Icon For Hire is a rock band formed in 2007 from Decatur, Illinois. The cur… Read Full Bio ↴Icon For Hire is a rock band formed in 2007 from Decatur, Illinois. The current lineup consists of frontwoman, vocalist Ariel Bloomer, better known as Ariel alone and guitarist Shawn Jump.

Icon For Hire has released three full length albums: Scripted, Icon For Hire and YOU CAN'T KILL US.

Released in 2011, their first album Scripted shattered first-week sales becoming the highest new artist debut in Tooth & Nail Records history. The record debuted on the Billboard Top 200, at No. 4, on the iTunes Rock chart, and No. 19 on the iTunes overall albums chart.

Icon For Hire released their second full length self-titled album Icon For Hire in October 2013 on the Tooth and Nail label. Producer Mike Green (All Time Low, The Wanted, Pierce The Veil) was at the mixer to follow up their debut album, Scripted.

After spending a remarkable 18 months touring around the world, the group returned to their hometown of Decatur, IL to write their new record. Icon For Hire is set to push the boundaries of music and fashion far beyond their debut. According to the guitarist, Shawn Jump, “We wrote and dreamed about this record away from everything. We needed a safe place where we could all get to “spirit,” and maximize our different influences.” Added drummer, Adam Kronshagen, “There’s been undeniable friction in the songwriting process. We love knowing that you will definitely hear the element of conflict inside of every song we wrote.

The band's video, “Off With Her Head,” received 200k views its first week. Frontwoman and fashion designer, Ariel, worked with the team for weeks to create an avant-garde interpretation of the hit song. The group spent two days in Compton, CA (South Los Angeles) filming the video with a variety of the hottest underground artists.

Icon For Hire moved towards a new chapter of the band in 2016. Adam Kronshagen left the band to spend more time with his family coupled with a split with their record label Tooth & Nail the band decided to go it alone, or so it seemed. The band put together a plan for a kick starter project backed by their own fans. The kick starter reached its target in a matter of days. The album YOU CAN'T KILL US was released in stages throughout the year to those who have backed the kick starter project and there were physical copies on sale in December 2016 when it was completed.

On October 23, 2018, the band uploaded a video to their YouTube channel titled "Supposed To Be Acoustic Sessions Video Teaser", announcing their first video session to come soon, as well as that the Still Can't Kill Us: The Acoustic Sessions album would be released on December 7. The band released their "Supposed to Be" Acoustic Video on October 26, their "Get Well II" Acoustic Video on November 8, and "Demons" Acoustic Video on November 23. The tracks were also uploaded to Spotify as singles. A new album The Reckoning was released in September 2022.

Ariel Bloomer - Vocals,
Shawn Jump - Guitar,
Adam Kronshagen - Drums,
Josh Kincheloe - Bass.

Pernilla
Icon for Hire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

VI
I can't help but close my eyes for life
And dream a different ending
When I wake I won't be so exhausted
And I'll stop with my pretending
That I'm fine; I'm fine if I can fool myself tonight
And my lie will drown out all of yours

VII
You will bleed for what your hands have done
You can't outrun your ending
And I'll get well long before you let yourself
I may forgive you but you never will

Chorus:
I will not bend until I break
How much can one bruised body take
Just not enough to silence me
You're only a memory
I'll scream these words 'till they come true
Then I will think no more of you
Look back on what I'm going through
This isn't my identity

Bridge:
And I told you, I told you
You had no right, how damaged you must be
Watch you panic, it's tragic, you'll carry this for life
You have my sympathy

This isn't my identity, you're only a memory....

Overall Meaning

Icon for Hire's song "Pernilla" is an emotional and powerful track that touches upon themes of vulnerability, resilience, and emotional pain. The song starts off with the chorus singer admitting that they cannot help but close their eyes and dream of a different reality, one where they don't have to pretend to be fine. The lyrics suggest that the singer is overwhelmed with the exhaustion of carrying emotional pain and trauma, and they use their dreams as a way to escape reality.

In the verse, the singer turns their attention to someone else who has caused harm to them. They sing about how this person will ultimately have to face the consequences of their actions and cannot escape their fate. Meanwhile, the singer hopes to find healing and move on from the pain that this person has caused. However, they acknowledge that forgiving this person won't necessarily mean the same thing for them, as the emotional scars may linger on.

The chorus highlights the singer's determination to stand strong and not break under the weight of their pain. They refuse to let their abuser silence them and make it clear that they won't stop speaking out until they have healed completely. The bridge serves as a warning to the abuser that their actions have consequences and that they will have to live with them for the rest of their lives. The singer expresses sympathy towards them but also makes it clear that they will not be a victim anymore, and this pain is not their identity.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't help but close my eyes for life
I find myself daydreaming about a different life that I can no longer escape. My desire to start anew is so strong that I've surrendered any hope for the present.

And dream a different ending
In my dreams, I conjure up alternate realities in which the events of my life play out differently. These fantasies are a desperate attempt to find respite from the harsh reality I face in my waking life.

When I wake I won't be so exhausted
The emotional pain of day-to-day life has left me feeling drained and physically exhausted. I long for a new reality in which I no longer feel this way.

And I'll stop with my pretending
I've reached the point where I can no longer deceive myself. The life I'm living is not the one I want, and I need to stop pretending that everything is okay.

That I'm fine; I'm fine if I can fool myself tonight
I'm at a point where the only way I can feel okay is by lying to myself. The truth is too painful to face, and the only way to cope is to pretend everything is okay.

And my lie will drown out all of yours
I've lied to myself so much that I find myself unable to trust anyone else's version of the truth. My lies have overtaken my reality, and they've consumed me entirely.

You will bleed for what your hands have done
The harm you've caused me will have repercussions on your life as well. The pain you've inflicted will come back to haunt you, and you'll suffer the consequences of your actions.

You can't outrun your ending
No matter how much you try to escape from the consequences of your actions, they will catch up with you eventually. Your past will always be a part of you, no matter how hard you try to ignore it.

And I'll get well long before you let yourself
I'm actively seeking out ways to heal and move on from the pain you've caused me. I'm making progress, while you continue to let your guilt consume you and hold you back.

I may forgive you but you never will
Though I may be able to find forgiveness in my heart for the harm you've caused, you'll never be able to forgive yourself. The weight of your actions is too great, and it will haunt you for the rest of your life.

I will not bend until I break
I'm determined to resist the pain and suffering you've caused me, no matter how hard it becomes. I will not let you break me or bend me to your will.

How much can one bruised body take
The emotional and physical damage I've sustained is substantial. I'm physically and mentally bruised and battered, and I'm unsure how much more I can withstand.

Just not enough to silence me
Despite the harm you've inflicted, you will never be able to quiet my voice or my determination. I will continue to stand up for myself and resist you at every turn.

You're only a memory
You've caused me immense harm, but I'm done allowing you to define me. You're no longer a part of my present or my future, and I'm moving on from the harm you've caused.

I'll scream these words 'till they come true
I'll keep fighting for my reality until it becomes my truth. I'll resist the harm you've caused me, and I'll continue to speak out until my voice is finally heard.

Then I will think no more of you
Once I've finally moved on from the harm you've caused me, I'll no longer give you a second thought. You will be nothing more than a distant memory.

Look back on what I'm going through
When I look back on this period of my life, I'll see the immense pain and suffering I've overcome. I'll be proud of my resilience and my ability to move past the harm you've caused me.

This isn't my identity
The pain and harm you've caused me do not define me. I'm more than what you've done to me, and I'm actively seeking out ways to break free of your hold on my life.

And I told you, I told you
I warned you about the harm your actions would cause, but you ignored my pleas for help. You chose to carry out your hurtful actions regardless of the harm they would cause.

You had no right, how damaged you must be
You had no right to cause me harm, and your actions suggest that you're deeply wounded yourself. Your hurtful behavior likely stems from your own untreated pain and trauma.

Watch you panic, it's tragic, you'll carry this for life
I can see you grappling with the guilt and panic that comes with the realization that your actions have caused harm. You'll carry the weight of your actions for the rest of your life.

You have my sympathy
Despite the harm you've caused me, I have sympathy for the pain you're experiencing. I understand how difficult it can be to confront the harm you've caused and grapple with the consequences of your actions.

Contributed by Arianna P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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