Vanessa Brown was born in Northampton, England. She is the eldest of six siblings. Her mother is Jamaican and her father is Puerto Rican. She attended Overstone Park School near Northampton, which her parents own and work at. Brown learned to play the piano, developed her vocals and took classical and jazz piano lessons at a musical arts school. Brown was given her name "V V" from her peers as an MC nickname when she attended her middle school. Her love for hip hop and artists such as J Dilla and Q-Tip still exists. Brown studied violin at the age of 9 but gave it up because she found she was better at the piano and trumpet. She completed her grade 8 jazz trumpet at the age of 16 and went on to play in jazz bands up to the age of 21.
Growing up, V V listened to jazz artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie. Brown earned four "A" grade A-Levels, studying at Kingsthorpe Upper School (now Kingsthorpe Community College) a year early; she was offered places at five top UK universities to study law including Oxford, King's College London, LSE and York. She declined the offers to follow a career in music. V V Brown was first offered a deal by Gut records when she was 14 but due to educational commitments she decided to finish her studies. She was then offered a deal by Danny Simms, the manager and mogul associated with Bob Marley. Brown declined to finish her studies. She joined a punk band at 15 and had the opportunity to tour Japan. Subsequently, P. Diddy attempted to sign her to his record label Bad Boy Records.
At 18, Brown was invited to an open audition for "VH1 Divas" by friends and was stopped outside the venue by an executive from London Records. Brown was offered a development deal by London records. The development soon came to an end and, at 19, Brown was offered a deal by Polydor records in the UK and A&M records in the US. She left her deal with Polydor and A&M in 2006, with just one single - "Whipped" - officially being released, and a planned album titled "Back to the Music" never materialising.
Brown moved back to London and began performing in bars and clubs around London. She was rediscovered by executive Darcus Beese and signed to Island Records. "Traveling Like the Light" was then recorded in 2007-2008. Brown said that most of the lyrics on the album were about a failed affair Brown endured. The album was promoted by four singles: "Crying Blood", "LEAVE!", "Shark in the Water" and "Game Over". "Shark in the Water" charted in the British, French and American charts, and was certified gold in America and France in 2009.
On September 14 2011, Brown announced that the first single from her then untitled sophomore album would be "Children" featuring Chiddy of Chiddy Bang. The song was released digitally on September 20 2011 (the release was limited to the US, Canada and Mexico as her UK deal with Island Records expired). On October 4 2011, Brown announced that the album would be titled "Lollipops & Politics" and released on February 7 of the following year.
Weeks before its planned release, a digital preorder for the album on Amazon was removed, leading to Brown announcing that the LP would be pushed back in order for a worldwide release to occur and to add more songs. However, she eventually confirmed that the entire release would be scrapped and a new album released in its place, with news also emerging that Brown had left Capitol Records and set up her own label, YOY Records (You Own You).
"Samson" was released as her second album proper's lead single on July 14 2013. Brown announced that the LP would be called "Samson & Delilah" and released on October 8 in the US and September 9 in the UK. The second single, "The Apple", was released on August 25 in the UK, with a third single, a remixed version of album track "Faith" featuring Bloc Party's Kele, following in March 2014.
Brown commenced recording of her third album in mid-2014 exclusively with producer Nearly Native (James Leggett), who she had found on SoundCloud. The project, initially planned to be an EP, expanded into an album, with a planned release date of March 2015 being pushed back. Brown filmed 3 music videos for the songs "Shift", "Instincts" and "Lazarus" in March, with the former song's video leaking in June.
The next month, Brown announced that she would be adopting a new stage name, V V, made her album available for preorder on Pledge Music, and shared the video for "Instincts". "Shift" was released officially on August 7 exclusively to streaming services, with its parent album "Glitch" expected in autumn.
Lazarus
V V Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How much currency is a bitch, girls playing
Celebrate, glasses black, die young
White beer, drunk full, real blood, white bull
Candy, candy
Bite break, hold it out, so I go warp
Time, time, push it, push it
Coming on, then we here,
You live without, I don't wanna know
Blow it all out, don't wanna hear the stats girl
All I wanna do is fly next to you
And fly amongst the stars
So rise, rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
What's this shit all about?
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise
And now baby I'm on my own
Go now tell me you've been gone for far too long
Down torch, smoke calls, light bone, small spots
On bitch, play it three, clean cut,
Black what, girl boy, talk boy privilege
Eat cool, mixed up, American evil bitch
Uptown in balance, kept the tune artistic
Same bitches something tea, digital narcissism
Dead light, ask space, left to pressure your planes
Rise up, deepest, pride this
You live without, I don't wanna know
Blow it all out, don't wanna hear the stats girl
All I wanna do is fly next to you
And fly amongst the stars
So rise, rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
What's this shit all about?
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise
And now baby I'm on my own
Go now tell me you've been gone for far too long
Lazarus, rise, rise
Lazarus, rise, rise
You live without, I don't wanna know
Blow it all out, don't wanna hear the stats girl
All I wanna do is fly next to you
And fly amongst the stars
So rise, rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
What's this shit all about?
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
Won't you rise
And now baby I'm on my own
Go now tell me you've been gone for far too long
Rise up, rise up, rise up, rise up
The lyrics of V V Brown's song "Lazarus" are rich in symbolism and commentary on contemporary society. The opening lines, "Blue, red, lightness, colourful / How much currency is a bitch, girls playing," suggest a world in which colors are distorted and money rules everything around us. The references to "bitch" and "girls playing" underscore a gendered power dynamic in which women must compete with each other for resources and status. The chorus, "You live without, I don't wanna know / Blow it all out, don't wanna hear the stats girl / All I wanna do is fly next to you / And fly amongst the stars," speaks to a desire to escape from this oppressive reality and find freedom and connection with others.
The second verse continues this theme of societal oppression and distortion, with references to "American evil bitch" and "digital narcissism." The line "Rise up, deepest, pride this" can be interpreted as a call to action against these societal ills. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the desire for liberation and connection with others. The final lines, "Lazarus, rise, rise / Lazarus, rise, rise," invoke the biblical figure of Lazarus who was resurrected from the dead, suggesting a need for rebirth and renewal in our society.
Overall, "Lazarus" is a powerful commentary on the state of our world and a call to action for change and liberation.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue, red, lightness, colorful
The world is full of vibrant colors and different shades that create a beautiful, diverse experience.
How much currency is a bitch, girls playing
Society often values money and materialism over genuine connections and relationships, particularly for women.
Celebrate, glasses black, die young
There is a rebellious and hedonistic culture that encourages living fast and recklessly.
White beer, drunk full, real blood, white bull
There is a sense of wildness, danger, and untamed energy that can be found in drinking and partying.
Candy, candy
Indulging in superficial pleasures and temporary distractions is common behavior in modern society.
Bite break, hold it out, so I go warp
Taking a break from the monotony of everyday life can lead to a transformative and transcendental experience.
Time, time, push it, push it
The pressure of time is constantly present and motivates us to keep pushing forward.
Coming on, then we here,
Life is unpredictable and often takes unexpected turns that lead us into new and different situations.
It's so weird and wonderful Alice
Despite the chaos of life, there is a certain magic and surreal beauty to it all.
You live without, I don't wanna know
Living a life without deep connections and meaningful experiences is not a fulfilling way to exist.
Blow it all out, don't wanna hear the stats girl
Rejecting a culture that places a high value on superficial accomplishments and material possessions.
All I wanna do is fly next to you
And fly amongst the stars
The desire for a genuine connection and to explore the vast and unknown depths of the universe with another person.
So rise, rise it all up
Won't you rise it all up
What's this shit all about?
Encouraging others to reject the norms and expectations of society in order to rise up and pursue their own truths.
And now baby I'm on my own
Go now tell me you've been gone for far too long
Feeling the loneliness of standing apart from the crowd and the disappointment in long-lost connections.
Down torch, smoke calls, light bone, small spots
On bitch, play it three, clean cut,
Black what, girl boy, talk boy privilege
Eat cool, mixed up, American evil bitch
Uptown in balance, kept the tune artistic
Same bitches something tea, digital narcissism
Dead light, ask space, left to pressure your planes
Rise up, deepest, pride this
A non-linear stream of consciousness that touches on issues like consumerism, gender and racial stereotypes, superficiality, and the pressure and expectations of society.
Lazarus, rise, rise
Referencing the biblical story of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Jesus, as a metaphor for rising up and overcoming obstacles.
Contributed by Bailey S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cemakyuz9257
It's been 7 years and I am still listening to this tune nearly every day!
@Lexicakes
Thank you Spotify for recommending this incredible song.
@brunosztuba3556
I hope you have listened to the rest of her discography
@Lexicakes
@brunosztuba3556 yes and I enjoyed it
@axeleli5451
Why did I took 5 years to hear this amazingly captivating song... anyone during that Rona 2020?
@Alicegab300
Rona 2021 :/
@thechange1987
The whole album Glitch is amazing
@matheussimone1926
God, how come we are not talking about this video in 2022??? Shark In The Water was the only V V Brown work I had known, back in 2010, 2011... And now Spotify recommends me her album Glitch. Amazing amazing. Just can't stand the fact I have been living without knowing her most recent work for so many years.
@davidwhitaker3833
My replay button is taking a beating over here. Great stuff!
@neonblkmusik1993
The musical transformation on all 3 of her albums needs to be highly talked about. It's crazy. V V Brown is an era.