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.
Million Pieces
Emmy Rossum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel the cold dissolve.
Black clouds rolling overhead.
Part of me is gone.
Like water now within my hands,
You're nothing I can hold.
As every second slips away,
I'm undone.
Without you now I'm in a million pieces.
Undone.
I'm not myself if you say I am not yours.
Porcelain white, the storm sets in.
Unraveling my life.
Cut my hands on broken glass.
Holding on too tight.
I'm barely held with tape and string.
And I'm still alive.
This heavy heart is caving under this goodbye.
I'm undone.
Without you now I'm in a million pieces.
Undone.
I'm not myself if you say I am not yours.
Undone.
Without you now just echoes in the silence.
Undone.
I'm nowhere now if you say I'm not yours.
Why can't I just let go?
Would you leave my head alone?
Please now now I can't take anymore.
Going around around.
I'm going nowhere fast.
Here I am.
I'm undone.
Without you now I'm in a million pieces.
Undone.
I'm not myself if you say I am not yours.
Undone.
Without you now just echoes in the silence.
Undone.
I'm nowhere now if you say I'm not yours.
The lyrics of Emmy Rossum's Million Pieces highlights the feeling of being lost and brokenhearted. In the initial part of the song, the singer feels alone and shattered, with a part of her missing. She compares the situation to water that she can no longer hold, slipping away every second. She confesses that without the person who captured her heart, she is in a million pieces, revealing her vulnerability and dependence. The storm continues to set in, disrupting her life and leaving her to unravel. The singer's pain and despair continue as she confesses that she's barely holding on with tape and string, with her heavy heart giving in to the goodbye.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the fact that without the person she loves, she's undone and that she's not herself if they deny her love. The singer feels like she's going nowhere fast, going around, around, and wants to be left alone by the memories of her ex, but finds herself lost, asking for help or freedom from the pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Shiver cold I stand alone.
I feel cold and alone.
Feel the cold dissolve.
The cold feeling is going away.
Black clouds rolling overhead.
The sky is dark and gloomy.
Part of me is gone.
I feel like a part of me is missing.
Like water now within my hands, You're nothing I can hold.
You slip through my fingers; I can't keep you close.
As every second slips away, I've nothing left to show.
Time is passing, and I have nothing to show for it.
I'm undone. Without you now I'm in a million pieces.
I am falling apart without you.
Undone. I'm not myself if you say I am not yours.
Without you, I feel like I am not myself.
Porcelain white, the storm sets in. Unraveling my life.
A white storm is coming and tearing my life apart.
Cut my hands on broken glass. Holding onto tight.
I am hurting myself by holding onto something that is broken.
I'm barely held with tape and string. And I'm still alive.
I am barely holding on, but I am still alive.
This heavy heart is caving under this goodbye.
Saying goodbye is too much for me to handle.
Without you now just echoes in the silence.
I am alone, and the silence reminds me of it.
I'm nowhere now if you say I'm not yours.
Without you, I feel lost and aimless.
Why can't I just let go?
I wish I could move on and let go of what is hurting me.
Would you leave my head alone?
I can't stop thinking about you, and it's hard to handle.
Please now I can't take anymore.
I am at my limit and can't handle any more pain.
Going around around. I'm going nowhere fast.
I feel stuck and like I'm not moving forward.
Here I am.
I am still here, struggling, but not giving up.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: EMMY ROSSUM, STUART BRAWLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind