At the age of eight, Yohanna was talent-spotted by singing teacher María Björk and offered a place at her performing arts school. The following year – 1999 – she recorded her first album (at the age of nine). It was released in 2000 and obtained great success in her adopted country, so much so it was followed by a second album in 2001 and a third, comprising popular Christmas carols, in 2003.
After a planned break to allow her voice to mature, her comeback album as an adult entitled Butterflies and Elvis was released in Iceland in early 2008 (a re-release across Europe is planned). It is a collaboration between Yohanna, British songwriter Lee Horrocks and sound engineer Thomas Yezzi.
In 2009, Yohanna was approached by songwriter Óskar Páll Sveinsson to perform his entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. The Icelandic public voted "Is It True?" through to the first semi-final in Moscow on 12th May 2009, in which she qualified for the final by finishing in first place (174 points). In the final, held on 16th May, Yohanna finished as runner-up (218 points) behind Norway (387 points), whose song was pre-contest favourite and winner of the second semi-final.
Since 2008’s Butterflies and Elvis, Yohanna has released all tracks and performed under the name “Yohanna” as it is reported that “Jóhanna” was likely to be mispronounced in countries outside her homeland, an issue as her commercial appeal widens.
Rainbow Girl
Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And her face it tells a story
Of days gone by and days to come
She's every colour that you know
Something is going through her head
Her head is almost broken
She falls to pieces now and then
You know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know
They call her the rainbow girl
She lives in a blue blue world
She's coming down like rain
She's looking for love and pain
They call her the rainbow girl
She's low and she's high
But she's taking her time
As she's slipping and sliding away
Last night she cried herself to sleep
And today she woke up laughing
She let the water can so deep
She's every colour that you know
You know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know
They call her the rainbow girl
She lives in a blue blue world
She's coming down like rain
She's looking for love and pain
They call her the rainbow girl
She's low and she's high
But she's taking her time
As she's slipping and sliding away
You know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know
They call her the rainbow girl
She lives in a blue blue world
She's coming down like rain
She's looking for love and pain
They call her the rainbow girl
She's low and she's high
But she's taking her time
As she's slipping and sliding away
They call her the rainbow girl
She's low and she's high
But she's taking her time
As she's slipping and sliding away
Makeup is running down her face
And her face, it tells a story
The song "Rainbow Girl" by Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir is a representation of a person who is full of different emotions and colors. The makeup running down her face is a metaphor for the emotional turmoil she is going through. Her face tells a story of the past and future days to come, where the blend of these different colors and emotions has resulted in her being the rainbow girl. The line "she's every color that you know" underlines the complexity of her personality and the range of her emotions.
The song is built around the perception of this rainbow girl, who is trying to find love and pain in her life, but she is taking her time. With this line, we can interpret that she is in a transitional phase of life where she is not in a rush to find what she is looking for; instead, she is moving slowly towards her destination. The line "She's coming down like rain" portrays the slow yet powerful nature of her journey.
This song is a celebration of individuality and complex emotions. Despite the immense sadness and confusion, the rainbow girl in the song is also full of wondrous unexpected emotions that help shape her unique persona. The song calls out to people who are going through transitional phases in their lives, urging them to embrace their emotions and live life on their terms.
Line by Line Meaning
Makeup is running down her face
She's crying and her makeup is smudging
And her face it tells a story
Her face shows her experiences and emotions
Of days gone by and days to come
She has a past and a future, both of which affect her
She's every colour that you know
She is multifaceted and complex
Something is going through her head
She's deep in thought
Her head is almost broken
She's overwhelmed mentally
She falls to pieces now and then
She has moments of emotional breakdown
You know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know
Repetition for emphasis
They call her the rainbow girl
She is known for her diverse characteristics
She lives in a blue blue world
She feels sad and melancholic
She's coming down like rain
She's falling apart, dropping her guard
She's looking for love and pain
She seeks both pleasure and suffering in life
She's low and she's high
Her moods fluctuate greatly
But she's taking her time
She's being patient and deliberate
As she's slipping and sliding away
She's struggling to keep her balance and composure
Last night she cried herself to sleep
She was upset and couldn't hold her tears
And today she woke up laughing
She found reason to be happy and optimistic
She let the water can so deep
Not sure, needs context
Contributed by Dominic O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.