PHOTOGRAPHY BY:DANIEL BOIX

Emilie Autumn Liddell (born in Los Angeles, Ca-

lifornia, on September 22, 1979), better known

by her stage name Emilie Autumn, is an American

singer-songwriter, poet, and violinist. Autumn draws

influence for her music—the style of which she has

alternatively labeled as “Victoriandustrial” and glam

rock—from plays, novels, and history, particularly

the Victorian era.

Performing with her all-female backing band The

Bloody Crumpets, Autumn incorporates elements

of classical music, cabaret, electronica, and glam

rock with theatrics, burlesque, and “flamboyant”

outfits. Outspoken about bipolar disorder and her

experience in a modern-day psychiatric ward, she

has written an autobiographical novel, 2010’s The

Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls.

Growing up in Malibu, California, she began lear-

ning the violin at the age of four and left regular

school five years later with the goal of becoming

a world-class violinist; she practiced eight or nine

hours a day and read a wide range of literature.

Progressing to writing her own music, she stu-

died under various teachers and went to Indiana

University, which she left over issues regarding

the relationship between classical music and the

appearance of the performer. Through her own in-

dependent label Traitor Records, Autumn debuted

with her classical album On a Day: Music for Violin

& Continuo, followed by the release in 2003 of her

supernaturally themed album Enchant.

She appeared in singer Courtney Love’s backing

band on her 2004 America’s Sweetheart tour and

returned to Europe. She released the 2006 album

Opheliac with the German label Trisol Music Group.

In 2007, she released Laced/Unlaced; the re-re-

lease of On a Day... appeared as Laced with songs

on the electric violin as Unlaced. She later left Trisol

to join New York-based The End Records in 2009

and release Opheliac in the United States, where

previously it had only been available as an import.

Currently she is on tour for her upcoming album

titled Fight Like A Girl.

Here you sit on your high-backed chair Wonder how the view is from there I wouldn’t know ‘cause I like to sit Upon the floor, yeah upon the floor If you like we could play a game Let’s pretend that we are the same But you will have to look much closer Than you do, closer than you do

And I’m far too tired to stay here anymore And I don’t care what you think anyway ‘Cause I think you were wrong about me Yeah what if you were, what if you were

And what if I’m a snowstorm burning What if I’m a world unturning What if I’m an ocean, far too shallow, much too deep What if I’m the kindest demon Something you may not believe in What if I’m a siren singing gentlemen to sleep

I know you’ve got it figured out Tell me what I am all about And I just might learn a thing or two Hundred about you, maybe about you I’m the end of your telescope I don’t change just to suit your vision ‘Cause I am bound by a fraying rope Around my hands, tied around my hands

And you close your eyes when I say I’m breaking free And put your hands over both your ears Because you cannot stand to believe I’m not

The perfect girl you thought Well what have I got to lose

And what if I’m a weeping willow Laughing tears upon my pillow What if I’m a socialite who wants to be alone What if I’m a toothless leopard What if I’m a sheepless shepherd What if I’m an angel without wings to take me home

You don’t know me Never will, never will I’m outside your picture frame And the glass is breaking now You can’t see me Never will, never will If you’re never gonna see

What if I’m a crowded desert Too much pain with little pleasure What if I’m the nicest place you never want to go What if I don’t know who I am Will that keep us both from trying To find out and when you have Be sure to let me know

What if I’m a snowstorm burning What if I’m a world unturning What if I’m an ocean, far too shallow, much too deep What if I’m the kindest demon Something you may not believe in What if I’m a siren singing gentlemen to sleep Sleep... Sleep...

WHAT IF...?

Aqui estás sentado, en tu silla de respaldo altoMe preguntó cómo es la vista desde ahíNo podría saberlo porque me gusta sentarmeen el suelo, sí, en el suelo.Si quieres podríamos jugar un juegoFinjamos que somos lo mismoPero vas a tener que mirar mucho más cercade lo que lo haces, más cerca de lo que lo haces

Y estoy demasiado cansada para quedarme aquíY de todas formas no me importa lo que piensasporque creo que estabas equivocado sobre míSí, y qué si fueras, y qué si fueras?

¿Y qué si soy una tormenta de nieve ardiendo?¿Qué si soy un mundo desenvolviendose?¿Qué si soy un océano, demasiado bajo, demasiado profundo?¿Qué si soy el demonio más amable?Algo en lo que tal vez no creas¿Qué si soy una sirena cantando para que los ca-balleros se duerman?

Sé que ya lo descifrasteDime todo lo que soyY quizás aprenda una o dos cosasCientas acerca de ti, tal vez acerca de tiSoy el fin de tu telescopioNo cambio sólo para ajustarme a tu visiónporque estoy atada por una cuerda desgastadaAlrededor de mis manos, atada alrededor de mis manos

Y cierras los ojos cuando cuando digo que me estoy liberandoY te pones las manos en los oídosPorque no puedes soportar que yo no sea

la chica perfecta que pensabasBueno, ¿qué tengo que perder?

¿Y qué si soy un sauce llorónriendo lágrimas sobre mi almohada?¿Qué si soy una sociable que quiere estar sola?¿Qué si soy un leopardo sin dientes?¿Qué si soy un pastor sin ovejas?¿Qué si soy un ángel sin alas para volar a casa?

No me conocesNunca lo harás, nunca lo harásEstoy fuera del marco de tu imagenY el vidrio se está rompiendo ahoraNo puedes vermeNunca lo harás, nunca lo harásSi nunca vas a ver...

¿Qué si soy un desierto hiperpoblado?Demasiado dolor con un poco de placer.¿Qué si soy el lugar más bonito al que nunca qui-siste ir?¿Qué si no sé quién soy?¿Acaso eso va a detener nuestros intentosde descubrirlo? Y cuando lo tengas Asegúrate de hacérmelo saber.

¿Y qué si soy una tormenta de nieve quemándose?¿Qué si soy un mundo desenvolviendose?¿Qué si soy un océano, demasiado bajo, demasiado profundo?¿Qué si soy el demonio más amable?Algo en lo que tal vez no creas..¿Qué si soy una sirena cantando para que los ca-balleros se duerman?Duerman...Duerman...

QUÉ SI...?

“ Here you sit on your high-backed chair Wonder how the view is from there

I wouldn’t know ‘cause I like to sit

Upon the floor, yeah upon the floor

”

“ If you like we could play a game Let’s pretend that we are the same

But you will have to look much closer Than you do, closer than you do

”

“ And I’m far too tired to stay here anymore And I don’t care what you think anyway

‘Cause I think you were wrong about me Yeah what if you were, what if you were

”

“ I know you’ve got it figured out Tell me what I am all about

And I just might learn a thing or two

Hundred about you, maybe about you

”

“ I don’t change just to suit your vision ‘Cause I am bound by a fraying rope

Around my hands, tied around my hands

”

“ And you close your eyes when I say I’m breaking free And put your hands over both your ears Because you cannot stand to believe I’m not The perfect girl you thought Well what have I got to lose

”

“ And what if I’m a weeping willow Laughing tears upon my pillow

What if I’m a socialite who wants to be alone What if I’m a toothless leopard

What if I’m a sheepless shepherd

”

“ What if I’m an angel without wings to take me home

You don’t know me Never will, never will

I’m outside your picture frame And the glass is breaking now

You can’t see me Never will, never will

If you’re never gonna see

”

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The End