Heap grew up playing music from an early age, and by her eleventh birthday she was writing her own songs. From the age of 15, she studied at the BRIT School Of Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon, South London, recording three tracks for the school's annual CD between 1994 and 1995, "Aliens" being the title track of the latter.
After being introduced to Nik Kershaw by his manager Mickey Modern, Heap and Kershaw recorded four demos that Mickey Modern took to Rondor Music. Consequently, a few months later Heap signed her first record contract at 18 to independent record label Almo Sounds. During 1996, Heap began working with an experimental pop band called Acacia, which featured her future collaborator Guy Sigsworth and was fronted by the singer Alexander Nilere. While never a full member of the band, Heap was a guest vocalist (as a counterpart to Nilere) and contributed to various Acacia single and album tracks in 1997. One Acacia song, "Maddening Shroud", would later be covered by Frou Frou.
Heap enjoyed a prestigious live début, performing four songs (backed by friends Acacia) between sets by The Who and Eric Clapton at the 1996 Prince's Trust Concert in Hyde Park, London. Her début album, I Megaphone (an anagram of "Imogen Heap") was internationally released in 1998 on independent record label Almo Sounds and garnered critical acclaim. However, as production of the album neared completion, it was announced that the record label had been sold and would be shut down. I-Megaphone featured collaborations with Guy Sigsworth and Dave Stewart. In Japan, the regional distributor, Zora, re-released the album in 2002, featuring "Blanket," her collaboration with Urban Species which was released as a single in the United Kingdom, and a Frou Frou remix of one of her B-sides, a video to which was released exclusively to Japanese media. Following the disbanding of her UK and USA record label, I Megaphone was scarce in circulation, having not been re-printed until November 2006. An independent Brazillian record label has rights to the record, and has issued limited copies, some of which are available on eBay. It has also been released through the iTunes Music Store under the Almo label.
At the same time as the Japanese re-release, Heap was working on new tracks with producer Guy Sigsworth, who had collaborated on "Getting Scared" from I-Megaphone. Together, they formed an electro-pop group Frou Frou, releasing an album called "Details" and singles, "Breathe In", "It's Good To Be In Love" and "Must Be Dreaming." The album was a full collaboration between the two artists. Frou Frou were approached to cover "Holding Out for a Hero", originally performed by Bonnie Tyler, for the soundtrack to the highly successful movie Shrek 2. An album track, "Let Go", was featured in the movie Garden State in 2004.
In December 2003, Heap announced on her web site that she was going to write and produce her second solo album, using her site as an online blog to update fans on progress, even seeking them to be her A&R team for the lyrics to "Daylight Robbery". Heap set herself a deadline of one year to make the album (she booked the album mastering for December 2004), and re-mortgaged her flat to fund production costs, including the use of studio time and instruments (which she purchased as a birthday present to herself). Having been burned by previous challenges with record labels (Heap had been spurned twice by record companies, when Almo Sounds was sold and when Frou Frou's label staff focused on promoting other acts), Heap decided to form her own record label on which to release the new record. At the end of 2004, Heap premiered two album tracks online, enabling fans to pay for a digital download, entitled "Just For Now" (which was up for a limited time as a Christmas gift), and "Goodnight And Go", which had been featured on the second season of hit US TV drama The O.C.
In April 2005, The O.C. season two finale featured another track, the sparse vocodered-vocal track, "Hide And Seek". The track was released immediately to digital download services such as iTunes where it became an instant fixture in the chart. The track was released as a digital download on the 5th July 2005 in the UK and peaked at #8 on the iTunes download chart.
The album, entitled "Speak For Yourself" was then released in the UK on July 18th 2005 on her own record label, Megaphonic Records. The album was also released on iTunes UK, where it entered the top 10, selling strongly. "Hide And Seek" also received radio attention from the popular UK radio station BBC Radio One, with DJ Scott Mills featuring it as his "Record of the Week", and provoking strong reactions ("love it or hate it") from other DJs at the station. Due to popular demand, the track was commercially released on a special limited edition (1500 copies were printed) 7" vinyl in the UK in September. Speak For Yourself was licensed to Sony BMG imprint RCA Victor in August 2005, enabling the record to be released in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It was released in those territories in November, and Heap appeared on the Hotel Cafe Tour promoting the record. Imogen also performed "Goodnight And Go" on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 11, 2006. Heap is slated to continue touring in 2006 in the US and UK to support the record.
As well as TV soundtracks (Frou Frou and Heap's solo records have been featured in shows as varied as The O.C. to CSI, among others), Heap has also contributed solo tracks to movie soundtracks. Her cover of the song "Spooky" (made famous by the band Classics IV, and previously covered by Dusty Springfield) for the soundtrack to the Reese Witherspoon movie Just Like Heaven. Heap also wrote a special track entitled "Can't Take It In" for the soundtrack to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. She has also appeared on the second soundtrack for the HBO television series "Six Feet Under", entitled "Six Feet Under Vol. 2: Everything Ends" with a 50-second track that closed the Season 4 episode "I'm A Lonely Little Petunia (In An Onion Patch)". Three versions were recorded and are available from Heap's official web site.
In addition to producing her own records, she has also produced a track for Nik Kershaw and has collaborated with artists as diverse as Joshua Radin, Jeff Beck, Temposhark, LHB, Way Out West, Jon Bon Jovi, Mich Gerber, Sean Lennon, Urban Species, Blue October, Jon Hopkins and Acacia.
Heap's 2009 album 'Ellipse' features Canvas, Aha! and Half Life.
Sites: Twitter
www.imogenheap.com
Feeling Strange
Imogen Heap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you tell me why am I feeling?
Tonight I am myself again
I am one as whole
I realise that I'm like this
When I look into my soul
I see a confused vessel there
Sitting even though I'm not
Under the influence of any
Substance for a shot
No substance for a shot
No substance for a shot
Yeah
Can you tell me why am I feeling
As I were floating in space again yeah
Can you tell me why am I seeing life in a blur
I don't feel, I don't feel normal friend will it even end?
All I have to do to get me into this state
Is to just be left alone
And even then it's far too late
My mind begins to wonder
Travel far and beyond
The barriers of human thought
Yeah they break here before too long
Yeah they break here before too long
Yeah they break here before too long
Can you tell me why am I feeling
As I were floating in space again
Yeah
Can you tell me why am I seeing life in a blur
I don't feel - I don't feel normal friend will it even end?
I start thinking overloading
My thought capacity
My vision take em somewhere
Now at great velocity
I can't get out of this I'm caught
Please interrupt
Imagination runs away from me
Is it normal to be corrupt
Can you tell me why am I feeling
As I were floating in space again yeah
Can you tell me why am I seeing life in a blur
I don't feel, I don't feel normal friend will it even end?
Can you tell me why?
Can you tell me why?
Can you tell me why?
Can you tell me why?
In the song Feeling Strange by Imogen Heap, the artist explores the confusing and disorienting experience of being alone with one's thoughts. The song begins with the lines, "Can you tell me why am I feeling? Can you tell me why am I feeling?" suggesting a sense of bewilderment and frustration at the unknown source of these unsettling emotions. The chorus repeats this inquiry, "Can you tell me why am I feeling as I were floating in space again?", which evokes a feeling of detachment and dissociation. Through the lyrics, Heap is expressing the overwhelming feeling of being lost within her own mind and the desire for someone to explain to her why she feels this way.
The second verse delves deeper into this introspection, with Heap asserting that she just needs to be left alone to fall into this state of feeling strange. She describes how her mind begins to wander beyond the limits of what is considered normal. Heap uses the phrase, "Is it normal to be corrupt?", acknowledging that these thoughts might be considered taboo or unconventional. She seems to be questioning whether this experience is something that others might also experience, or if it is unique to her. In the end, the song leaves the questions unanswered, but the feeling of confusion and isolation is palpable.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you tell me why am I feeling?
The singer is trying to understand the cause behind their emotional state.
Tonight I am myself again
The singer is feeling whole and complete.
I am one as whole
The singer feels complete and united within themselves.
I realise that I'm like this
The artist is aware of their current state of being.
When I look into my soul
The artist is introspective and reflecting on their inner self.
I see a confused vessel there
The singer sees a conflicted part of themselves.
Sitting even though I'm not
The singer feels a sense of stillness despite not physically sitting.
Under the influence of any
The artist is not under the influence of any substance.
Substance for a shot
The artist is not seeking relief from their state through drugs or alcohol.
No substance for a shot
The artist is not resorting to alcohol or drugs for relief.
Yeah
An expression indicating affirmation or assent.
Can you tell me why am I feeling
The artist is asking for someone to help them understand their current emotional state.
As I were floating in space again yeah
The singer feels disconnected from reality and lost in their thoughts.
Can you tell me why am I seeing life in a blur
The singer is struggling with clarity of thought and perception.
I don't feel, I don't feel normal friend will it even end?
The singer is expressing a sense of alienation and questioning if their state will ever end.
All I have to do to get me into this state
The artist can easily fall into this state of mind.
Is to just be left alone
The artist can fall into this state simply by being alone with their thoughts.
And even then it's far too late
The singer feels that they have lost control over their thoughts and emotions once they enter this state.
My mind begins to wonder
The singer's thoughts begin to stray.
Travel far and beyond
The artist's thoughts wander far and away from reality.
The barriers of human thought
The artist is referring to the limits of human understanding.
Yeah they break here before too long
The artist is experiencing a breakdown of their own mental barriers.
Yeah they break here before too long
Reiteration of the breakdown of mental barriers.
I start thinking overloading
The artist's thoughts become overwhelming.
My thought capacity
The singer cannot handle the amount of thoughts they are experiencing.
My vision take em somewhere
The singer's thoughts are taking them elsewhere mentally.
Now at great velocity
The mental journey is happening rapidly.
I can't get out of this I'm caught
The artist feels trapped in this state of mind.
Please interrupt
The artist is asking for someone to interrupt their thoughts and help them break out of this state.
Imagination runs away from me
The singer's thoughts are running wild and uncontrollable.
Is it normal to be corrupt
The singer is questioning if their state of mind is healthy or normal.
Can you tell me why?
The artist is asking again for help understanding their emotional state.
Contributed by Gabriella D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Francis Broka
Many thanks ! A phenomenal artist whose multi-form talent has no limit !
MagicalSunrise1984
Great song - thanks for uploading and sharing!
Krystal Barrett
I LOVE IT! THANKS SO MUCH! YOu made me soOOOOOO Happy!
kali4good
well that was amazing! so glad i came across this. Another immi song discovered!!!!
Rio TC
actually, ive been searching for years and i hope i hope i hope that this is it! im worried in case it was named wrong but tbh thats never happened (yet) so there's a really good chance its the one. we've just got to wait and see.
Eric McDowell
Immi is Queen!
Krystal Barrett
NO WAY! Really? you oh i can't belive it, and it only took your weeks to find it! i really thought it would be longer! OH my goodness this brings joy to me
Rio TC
i cant listen to it until i have the full thing. which sucks as i dont know how long that is going to take.
EMILIA IBAMA SEBAP
very nice video!!!
Krystal Barrett
werid, but yeah like me i found the lyrics and trying to hear it, but my computer won't let me, so i'll give you faith to get it! Cause your the best, and i know you will do your best