Holter, a Los Angeles native, grew up in a musical family. Her father plays guitar and once performed with Pete Seeger. Her mother, Carole Shammas, is a prominent academic and currently holds the John R. Hubbard Chair in History at the University of Southern California. Besides playing and recording music, Holter tutors students and works with a nonprofit organization for teenagers in South Central Los Angeles. After graduating from CalArts, where she studied composition, Holter contributed songs to multiple compilation albums in 2008. She performed in the LA Road Concert with the Open Academy Youth Orchestra on Washington Boulevard in 2009. The following year she began playing with Linda Perhacs' band. In 2010, she released a CD-R titled Celebration and a collection of live recordings.
Her debut studio album, Tragedy, was released in August 2011 on Leaving Records. Inspired by Euripides' Greek play Hippolytus, the album received generally favorable reviews and was named one of NPR's "Best Outer Sound Albums Of 2011".
Holter released a second album, Ekstasis, in March 2012 on the RVNG label. The album drew comparisons to works by such artists as Laurie Anderson, Julianna Barwick, Kate Bush, Joanna Newsom, Grouper, and Stereolab, and received many positive reviews. Holter spent three years making the album, whose title comes from the Greek word meaning "outside of oneself." The music video for album track "Moni Mon Amie", directed by Yelena Zhelezov, was also released in March.
In addition to collaborating with other California-based musicians like Nite Jewel (Ramona Gonzalez), Holter recently released her third album, Loud City Song. Unlike her first two albums, which were recorded mostly alone in her bedroom, Holter recorded Loud City Song with an ensemble of musicians
silhouette
Julia Holter Lyrics
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The one with whom I've seen
All hour's moons
Once the curtains lifted
And he said "I will swim to you"
Language is such a play
He called his exit, but his eyes are irresolute
I feel I'm walking around in blue
He can hear me sing
He can hear me sing
Though he is far
I'll never lose sight of him
He turned to me then looked away
A silhouette
A silhouette
Still returns to me
I'll hand him his coat
It's exactly where he left it long ago
We'll fall all over floorboards
I lose my breath just envisioning the scene
Mysteries that wake up late, the table's set
And the painting of his face
No time to hesitate
I cede all my love and play your abandoned fool
Though he is far
I'll never lose
He turned to me
He turned to me and looked away
A silhouette
A silhouette returns to me
A silhouette
A silhouette
A silhouette returns to me
A silhouette
A silhouette returns to me
The song Silhouette by Julia Holter tells the story of a woman who is looking for a man with whom she has had a past encounter. They have seen all hour’s moons indicating that they have spent a lot of time together in the past. The curtains were lifted in the past, and the man promised to swim to her. Language is a play for him, he seems uncertain about what he really wants, and he called his exit, but his eyes are still irresolute. The woman is walking around in blue and is longing for him. She can hear him sing even though he is far away, and she will never lose sight of him.
The woman wants to see the man again, and she believes that he still remembers her as he turned to her, but then looked away like a silhouette. She has handed him his coat, which is exactly where he left it, indicating that they were together in that place a long time ago. She dreams about them falling all over floorboards and about the mysteries that seem to be waiting for them. The woman cedes all her love and plays the abandoned fool for him. The silhouette of the man returns to her, but he is still far away.
The song is about longing, yearning for someone, and hoping they feel the same way. The lyrics are ambiguous and can be interpreted in different ways. It is a beautiful and poetic song that touches people's hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
I go out to find
I am searching for someone.
The one with whom I've seen
I am looking for someone that I have seen before.
All hour's moons
I have seen this person often, during different times of day and night.
Once the curtains lifted
When something was revealed or exposed.
And he said "I will swim to you"
This person promised to come to me, against all odds.
Language is such a play
Communication can be complicated and multifaceted.
He called his exit, but his eyes are irresolute
He said he was leaving, but his eyes showed uncertainty and hesitation.
What pasts still sit today?
What previous events or experiences still have an impact on the present?
I feel I'm walking around in blue
I feel sad and melancholic.
He can hear me sing
Even though he is far away, he can still hear me.
Though he is far
Despite the distance between us.
I'll never lose sight of him
I will always remember him and keep him in my thoughts.
He turned to me then looked away
He briefly acknowledged me, but then ignored me.
A silhouette
An outline or shape of a person or object, without much detail.
Still returns to me
I keep thinking about him, even though he is gone.
I'll hand him his coat
I will give back his jacket.
It's exactly where he left it long ago
The jacket has been in the same spot for a while, untouched.
We'll fall all over floorboards
We will move clumsily and passionately together.
I lose my breath just envisioning the scene
I get excited and breathless just imagining what could happen.
Mysteries that wake up late, the table's set
Unanswered questions that are only being addressed now, at this moment.
And the painting of his face
I am reminded of his appearance.
No time to hesitate
There is no time to wait or overthink; we must act now.
I cede all my love and play your abandoned fool
I give up everything for him and let myself be vulnerable.
A silhouette returns to me
I still think about him, even though he is no longer here.
A silhouette
A blurry and incomplete image of him in my mind.
A silhouette returns to me
I cannot forget about him, despite his absence.
A silhouette
A shadow or impression of someone who is no longer present.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: JULIA HOLTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind