Feeding on the prayer
Never mind what God said
But love had lost its cause
And I thought today had been OK
Today has been OK
Today has been OK

Wind has burned your skin
The lovely air so thin
The salty water's underneath your feet
No one's gone in vain
Here is where you'll stay
'Cause life has been insane but
Today has been OK
Today has been OK

Today has been OK
Today has been OK

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Emiliana Torrini's song "Today Has Been Ok" is a reflection on the passing of time, human relationships, and the acceptance of life's ups and downs. The opening line, "friends tell me it's spring, my window shows the same," portrays how life is ephemeral and how time is passing that sometimes we miss the seasons, and we tend to get stuck in the past. The singer also notes how without a loved one, cycles and passing trends are usually meaningless. However, there's acceptance despite the pain.

The second verse mentions a preacher who has lost his son, and the backstory is about the discovery of the son with another man. The lines "never mind what God said, but love has lost its cause" further emphasize the idea of acceptance and how life may take unexpected turns. The song's tone is melancholic, and the melody is mellow, especially on the chorus, where she repeats the line "today has been OK" three times, indicating a more relaxed and meditative process.

The final verse is about the wind, the salty water, and how life is insane yet remains OK. The lines "No one's gone in vain, here is where you'll stay," suggests how life goes on despite loss and the significance of the memories you keep with you. The lasting impact of those memories and moments is what remains with you and brings comfort in life's insane moments. The song comfortingly reminds listeners that even though life may take us through unexpected paths, we'll be okay, and today has been okay.

Line by Line Meaning

Friends tell me it's spring
Even though people around me say that it's spring, I don't feel the change of the season.

My window show the same
The view outside my window is still gray and gloomy like any other day.

Without you here the seasons pass me by
I don't notice the passage of time because I feel like I'm stuck in one place without you.

I know you were not new
I know that you weren't the first to love me, but you were the one who mattered the most.

That loved like me and you
We shared a love that was unique to us and couldn't be replaced.

All the same I miss you
I still feel your absence even though I know I have to move on.

The preacher lost his son
A man of God who is known in the town has lost his own child.

He's known by all in town
The preacher is a respected figure in the community and people know who he is.

He found him with another son of God
The preacher found his son in a compromising position with another man, who is also a Christian.

Feeding on the prayer
Instead of staying true to his faith, the preacher's son was indulging in forbidden acts within their religion.

Never mind what God said
The preacher's son disregarded what their faith dictates and followed his own desires.

But love had lost its cause
Despite the disregard for their religion, the preacher's son was still driven by love, which has led to his downfall.

And I thought today had been OK
I thought things were going well for me today, until I heard about the preacher's misfortune.

Wind has burned your skin
The wind has treated you roughly and you've been through a lot.

The lovely air so thin
Even though the air and surroundings may be beautiful, it's not enough to make up for the hardships you've faced.

The salty water's underneath your feet
You're standing by the sea, but it feels like the saltiness of the water is a metaphor for the bitterness of life.

No one's gone in vain
Whatever happened in the past, it wasn't all for nothing.

Here is where you'll stay
You will always be here, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

'Cause life has been insane but
Life may be chaotic and unpredictable, but...

Today has been OK
At least for today, everything seems to be alright.