Born on October 27th 1991 in Kvinnherad, Norway, he won the second season of Norske Talenter at the young age of 16, and much was made of how his emo fashion sense (e.g. coloured hair, facial piercings, black clothing) contrasted sharply with his fairly conventional musical style. Upon signing a major-label recording contract with Sony BMG in the aftermath of this first-place finish on Norske Talenter, Bratland made his commercial debut in 2008 with "Lost", a song written by Dutch pop singer Anouk. A number one smash hit on the Norwegian charts, "Lost" was followed by another chart-topping hit, "Still Water".
In the wake of these smash hits, Bratland released his full-length album debut, "True Colors", an English-language effort laden with well-known cover songs, among them Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box", Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors", Joni Mitchell's "River" and Queen's "Love of My Life". "True Colors" charted in the Norwegian albums Top Five for seven weeks and peaked at number two.
After 5 years of self-imposed break from the singing career, Bratland was back in 2014 with two singles, "In My Head" and "Silent Sister". Sporting a new and tougher image, he's going to participate in Melodi Grand Prix, the Norwegian final for the Eurovision Song Contest, in March 2015. He's going to perform with the song "Thunderstruck", which he wrote with Swedish songwriters, Linnea and Joy Deb.
True Colors
Erlend Bratland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be discouraged
Oh, I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And darkness still inside you
Makes you feel so small
But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors,
True colors, are beautiful,
Like a rainbow.
Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy,
Can't remember when
I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there
And I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
That's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors,
True colors, are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
And I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
That's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors,
True colors, are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
The lyrics of "True Colors" by Erlend Bratland are a poignant message of encouragement and support for someone feeling down and discouraged due to the hardships they faced in life. In the opening lines, the singer acknowledges the sadness in the person's eyes and assures them that they understand it is hard to find the strength to face life's challenges. The world can be overwhelming, causing us to lose sight of what is important and make us feel insignificant.
However, the singer sees beyond the darkness and acknowledges the true beauty of the person's personality, expressed in their "true colors." The phrase "true colors" is a metaphor for one's genuine personality and character, which might not be readily visible to others. The singer encourages the person to embrace their authenticity and not be afraid to let their "true colors" show because they are "beautiful, like a rainbow." Through the metaphor of a rainbow, the song suggests that one's unique personality and individuality can be appreciated, just like everyone admires the beauty of a rainbow.
The song's second verse continues the theme of empathy and support, as the singer urges the person to smile and not feel unhappy. They remind them that the singer will always be there for them if they need support. The song ends with the repeated chorus, emphasizing the idea that everyone has "true colors" that are beautiful and should be celebrated.
Line by Line Meaning
You with the sad eyes
I notice you're feeling down
Don't be discouraged
Don't lose hope
Oh, I realize
I understand
It's hard to take courage
It can be difficult to find the strength to carry on
In a world full of people
With so many people around
You can lose sight of it all
You can lose sight of what's important
And darkness still inside you
You still have your own struggles to overcome
Makes you feel so small
Makes you feel insignificant
But I see your true colors
But I see who you truly are
Shining through
Coming out despite the challenges
That's why I love you
I appreciate you for who you are
So don't be afraid to let them show
Don't be scared to show your true self
Your true colors,
Your personality and character
True colors, are beautiful,
Your true self is amazing and deserves recognition
Like a rainbow
Just like a rainbow, it's a spectrum of qualities that make you who you are
Show me a smile then
Let me see a smile on your face
Don't be unhappy,
Cheer up
Can't remember when I last saw you laughing
It's been a while since you were truly happy
If this world makes you crazy
If the world overwhelms you
And you've taken all you can bear
And you can't handle anymore
You call me up
You reach out to me
Because you know I'll be there
Because you know I'll support you
Contributed by Carter G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
alina baykalova
Talented guy....
Ole Orud
Jeg elsker denne sangen
Carro
So beautiful..
Ricardo Romero
La mejor versión después de cindy claro, felicidades
FreaKxInxYourxEyes
Har detta platå eg :) og har møtt Erlend i byn ein gång :P hah Men ser han ikkje i d sista da .. trist for han har faktisk kjempe fine stemme .. bless
Ole Orud
Jeg liker denne sangen
Ole Orud
Jeg liker både pupper og rumpe