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Emilíana Torrini (born May 16, 1977) is an Icelandic singer, best known for her 2009 single Jungle Drum, 1999 album Love in the Time of Science and for performing "Gollum's Song", during the ending credits of Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
Early life
Torrini grew up in Kópavogur, where, at the age of 7, she joined a choir as a soprano, until she went to opera school at the age of 15. In 1994, she became well-known in Iceland after winning the song competition of junior colleges in Iceland (Icelandic: Söngkeppni framhaldsskólanna), at the age of 17, singing "I Will Survive".
Her father is Italian and her mother Icelandic. Because of name regulations in Iceland, her father Salvatore Torrini had to change his name to "Davíð Eiríksson", which also implied that Emilíana Torrini had to use the surname after her father in the traditional way; "Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir". A few years later, the name regulations were changed, and she was again allowed to use her original surname.
She grew up with her parents in Iceland. Her father owns and operates a well-known Italian restaurant in Iceland (Italia, located at Laugavegur 11 in Reykjavik) where she once worked as a waitress. After playing a session of gigs in London, Torrini decided to stay and live there.
Collaborations
She has been a member of Icelandic artist group GusGus, and contributed vocals to several songs on their debut Polydistortion (1997), most notably "Why", which she sometimes still performs live. She co-wrote Kylie Minogue’s "Slow" and "Someday" from her Body Language album in 2003. She also produced "Slow" along with Dan Carey; the two were nominated for a Best Dance Recording Grammy Award in 2005 for their work on the track. Prior to these, she contributed vocals to songs on Thievery Corporation's 2002 record The Richest Man in Babylon. Also in 2002, Torrini sang vocals on Paul Oakenfold's song "Hold Your Hand" taken from his Bunkka album. Torrini has toured with Moby, Sting, Dido, Travis, Tricky, and Adem.
Discography
Albums
- 1994 - Spoon (Iceland Only)
- 1995 - Crouçie D'où Là (Iceland Only)
- 1996 - Merman (Iceland Only)
- 1999 - Love in the Time of Science
- 2000 - Rarities (Promo Only)
- 2005 - Fisherman's Woman - UK #94
- 2008 - Me and Armini - UK #96
EPs
- 2009 - Me and Armini EP
Singles
| Year | Song | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICL | AUS | AUT | BE (FL) | BE (WA) | FIN | GER | NLD | SWI | UK | |||
| 1999 | "Dead Things" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Love in the Time of Science |
| "Baby Blue" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "To Be Free" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001 | "Easy" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 63 | |
| "Unemployed in Summertime" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 63 | ||
| 2001 | "To Be Free" (reissue) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 44 | |
| 2004 | "Lifesaver" | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Fisherman's Woman |
| 2005 | "Sunnyroad" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 82 | |
| "Heartstopper" | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 126 | ||
| 2008 | "Me and Armini" | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Me and Armini |
| "Big Jumps" | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009 | "Jungle Drum" | 1 | 84 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 5 | 1 | 57 | 11 | — | |
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart or was not released in given territory. | ||||||||||||
Other charting tracks
| Year | Song | ICL | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "White Rabbit" | 34 | featured on various compilations |
| "Stephanie Says" | 47 | Merman | |
| "Chelsea Morning" | 50 | ||
| 2005 | "The Boy Who Giggled So Sweet" | 36 | |
| "Blame It on the Sun" | 69 | ||
| "Someone Knows" (remix) (with Björn Jörundur Friðbjörnsson) | 41 | featured on various compilations | |
| "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" | 84 | ||
| "Tvær stjörnur" | 85 | ||
| 2006 | "Nothing Brings Me Down" | 41 | Fisherman's Woman |
| "Today Has Been OK" | 47 | ||
| "Snow" | 51 | ||
| "Thinking Out Loud" | 56 | ||
| "Serenade" | 57 | ||
| "Next Time Around" | 59 | ||
| "Honeymoon Child" | 60 | ||
| "At Least It Was" | 63 | ||
| "Crazy Love" | 49 | Crouçie d'où là | |
| "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You" | 62 | Merman |
Collaborations
- 1995 - "Bömpaðu baby bömpaðu" (vocals) (Fjallkonan, Partý)
- 1995 - "Vanishing" (vocals) (LHOOQ, Volume Fifteen)
- 1996 - "7-Up Days" (vocals) (Slowblow, Fousque)
- 1996? - "Flirt" (vocals) (Slowblow)
- 1997 - "Asking for Love" (vocals) (Jóhann G. Jóhannsson, Asking for Love)
- 1997 - "Is Jesus Your Pal?" (vocals) (GusGus, Polydistortion)
- 1997 - "Why?" (vocals) (GusGus, Polydistortion)
- 1999 - "Come Out" (vocals) (Dip, Hi-Camp Meets Lo-Fi)
- 2000 - "Heaven Knows" (vocals) (Luxus, Have a Nice Trip)
- 2001 - "101 Reykjavík Theme" (remixed by Emilíana Torrini, no vocals) (101 Reykjavík Soundtrack)
- 2002 - "Absolutely No Point In Anything Anymore" (vocals) (Cheapglue, Sexy Horses)
- 2002 - "Hold Your Hand" (vocals) (Paul Oakenfold, Bunkka)
- 2002 - "Weebles Fall" (vocals) (Slovo, Nommo)
- 2002 - "Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes" (vocals) (Thievery Corporation, The Richest Man in Babylon)
- 2002 - "Until the Morning" (vocals) (Thievery Corporation, The Richest Man in Babylon)
- 2002 - "Gollum's Song" (vocals) (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Soundtrack)
- 2003 - "Slow" (co-writing) (Kylie Minogue, Body Language)
- 2003 - "Someday" (co-writing) (Kylie Minogue, Body Language)
- 2003 - "Soul On Fire" (co-writing) (Kylie Minogue, Slow)
- 2005 - "Thinking Out Loud" (with Sneaker Pimps as Line of Flight, online re-release of Loretta Young Silks (single))
Songs on compilations
- 1994 - "Frank Mills" (Hárið)
- 1996 - "Candy Man" (Sprelllifandi)
- 1996 - "Lay Down" (Stone Free, cover of Melanie Safka's song "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)")
- 1996 - "Ruby Tuesday" (Stone Free, The Rolling Stones cover)
- 1996 - "White Rabbit" (Stone Free, Jefferson Airplane cover)
- 1996 - "Sounds of Silence" (Stone Free, cover of "The Sounds of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel)
- 1997 - "Heaven Knows" (Veðmálið, with Björn Jörundur)
- 1997 - "Io e te" (Veðmálið)
- 1997 - "Leigubíll" (Veðmálið, with Kanada)
- 1997 - "Perlur og svín" (Veðmálið)
- 1997 - "Tvær stjörnur" (Megasarlög)
- 2002 - "If You Go Away" (Pumpkin soundtrack)
- 2002 - "Summerbreeze" (the late lounge) Mark Abis cover
- "To Be Free" Crazy/Beautiful soundtrack
- 2005 - "Sunnyroad" (Live) (Other Voices CD3)
References
- Information on Icelandic Surnames
- Excerpt in fan forum from an interview by Mark Radcliffe at BBC, January 17. 2005
- Icelandic names
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUSuPe0Kcbg
- Zobbel (2007-06-16). "Chart Log UK". Zobbel. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
- "Official Album Chart for the week ending 20 September 2008". ChartsPlus (369). Milton Keynes: IQ Ware Ltd: 5–8.
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External links
- Official site
- Fansite
- Interview in the Sydney Morning Herald
- Official Emiliana Torrini Remix Contest with Rough Trade Records
- Music From The Moon - A scenic documentary movie about music in Iceland & Greenland feat. Emilíana Torrini, Benni Hemm Hemm, Members of Sigur Rós, Mum, ...