She cites Dolly Parton, Madonna, Cher, and Barbra Streisand as some of her influences among others. Rossum offers that, "I was inspired to cut this album because I'm so frustrated listening to the radio these days. There is so little emotional honesty.” Her own songs are reflective of her inner thoughts, often about relationships and “getting hurt, wanting the other person back, not wanting to be the first person to go back.”
She joined Counting Crows, Augustana, and Michael Franti & Spearhead as a "special guest" for select performances of the "Traveling Circus and Medicine Show" tour in the summer of 2009. In 2010, Rossum sang a song called "Cruel One" on singer Alex Band's debut solo album We've All Been There. On the track she sings with Band and Chantal Kreviazuk. The song is available on the album's deluxe edition.
In November 2012, Rossum announced that her second album would be released on Warner Bros.. Sentimental Journey was released on January 29, 2013. Unlike Inside Out on which Rossum wrote the songs herself, Sentimental Journey is a collection of covers of classic songs that span the ‘20s to the ‘60s. Rossum selected these songs because "Classics, jazz, and standards really infused my childhood and so it felt quite natural to finally make this record.” Rossum designed the album as a musical calendar that takes the listener through an emotional journey over all the months of a year - “Each song needed to either lyrically or emotionally reflect the corresponding month.” Sentimental Journey peaked at 92 on the U.S. Charts. It also hit number one on the US Billboard Charts Top Jazz Albums.
Rossum does not consider herself an opera singer, but she has described herself as a light lyric soprano, though she admits her voice is still developing.
She currently stars on the Showtime dramedy Shameless, as Fiona Gallagher.
Anymore
Emmy Rossum Lyrics
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She stood staring at the door.
Waiting for the day,
That she knew would surely come.
Tied bows in her hair.
Dressed as she thought you'd like.
But as time ticked away,
And now she's all grown.
Made it through on her own.
Now strong enough to see,
You've been where you want to be.
No longer dying inside,
I will not let you define,
Everything that I am,
By the one thing I don't have,
Because I'm more than that.
I will not be made to hide,
These tears wont fall for you this time.
I will not be ashamed of my name,
Anymore.
Sometimes she wonders.
Imagines what you're like.
The emptiness inside,
That made you miss her life.
The oceans widen,
With all your silence.
Leaves her daydreams behind.
Childish fantasies unwind.
And now she knows,
You're not coming home.
Takes the bows from her hair,
Cause she's been waiting twenty years.
No longer dying inside,
I will not let you define,
Everything that I am,
By the one thing I don't have,
Because I'm more than that.
I will not be made to hide,
These tears wont fall for you this time.
I will not be ashamed of my name,
Anymore.
No longer dying inside,
I will not let you define,
Everything that I am,
By the one thing I don't have,
Because I'm more than that.
I will not be made to hide,
These tears wont fall for you this time.
I will not be ashamed of my name,
Anymore.
The lyrics to Emmy Rossum's "Anymore" tell the story of a woman who has grown up waiting for her absent father to return. As a child, she stood at the door, dressed up and waiting for the day he would come back into her life. But as time passed, she realized that he wasn't coming and began to build a life of her own. Now an adult and no longer defined by the absence of her father, she reflects on the pain of waiting and the sadness of missed opportunities. Despite all of this, she makes the decision to no longer let her father's absence or her past define her, and instead focuses on being strong, proud of her name, and living her life for herself.
The song is a poignant reminder that the burden of waiting for someone who may never return can be incredibly heavy, and that living a life defined by another's actions (or lack thereof) can be suffocating. It also speaks to the power of resilience and self-love in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
When she was younger,
As a child, she would stand by the door, waiting for the day she knew would come.
Tied bows in her hair.
She would dress as she thought you'd like, trying to please you.
Promises fade one by one.
As time went by, your promises started to fade away.
And now she's all grown.
Now grown up, she has made it through on her own.
You've been where you want to be.
You have achieved what you wanted in life.
No longer dying inside,
She won't let you define her anymore and won't hide her emotions.
Because I'm more than that.
She is more than just the one thing she doesn't have.
These tears wont fall for you this time.
She won't cry for you anymore.
Sometimes she wonders.
She still wonders what you're like and why you missed her life.
The emptiness inside,
She thinks about the emptiness inside you that caused you to miss her life.
And now she knows,
She knows now that you're not coming home after waiting for twenty years.
These tears wont fall for you this time.
She won't cry for you anymore.
I will not be ashamed of my name,
She won't be ashamed of her family name anymore.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: EMMY ROSSUM, STUART BRAWLEY, VINCE PIZZINGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind