The child of musicians, they started writing and playing music at the age of four. They studied violin, viola and composition at the Purcell School before being offered a scholarship to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study composition. Levi performed as a DJ and MC around the UK garage and grime scene in London, and released a mixtape titled Filthy Friends, which was posted on their Myspace page in 2006. For Filthy Friends, they enlisted the help of friends and musicians of various backgrounds including MCs Baker Trouble, Brother May, Man Like Me & Ghostpoet, singer-songwriter Jack Peñate, jazz band Troyka, London pop-band Golden Silvers, producers Kwes. and Toddla T. Following its release, Filthy Friends became sought after on the London club scene.
While a student at Guildhall, Levi was commissioned to write an orchestral piece for the London Philharmonic Orchestra which was performed at the Royal Festival Hall in April 2008.
Levi formed a band called The Shapes, which includes Raisa Khan on keyboards and Marc Pell on drums. They signed to Accidental Records who released their debut single "Lone Ranger" in May 2008, followed by "Golden Phone" in August 2008. With the Shapes, Levi's focus has been on experimental pop music. Most of this music prominently features an acoustic half-guitar with various non-standard tunings, extensive distortion, and use of noise and found-object elements, as well as occasionally unusual time signatures. Despite these experimental leanings, the artist categorizes her output with The Shapes as pop music.
Their debut album, Jewellery, produced by influential electronic musician Matthew Herbert, was recorded around Mica's composition studies at Guildhall School. Advance copies of the record reached the press in early 2009, and generated positive feedback. In the wake of this growing buzz, Micachu and the Shapes were signed to Rough Trade, who released Jewellery on 9 March 2009. Drowned In Sound consequently hailed the record as "thrillingly improbable pop made by a grade-A maverick."
Levi describes the music they performs with The Shapes as "pop", without many of pop's defining characteristics (obvious choruses and accessible lyrics). They often use unorthodox instruments, many of which are homemade. These include a modified guitar played with a hammer action, called a 'chu', and a bowed instrument fashioned from a CD rack. This multitude of objects, varying from broken bottles to a vacuum cleaner, help Mica achieve their distinctive and unique sound. They also own a 3rd bridge Home Swinger built by Yuri Landman.
They produced the very effective horror-like music to the 2013 Jonathan Glazer's movie Under the Skin.
Eat Your Heart
Micachu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and i'd sell out everyday
and your large heart melts my brain
yeh your large heart melts my brain
i could eat your heart
i could eat your heart
i could beat your heart
and if i smile ten times a day
i can keep the fire away
and if i spit dem bars too late, late
my whole world will segregate wait.
i could eat your heart
i could eat your heart
i could eat your heart
i could beat your heart
i could eat your heart
i could eat your heart
i could eat your heart
i could beat your heart
In "Eat Your Heart" by Micachu, the song seems to express a deep longing for connection with another person. The first two lines imply a feeling of isolation or distance from the person she is addressing. However, the singer is willing to compromise her values and "sell out" to be with them. This suggests that the connection she craves is one that she feels is worth sacrificing for. The line "your large heart melts my brain" could imply that the person she loves is emotionally overwhelming, but also comforting.
The chorus, "I could eat your heart, I could beat your heart," is a bold statement that she is willing to consume or destroy the person she loves. However, this could also be interpreted as her expressing her overwhelming desire to have this person wholly to herself. The second verse mentions "keeping the fire away" and "spitting bars too late" as factors that could affect her world, further emphasizing the passion and chaos that this relationship brings.
The song's overall theme seems to be one of almost desperate passion, suggesting that the singer is willing to go to extreme lengths to be with the person they love. Although the lyrics may seem aggressive, the tone of the song is actually quite soft and soothing. It's as if the melody is trying to balance out the intensity of the lyrics, embodying the feelings of love that are both chaotic and comforting.
Line by Line Meaning
well i can feel you're miles away
I can sense that you're emotionally distant from me.
and i'd sell out everyday
I would do anything for you, even if it means betraying my values or morals.
and your large heart melts my brain
Your compassionate and caring nature has a profound emotional impact on me.
yeh your large heart melts my brain
Your kind heart has such a strong effect on me that it overwhelms my thoughts and emotions.
i could eat your heart
I feel such a strong affection for you that I want to possess every part of you, even your heart.
i could beat your heart
I could win your love, or I could physically harm you if you reject me.
and if i smile ten times a day
By pretending to be happy around you, I can avoid showing my true feelings and keep our connection going.
i can keep the fire away
My cheerful demeanor can prevent any conflicts or negative emotions from arising between us.
and if i spit dem bars too late, late
If I don't express my feelings and desires through my music or art soon enough, it may be too late to salvage our relationship.
my whole world will segregate wait.
If I can't share my creative output with you, our bond will deteriorate and we will grow apart.
Contributed by Mason B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.