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
Oh Me Oh My
Imogen Heap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To me it seems the only time to be
Just me
Bombarded by the phone, in my own home
Can't get the space that I need
And how I need it, yeah
Oh me, me, me, me oh my
Oh when I look
When I look at my life
Oh me, oh my
When I look at my life, yeah, la la la
Crowded by the city, all around me
Need some silence from the loud
And noisy crowds
And I'm trying to catch a breath
Through the air of death
Can't see the sun for the clouds
Those dirty clouds
And the night has no compassion
For your actions
When you're trying to get away
From the hard day, yeah
And I need someone to talk to
Apart from you
But I guess that's just the way
Come what may, oh
Oh me, yeah, oh my
Oh me, me, me, me oh my
Oh when I look
When I look at my life
Oh me, oh my
When I look at my life
Oh God
Are you there
Are you there
Are you there
No, no, yeah
God
Are you there
Are you there
Are you there
Yeah
Well are you out there
Are you there
Are you there
Are you there
If so where are you hiding?
I'm having trouble finding you
Oh me, and oh my
Oh me, me, me, me oh my
Oh when I look
When I look at my life
Oh me, oh my
When I look at my life
Oh God
Are you there
Are you there
Are you there
No, no, yeah
God
Are you there
Are you there
Are you there
No
Well are you out there
Are you there
Are you out there yeah yeah
Are you out there yeah yeah
Are you out there
Are you out there
Are you out there
The lyrics of Imogen Heap's song, Oh Me Oh My, are a reflection of the singer's desire for space, silence, and inner peace. She is seeking refuge from distractions that surround her, such as the phone calls at home and the noise of the city. She describes the need for a breath of fresh air, which is hard to come by when there is so much chaos around. Heap is frustrated, as she is unable to find a space to be alone and to connect with something greater than herself.
The song is also about Heap's yearning for a higher power, perhaps God, to provide her with the clarity and guidance she needs. She pleads, "God, are you there?" as she tries to find a connection that will bring her closer to the tranquillity she desires. Heap is searching for answers and is inviting a higher power to come into her life and help her find her way. The repetition of this question shows how much Heap desires an answer, and the frustration she feels at not being able to find one.
The lyrics of the song are incredibly relatable for any listener who has experienced moments of feeling lost or overwhelmed. The song captures the desperation that can come with feeling unable to find a peaceful space in a busy world. However, the song also provides a sense of hope, that there is something greater out there, that can connect us with inner peace, and help us find our way.
Line by Line Meaning
Quiet now in sleepy dreams
At peace and relaxed as I drift off to sleep
To me it seems the only time to be
When I can truly be myself, without distractions
Just me
Without any outside influences or pressures
Bombarded by the phone, in my own home
Constantly interrupted and disturbed by the demands of technology, even in my own private space
Can't get the space that I need
Unable to find the physical or mental space necessary to relax and recharge
And how I need it, yeah
I desperately crave this space and time for myself
Oh me, yeah, oh my
Expressing surprise, frustration, and a sense of being overwhelmed
Oh when I look
Reflecting on my life and the challenges within it
When I look at my life
Taking a step back and examining my experiences and emotions
Crowded by the city, all around me
Feeling hemmed in and burdened by the noise and chaos of urban life
Need some silence from the loud
Desiring a break from the clamor and interruptions
And noisy crowds
The constant presence of people, and the pressure to interact with them, is draining
And I'm trying to catch a breath
Finding it difficult to simply take a moment and regroup
Through the air of death
Breathing in polluted and toxic air, which is a metaphor for the stresses of life
Can't see the sun for the clouds
Feeling like there is no hope or positivity to be found
Those dirty clouds
The negativity and hardship that surrounds me
And the night has no compassion
Even when I am at my most vulnerable, the world does not stop or take pity on me
For your actions
No matter what I do or how I feel, life goes on without pause
When you're trying to get away
Trying to escape from the pressures and demands of everyday life
From the hard day, yeah
Exhausted and worn down by the daily struggles and obstacles
And I need someone to talk to
Yearning for a sympathetic ear and some understanding
Apart from you
But even the people closest to me cannot truly understand my struggles
But I guess that's just the way
Acknowledging the difficulty of finding solace and support in a challenging world
Come what may, oh
Bracing for any further obstacles or struggles that may come my way
God
Addressing a higher power or force beyond my control or understanding
Are you there
Asking if this higher power is present, and if it can offer any guidance or assistance
No, no, yeah
Expressing doubt and uncertainty about any kind of divine intervention
Are you out there
Still searching for any kind of spiritual connection or hope
If so where are you hiding?
Wondering why this higher power seems so elusive or absent in times of need
I'm having trouble finding you
Feeling lost and isolated, unable to find any kind of solace or support
Oh God, Are you there?
Repeating the question, which remains unanswered
Well are you out there
Still questioning the existence and presence of any kind of higher power or guidance
If so, where are you hiding?
Continuing to wonder why this power seems so absent and distant
Are you out there yeah yeah
Hoping that there is some kind of force or energy that can offer relief and hope
Are you out there
Continuing to search for meaning and understanding in a chaotic and challenging world
Are you out there
Echoing this question, which remains unanswered
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IMOGEN HEAP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind