Josephine's first dedicated release was the EP In The Labyrinth ('08, Island).
She followed up her debut release with 2012's Portrait, which was well-received by critics. The praise for‘Portrait also saw Oniyama recognised by a diverse selection of her peers, leading to collaborations in the mid-2010’s with Travis (with whom she recorded the song ‘Idlewild’) and jazz producer/trumpeter Matthew Halsall (she co-wrote three songs for his acclaimed Into Forever album).
While writing and recording her new EP and album, Human, Josephine earned an MA degree in English and also became a mother.
External Links: Discogs
House Of Mirrors
Josephine Oniyama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Worn down by mistakes made
I try to find familiar faces but they fade
Love, desire I can't help but feel so drained
And this house of mirrors is bending the truth oh so well
I'm making a fool of myself
Strong as I've been no one wants to see the change
And this house of mirrors is bending the truth oh so well
I'm making a fool of myself
Last time I laughed I was laughing at you
'Cause the mirrors, they always do as we do
Forever they're our only proof.
And this house of mirrors is bending the truth oh so well
I'm making a fool of myself
And this house of mirrors is bending the truth oh so well
I'm making a fool of myself.
In Josephine Oniyama's song "House of Mirrors," the lyrics explore the theme of self-reflection and self-doubt. The opening lines, "Brave as I am, I'm not immune to the rain, worn down by mistakes made," reveal the vulnerability of the singer who, despite their strength, is still affected by the challenges they face. They try to seek comfort from familiar faces, but they fade away. Love and desire have drained them emotionally.
The chorus describes the title of the song as a metaphor for the singer's situation. The "house of mirrors" refers to a distortion of reality, where things appear to be different from what they really are. The singer feels like they are making a fool of themselves, and they are not sure what is real anymore. The repeated line, "And this house of mirrors is bending the truth oh so well, I'm making a fool of myself," emphasizes the singer's uncertainty and self-doubt.
In the bridge, the singer indicates that they have laughed at someone else's reflection in the mirrors before, but this too was a distorted reality. The line "Forever they're our only proof" suggests that mirrors are the only way we can see ourselves and therefore, the only evidence we have of our existence.
Overall, "House of Mirrors" is a self-reflective song that explores the questioning of reality and the effects that self-doubt can have on an individual's perception of themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Brave as I am, I'm not immune to the rain
Even though I am a strong person, I am still affected by difficult times and situations.
Worn down by mistakes made
I am exhausted from the errors and wrong decisions I have made in my life.
I try to find familiar faces but they fade
I am searching for people or things that are familiar to me, but they are disappearing or becoming less accessible.
Love, desire I can't help but feel so drained
The emotions of love and desire are making me feel exhausted and depleted of energy.
And this house of mirrors is bending the truth oh so well
The illusions and reflections in this place are distorting reality in a convincing way.
I'm making a fool of myself
I am embarrassing myself by falling for the tricks and illusions of this place.
Now each step I take is different from the last time I walked
Each movement I make is distinct and unique, unlike any of my previous movements.
Strong as I've been no one wants to see the change
Even though I may be strong, others may not want me to change or grow.
Last time I laughed I was laughing at you
The last time I smiled or enjoyed myself, it was at someone else's expense.
'Cause the mirrors, they always do as we do
The mirrors in this place reflect our actions and behaviors back to us.
Forever they're our only proof.
These mirrors are the only evidence we have of ourselves and our experiences.
Contributed by Maya O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.