La Havas was born in London, England to a Greek father and Jamaican mother. She was raised in Tooting and Streatham, spending the majority of her time with her grandparents, following her parents' separation as a child. La Havas' cites her parents' diverse musical tastes as having the biggest influence on her music. She began singing at seven. Her mother played Jill Scott and Mary j. Blige, while her father, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, taught her the basics of guitar and piano. Lianne wrote her first song at the age of 11 but did not learn to play the guitar until she was 18 years old. At 18, Lianne began attending Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls in Croydon, where she studied art and planned to take her A-Levels in art foundation. However, she left college and decided to pursue a career in music full-time.
While attending sixth-form in Croydon, a friend of La Havas', (who attended the Brit School) introduced her to other musicians who assisted La Havas in the recording of her first demos. Through that same friend, La Havas was also introduced to British singer, Paloma Faith; she later sang backing vocals on tour for Faith. La Havas was co-writer and performer in 'The Paris Parade' alongside Christian Pinchbeck (who designed the artwork for Lost & Found) and also is now part of the duo Elephant (Memphis Industries). They had a short career but it began La Havas' career in commercial music. In 2010, Lianne signed to Warner Bros. Records, spending two years developing her songwriting skills before releasing music publicly.
La Havas made her television debut on October 21, 2011, broadcast of BBC Two's Later, with Jools Holland, a program that also featured Wisconsin folk band Bon Iver. Following her appearance on Later, with Jools Holland, it was announced on October 25, 2011 that La Havas would be the supporting act for Bon Iver's December 2011 North American tour.
La Havas released her debut EP, Lost & Found, on October 12, 2011 on the Labour of Love label and featured Willy Mason on the opening track, No Room For Doubt. That same month, La Havas released a live EP, titled Live in LA, which was made available for free download on her website. La Havas released her third EP titled Forget, on December 30, 2011 on the label Warner Brothers.
Her official debut single, Lost & Found was released in the UK on April 30, 2012. Her debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough?, was released on July 9, 2012 in the UK on Warner Brothers.
Wonderful
Lianne La Havas Lyrics
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Not wiser just a little bit older
So slow that we're bound to fall over, oh
Did the heart grow a little bit harder
Too much, too late, too far, too gone
But wasn't it kind of wonderful
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, wonderful
You can trip, flick a switch negative
Break the circuit between us
But electricity lingers
In our fingers
Oh you can burn every fuse and refuse
Turn your positive minus
Electricity lingers
In our fingers
From here there's nothing but horizon
Near dawn, I'm searching for the sunrise
Remember when you put the stars into my eyes, oh
Wasn't it kind of wonderful
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, baby
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, wonderful
You can trip, flick a switch negative
Break the circuit between us
But electricity lingers
In our fingers
Oh you can burn every fuse and refuse
Turn your positive minus
Electricity lingers
In our fingers
Wasn't it kind of wonderful
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, baby
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, wonderful
Wasn't it kind of wonderful
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, baby
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, wonderful
In "Wonderful," Lianne La Havas encourages the listener to reflect on days gone by, to remember when things were simple and happy. The first verse depicts the state of the world, positing that it has become colder and more indifferent over time, without necessarily becoming any wiser. The fact that things have changed so slowly means that we are all bound to eventually fall over, as it were. La Havas questions whether hearts have grown harder due to the world's increased coldness, and wonders if it's already too late to fix because we've gone too far.
However, the chorus suggests that it's still possible to remember and appreciate the happy times, despite the difficulties of the present. This is where La Havas invokes the word “wonderful” to describe those moments that we can all relate to, those that were memorable, and are now seen through rose-colored lenses.
In the second verse, La Havas suggests that the shared experience of being human creates an enduring connection between people. This experience of electricity lingers in our fingers, so to speak, even if we've tried to be negative towards each other. Even if we try to turn our positive connections into negatives, that memory of our bond remains.
Thus, through her lyrics and phrasing, La Havas speaks to the listener's human experience. She encourages reflection on a time when things were more comfortable and happy, and she highlights the interconnectedness of us all. Overall, it's a poignant reminder that we should focus on the good in our lives and let those memories warm us.
Line by Line Meaning
Did the world get a little bit colder
Has society become less loving and compassionate?
Not wiser just a little bit older
Have people only aged without gaining wisdom?
So slow that we're bound to fall over, oh
Are we moving too slowly to react to the problems around us?
Did the heart grow a little bit harder
Have people become more callous and unfeeling?
Too much, too late, too far, too gone
Has the damage already been done and is it irreversible?
But wasn't it kind of wonderful
Despite the problems, wasn't there something great about the past?
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, baby
Wasn't the past amazing, my love?
You can trip, flick a switch negative
You can cause problems by being negative and pessimistic
Break the circuit between us
You can ruin our relationship and end our connection
But electricity lingers
But the spark and attraction remains
In our fingers
We still have the ability to connect and feel a spark between us
Oh you can burn every fuse and refuse
You can break our bond and reject me completely
Turn your positive minus
You can become negative and reject everything good we had
From here there's nothing but horizon
We're at the end of our journey and there's only uncertainty ahead
Near dawn, I'm searching for the sunrise
It's the end of the night and the start of something new and hopeful
Remember when you put the stars into my eyes, oh
Remember when you filled me with hope and love
Wasn't it kind of wonderful
Despite the end of our journey, wasn't it amazing?
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, baby
Wasn't it incredible, my love?
Wasn't it kind of wonderful, wonderful
Wasn't it truly and undeniably amazing?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Ronald Anthony Lawrence, Aleese Simmons, Phillip Anthony White, Katrina Celeste Willis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind